REVIEW: Paavo Järvi opens eyes and ears with latest LA Phil appearance
You still pondering who could be the next Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic? Paavo Järvi has entered the chat.
Latest Entries
Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical / Other classical music concerts and recitals (in So Cal and beyond)
Tom Hooten will record John Williams Trumpet Concerto with composer conducting; idea to become reality thanks to successful Kickstarter
Thomas Hooten, Principal Trumpet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, had a great idea: record the John Williams Concerto for Trumpet and Piano. He mentioned it to the distinguished composer who thought it was a great idea too and agreed to conduct the new recording. Both of them decided to do it for free, but that … Continue reading
Appointments / Auditions & Appointments / Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical / Pacific Symphony
Comings and goings at the LA Phil and beyond (End of Summer 2018 edition)
Hello again, folks. Long time no chat. Hope you’re well. It’s obviously been a while, and so let’s start getting caught up by talking about some key personnel moves across the Southern California orchestral landscape and beyond. New additions to the LA Phil (official and unofficial) Since the beginning of the calendar year, the Los … Continue reading
Memorial Day music & video: Tom Hooten, US Marine Band play “With Malice Toward None”
For Memorial Day 2018, I offer this video of a 2016 performance by the US Marine Band (“The President’s Own”) featuring soloist Thomas Hooten, Los Angeles Philharmonic Principal Trumpet, playing an arrangement of “With Malice Toward None” from the John Williams soundtrack to the movie Lincoln. Mr. Hooten was a member of the US Marine … Continue reading
RIP Robert D. Thomas, Southern California music critic
The Southern California classical music community has lost one of its important voices. Robert D. “Bob” Thomas died in the early morning of Thursday, May 3rd. He reached countless readers as the long-time music critic and writer for the Pasadena Star-News and its sister publications in the Southern California News Group, as well as for … Continue reading
REVIEW: Camerata Pacifica impresses in new Lera Auerbach viola preludes and Schubert Piano Trio in B-flat Major
Camerata Pacifica‘s April concert was a juxtaposition of two contrasting works: the world premiere of Lera Auerbach‘s 24 Preludes for Viola and Piano (“Wanderer”), a Camerata Pacifica commission; and the Piano Trio in B-flat Major by Schubert. Both were roughly 45-minutes in length, but similarities ended there. Continue reading
Ojai Music Festival names LA Phil’s Chad Smith to be their new Artistic Director
The Ojai Music Festival announced this morning that Chad Smith will be their new Artistic Director beginning in 2020. Mr. Smith will take over for Thomas W. Morris, Ojai’s Artistic Director since 2004 and former top executive with the Cleveland Orchestra and Boston Symphony, who had previously announced his decision to retire after the 2019 … Continue reading
A chat with Grant Gershon: his thoughts as the LA Master Chorale tackles “Lagrime di San Pietro” again
The Los Angeles Master Chorale opened their 2016-17 season with staged performances of Orlando di Lassos’s Lagrime di San Pietro (Tears of St. Peter), a Renaissance-era work unknown to most singers and audience members alike, even the most ardent aficionados of choral music. I spoke to Artistic Director Grant Gershon at the time. We discussed … Continue reading
VIDEO: New Order’s “Blue Monday” turns 35 today; here’s Orkestra Obsolete’s inventive re-interpretation
Thirty-five years ago today, New Order released their seminal New Wave dance hit, “Blue Monday.” The song — along with its iconic packaging for the 12″ vinyl single as an over-sized floppy disc — represents a key moment in time for the band, the clearest indication that it had moved beyond its more austere roots … Continue reading
My $0.02 on the 2018/19 LA Phil season: beyond the obvious awesomeness, my 3 big takeaways and other noteworthy tidbits
After teasing its 2018/19 season in November and postponing its originally planned announcement by an extra couple of days, the Los Angeles Philharmonic finally dropped the other shoe last week and released full details of its Centennial Season. It is, to use a word that is ubiquitous yet completely accurate and appropriate this time: awesome. … Continue reading
My $0.02 on the LA Chamber Orchestra’s 2018/19 season
While everyone in the classical music space has been holding its collective breath waiting for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, that benevolent 800-lb. gorilla of the Southern California artistic landscape, to release details of the rest of its 2018/19 season, we should pause and examine next year’s season recently announced by the smaller yet artistically worthy … Continue reading
LA Phil’s announcement of 2018/19 season delayed
Expectations have been rather high for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 2018/19 season. After all, they’ve had some rather impressive seasons leading up to it, and you’d guess that they’d make an even bigger splash for their 100th Anniversary season. The full season announcement was to have been made this morning Alas, we’ll have to wait … Continue reading
A chat with Arturo Sandoval: the legendary musician talks about the state of jazz, sharing it with younger generations, the importance of Arban, and much more
The multi-talented Arturo Sandoval, best known as a jazz trumpeter, is in the middle of a four-day residency at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. He plays a concert tonight, but the bulk of the “Sandoval Jazz Weekend” at The Wallis is devoted to showcasing and engaging young jazz talent … Continue reading
My $0.02 on the 2018/19 LA Opera season
Los Angeles Opera and Plácido Domingo, their General Director, issued a press release last week announcing details of their 2018/19 (full details are below). In short, here’s what we’ve got to look forward to: Mainstage (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion) Six performances each of: Don Carlo (Verdi): September 22 through October 14, 2018; revival. James Conlon conducts. Ramón Vargas (Don … Continue reading
Some thoughts as the LA Phil names Simon Woods as their new CEO
The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced yesterday that Simon Woods will be their new Chief Executive Officer effective January 22, 2018. The 54-year old native of London has been President and CEO of the Seattle Symphony since 2011. Overall, I think this is good news. Some thoughts and observations on the announcement: Continue reading
RIP Mitchell Peters, former LA Phil Principal Timpani
Sad news yesterday from the Los Angeles Philharmonic that Mitchell Peters, member of the orchestra from 1969 until his retirement in 2006, has passed away at the age of 82. Mr. Peters was named Co-Principal Percussionist in 1972 and took over the Principal Timpani in 1982. He was also well-known as a composer, arranger, and … Continue reading
All is Yar 