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LA Phil extends contracts of Herbie Hancock and Thomas Wilkins
Appointments / Auditions & Appointments / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

LA Phil extends contracts of Herbie Hancock and Thomas Wilkins

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Two important artistic leaders at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association will be around for a few more years. Herbie Hancock and Thomas Wilkins both signed contract extensions with the organization. Legendary jazz keyboardist Herbie Hancock will continue as Creative Chair for Jazz until at least 2023. His tenure had been set to expire at the … Continue reading →

Things are looking up: LA Chamber Orchestra to re-open Walt Disney Concert Hall with free concert, extend Jaime Martin’s contract, and more
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Music News & Info: Classical

Things are looking up: LA Chamber Orchestra to re-open Walt Disney Concert Hall with free concert, extend Jaime Martin’s contract, and more

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Big news from the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra: First, the orchestra, led by Music Director Jaime Martin, will begin playing again this summer The initial concert on Saturday, June 26, will be at Walt Disney Concert Hall   It will be the first performance for a live audience at WDCH since the venue closed for the … Continue reading →

REVIEW: LA Phil livestreams opening concert of 2021 Hollywood Bowl Season
All Reviews / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical / Reviews 2020/2021

REVIEW: LA Phil livestreams opening concert of 2021 Hollywood Bowl Season

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Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic launched its 2021 Hollywood Bowl season last night with a free concert for frontline and essential workers, their first performance for a live audience in over 14 months. Those unable or unqualified to be one of the 4,000+ in attendance could enjoy a livestream of the program via … Continue reading →

LA Phil releases full details of 2021 Hollywood Bowl summer season
Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

LA Phil releases full details of 2021 Hollywood Bowl summer season

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The other shoe has dropped. The Los Angeles Philharmonic sent an email to subscribers this morning inviting them to go to their website to view details of the 2021 summer season at the Hollywood Bowl. The full press release came about 30 minutes later. This comes a month after they announced that (a) there actually … Continue reading →

A 2020 chat with Norman Pearson: the tuba player talks about his career & influences, the evolution of the LA Phil’s brass section, his preferred place to play on the Disney Hall stage, and much more
Interviews / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

A 2020 chat with Norman Pearson: the tuba player talks about his career & influences, the evolution of the LA Phil’s brass section, his preferred place to play on the Disney Hall stage, and much more

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Norman Pearson played his first concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1982 as a substitute on 2nd tuba. Simon Rattle conducted The Rite of Spring. Not a bad start. He’d go on to spend most of his professional career with the LA Phil, including many more concerts as a substitute before becoming an official … Continue reading →

The lost (and found?) <i>All is Yar</i> interviews of 2020: an open letter and prologue
FYI / Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

The lost (and found?) All is Yar interviews of 2020: an open letter and prologue

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Dear Reader (including those of you who’d normally only come here for orchestra audition repertoire lists, the rare operatic April Fools’ joke, or military music freebies, and especially anyone who recognizes that I’m apolitically stealing this “Dear Reader” gag from Jonah Goldberg): In the heady pre-pandemic days of February 2020, I was preparing to chat … Continue reading →

Hollywood Bowl to re-open in May 2021; Dudamel/LA Phil, Thundercat & Flying Lotus, and La Santa Cecilia headline free concerts for critical workers
Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

Hollywood Bowl to re-open in May 2021; Dudamel/LA Phil, Thundercat & Flying Lotus, and La Santa Cecilia headline free concerts for critical workers

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In the latest sign that the beginning of the end of the pandemic is in sight, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced today that the Hollywood Bowl will once again host audiences for live concerts this summer. Capacity will initially be limited to 4,000 audience members, with hopes/plans to expand that number as the summer … Continue reading →

Comings and goings at the LA Phil (Summer 2020 edition): retirements in the time of Covid-19
Appointments / Auditions & Appointments / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

Comings and goings at the LA Phil (Summer 2020 edition): retirements in the time of Covid-19

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Life can seem frozen during this strangest, most turbulent of years.  There’s a desire to rewind and redo the past, or to fast-forward to a post-pandemic future that hopefully looks and feels like the underappreciated 2019 (or 2015 or 2000 or . . .  ) of our memory.  Yet time — and life — trudges … Continue reading →

Musical “Fourth of July plumes” for Independence Day 2020
Music News & Info: Classical

Musical “Fourth of July plumes” for Independence Day 2020

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Happy Independence Day, everyone. I usually spend this most patriotic of American holidays immersed in the kind of music that reminds me of time spent in uniform: standing in formation, marching in parades, and passing in review. Famous cadences by Henry Filmore, E. E. Bagley, Karl King, and of course, John Philip Sousa bring up … Continue reading →

Watch tonight — or stream online right now: LA Phil’s 100th Anniversary Concert on PBS “Great Performances”
All Reviews / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical / Reviews 2019/2020

Watch tonight — or stream online right now: LA Phil’s 100th Anniversary Concert on PBS “Great Performances”

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Hello everyone.  Long time no chat.  Hope you’re all safe, healthy, and in good spirits during these challenging times. I know I’ve been mostly incommunicado, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic went full-bore crazy; alas, my other non-CKDH personae have required my attention lately.  That said, I’ve been working on writing more (again). I’ve started multiple … Continue reading →

My $0.02 on Gustavo Dudamel extending his LA Phil contract to 2025/26 season
Appointments / Auditions & Appointments / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

My $0.02 on Gustavo Dudamel extending his LA Phil contract to 2025/26 season

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It looks like “The Dude” is gonna be sticking around for a little while longer.  The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced earlier today that Gustavo Dudamel, the orchestra’s Music & Artistic Director, will continue in that capacity through at least the 2025/26 season.  His current contract was to expire at the end of the 2021/22 season.  … Continue reading →

REVIEW: Dudamel, Bullock, Thibaudet, and LA Phil revel in unabashed Americana for season opener
All Reviews / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

REVIEW: Dudamel, Bullock, Thibaudet, and LA Phil revel in unabashed Americana for season opener

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Gustavo Dudamel has been in charge of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a decade now, and so we should be able to easily answer the question: what can we — should we — expect from one of their concerts together? And there’s the rub. There is no easy answer that doesn’t sound like a generic … Continue reading →

Comings and goings at the LA Phil and beyond (Fall 2019 edition): new CEO, harp, and violins; a Principal Oboe update; plus much more
Appointments / Auditions & Appointments / Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical

Comings and goings at the LA Phil and beyond (Fall 2019 edition): new CEO, harp, and violins; a Principal Oboe update; plus much more

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After many requests, I’m very happy to bring back my regular look at the personnel moves within the Los Angeles Philharmonic, plus a couple of noteworthy moves at the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. There’s even a link to some fabulous music by the “Los Angeles Philharmonic Wind Quintet” (seriously). Let’s get to it . . … Continue reading →

A chat with Jaime Martin: LACO’s new chief discusses his approach to conducting new music, plus soloists and composers he’ll feature in his first season
Auditions & Appointments / Interviews / Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Music News & Info: Classical

A chat with Jaime Martin: LACO’s new chief discusses his approach to conducting new music, plus soloists and composers he’ll feature in his first season

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The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra begins its 2019-2020 season this coming weekend with two concerts featuring a world premiere from Andrew Norman and works by Beethoven and Berlioz. The weekend also marks the official beginning of Jaime Martin’s tenure as LACO’s Music Director. The Spaniard takes over the orchestra in a time of transition, with … Continue reading →