The four weekends of concerts by the Los Angeles Philharmonic this past January were noteworthy for three reasons: the diversity of programming, the quality of playing, and that the first three conductors — Bramwell Tovey, Zubin Mehta, and Lionel Bringuier — once held titled positions with the orchestra while the fourth, Gustavo Dudamel, is the LA Phil’s current … Continue reading
The musicians of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the nomadic London-based chamber orchestra, are no strangers to Southern California. They show up annually on the season schedules of Los Angeles and/or Orange County arts organizations. Two of their most prominent figures — Neville Marriner, founder and Life President, and Iona Brown, former leader and … Continue reading
The folks at “Jacaranda, Music on the Edge” are on a bit of a roll. The seats at Santa Monica’s First Presbyterian Church (AKA “First Preb”) were almost all full and the crowd was enthusiastic. The program, billed as “Thresholds: The Scandals of 1912-13” was chock-a-block with works from the Second Viennese School; however, in … Continue reading
All is Yar 