It was a festive atmosphere inside and outside Walt Disney Concert Hall on Thursday as the LA Phil unveiled plans (and a new logo) for its 100th anniversary. The actual date of the first concert by the LA Phil was October 24, 1919, so technically the orchestra's birthday is still nearly two years away. However, … Continue reading LA Phil at 100: Celebrating the Past by Looking to the Future
Meet the Future Faces of Classical Music
Conductor Thomas Wilkins leads 101 young musicians from across the country during the “Take a Stand” symposium and festival | Photo by Brian Lauritzen If you have questions about the future of classical music, you’re not going to find answers in an orchestra’s administrative offices or the board room of a big opera company. I … Continue reading Meet the Future Faces of Classical Music
Scully at the Bowl
Vin Scully on stage with Gustavo Dudamel at the Hollywood Bowl On Thursday night, Hall of Fame former Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully’s voice once again wafted over the summer evening breezes of Southern California. There was no crack of the bat, no mention of deuces being wild, and no radio dial in sight (at least … Continue reading Scully at the Bowl
Four Female Conductors Take the Stage at the LA Phil
The LA Phil unveiled its 2017-18 season last week and among the many highlights is the fact that the orchestra has engaged four different women to conduct six different concerts. That may not seem like a lot over the course of an 8-month concert season, but it is considerably more than any other major orchestra in the … Continue reading Four Female Conductors Take the Stage at the LA Phil
Learning to Hate: A Story Whose Relevance Reaches Beyond the West Side
At the climax of West Side Story, Maria brandishes the gun that killed her star-crossed lover, Tony, and declares that, "We all killed him," because of the unbroken cycle of violence and hate between the two rival gangs. "I can kill now," Maria screams, "Because I hate now too!" When they programmed a concert performance … Continue reading Learning to Hate: A Story Whose Relevance Reaches Beyond the West Side
LA Phil 2016-17: By the Numbers
I do this every year: leave the punditry to others and tally up the stats. Here's what 2016-17 looks like at the LA Phil. Unlike in years past, I have only included performances by the LA Phil--no visiting artists. 21 commissions, 14 world premieres, 5 U.S. premieres, and 5 West Coast premieres. This beats last … Continue reading LA Phil 2016-17: By the Numbers
Kicking Brass: An Interview with the LA Phil’s Andrew Bain and Thomas Hooten
This week’s LA Philharmonic radio broadcast on Classical KUSC features two concerto performances by two LA Phil brass principals. Thomas Hooten, principal trumpet, will play Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat. Andrew Bain, principal French horn, will play Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4. Before the performance, which was recorded in February 2015, I sat down with … Continue reading Kicking Brass: An Interview with the LA Phil’s Andrew Bain and Thomas Hooten
Here’s the thing about Gustavo Dudamel…
I've never particularly cared for the third movement of Dvořák's New World Symphony. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, but for me it has only ever been the thing that happens in between the serene beauty of the slow movement and the Jaws-like introduction to the finale. The third movement is fine. I've just never loved it. … Continue reading Here’s the thing about Gustavo Dudamel…
Le “Sakura” du Printemps
Were it not for sakura in this world, our hearts and minds would not be so serene and peaceful. -Ariwara no Narihira (825-880 A.D.) It's the most wonderful time of the year in Tokyo right now. That fleeting moment that comes each spring when the cherry trees do their best cotton candy impersonation and the … Continue reading Le “Sakura” du Printemps
Familiar Digs; Family Forever
The LA Phil wrapped up its Asia tour with two concerts in Suntory Hall in Tokyo. The stunning hall is tucked away in a labyrinth of office buildings, hotels, and the U-S embassy in the Minato district of Tokyo. It was the first hall designed by Yasuhisa Toyota and it was this hall that sealed the … Continue reading Familiar Digs; Family Forever
Brian Lauritzen 