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

Sound the (Principal) Trumpet: It’s Thomas Hooten

All season long, the LA Philharmonic has been on Principal Trumpet Watch. Current principal, Donald Green, retires at the end of this Hollywood Bowl season. The LA Phil actually offered the position to Thomas Hooten, principal trumpet of the Atlanta Symphony, and probably the most highly sought after orchestral trumpeter in the world. But the … Continue reading Sound the (Principal) Trumpet: It’s Thomas Hooten

The Haiku Reviews: A 400-Year-Old Premiere, Some Beethoven, and Plucked-Up Bach

As I make my way through the piles of new CDs on my desk at work, from time to time I'll also share some rapid-fire reviews of said albums...in haiku form. Because: Sometimes the best way to quickly review CDs is to use haiku. ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞   Cantatas arranged as Brandenburg Concerti. Interesting, but why?   … Continue reading The Haiku Reviews: A 400-Year-Old Premiere, Some Beethoven, and Plucked-Up Bach