I’m pleased to announce that the good folks at LA Weekly have asked me to start writing for them on a freelance basis. The first of what I hope will be many articles and reviews in that publication is “An Ex-Marine and a Former Basketball Referee Walk Into Disney Hall…,” an interview with Andrew Bain and … Continue reading
We in Southern California are so spoiled. We’ve got amazing weather and a diverse geography with which to enjoy it; where else can you spend a couple of hours surfing in the morning and be snow skiing by lunchtime? We’ve got Vin Scully, two Stanley Cups in three years, and two solid college football teams 13 … Continue reading
When is an organ recital more than that? When the entire LA Phil brass section joins the fray, as it will this coming Sunday, October 12th, at 7pm, for a tenth birthday party of sorts. Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic wrapped up its whirlwind twelve day, seven city tour last week. Reviews from the trip were generally positive, many even glowing. Critics seemed most impressed by the performances of 20th & 21st Century works by Bjarnason, Corigliano, and Rachmaninoff, with Yuja Wang’s pianistic contributions also earning requisite praise. The smattering of negative comments made were mostly … Continue reading
With the start of the new Los Angeles Philharmonic season, it’s time once again to examine the current personnel situation at the orchestra. The first thing worth mentioning is that there isn’t much to mention, especially compared to previous seasons. Just eyeballing it, but it looks like the orchestra has the fewest empty chairs to … Continue reading
A little over a week ago, David Robertson returned to the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s podium for the first time in over five years, and for the life of me, I have a hard time understanding why it’s taken so long. First and foremost, his broad repertoire featuring impeccable credentials in 20th and 21st Century music … Continue reading
Despite my tardiness, I’ve still been wanting to write about last month’s Los Angeles Philharmonic performance of the Mahler 5th Symphony. Sure, at least three loyal readers have been prodding me in public and private to do so. On top of that, the concert featured Daniel Harding, a conductor who hasn’t made a visit to … Continue reading
