By Robert D. Thomas
Music Critic
Pasadena Star-News/San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Whittier Daily News
Although summer seasons are now in full swing, it’s not too soon to be thinking about the upcoming indoor programs. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s 44th season offers a rich schedule that includes 28 performances in Glendale’s Alex Theatre, UCLA’s Royce Hall, The Colburn School’s Zipper Hall, The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, and Pasadena’s Ambassador Auditorium.
Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, now in his 16th season as LACO’s musical chief, will conduct five of the seven orchestral concerts beginning Oct. 6 at the Alex and Oct. 7 at Royce Hall. The program will include Kahane soloing and conducting in Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major; Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, with Augustin Hadelich (in his LACO debut) as soloist; and two west coast premieres: The Great Swiftness by Andrew Norman and James Matheson’s True South.
Kahane will also conduct and play on two other programs: the original 1924 of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue on Dec. 8 and 9 and Bach’s fifth Brandenburg Concerto on March 23 and 24. He will also dissect and then play and conduct Beethoven’s fourth piano concerto on Feb. 23 at Ambassador as LACO’s annual “Discover” program.
Norman, who begins a three-year stint as LACO’s Composer-in-Residence, will have his commission from the orchestra’s “Sound Investment” program played on 20 and 21. The season also includes an appearance by noted choral conductor Helmuth Rilling, who will lead the orchestra and USC Thornton Chamber Singers in a performance of Mozart’s Requiem on Jan. 26 and 27.
In addition to the orchestra series, LACO will also offer its Westside Connections series at The Broad Theatre, Baroque Conversations series at Zipper Hall, and its annual Silent Film Festival on June 8 at Royce Hall, featuring Buster Keaton’s Our Hospitality.
Information: 213/622-7001. Read the full media release HERE. The chronological schedule is HERE.
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(c) Copyright 2012, Robert D. Thomas. All rights reserved. Portions may be quoted with attribution.