December 07, 2011
Soloist Ralph Kirshbaum recalls his experience as a young cellist at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and his early exposure to the composer’s Rococo Variations. Now the Gregor Piatigorsky Chair in Violoncello at USC’s Thorton School of Music, Kirshbaum makes his LACO debut this weekend with the same piece, which he calls a lesson in stylistic balance. His performance with the Orchestra also previews the inaugural Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, which Kirshbaum created with the USC Thornton School of Music and the LA Phil in partnership with The Colburn School and LACO to bring together masters of the cello and young cellists from around the world for a unique celebration of the cello, its music, and its musicians.
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November 04, 2011
David Shostac chats with KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen about Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. Shostac has performed with LACO for 36 years and has played the concertos beyond count, each time creating what he calls a “festival of sound”. Listen in to the conversation and learn more about LACO’s burgeoning golden age, personified by this weekend’s concerts.
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October 12, 2011
Festive 15 continues with Illumination on October 15 and 16. Jeffrey Kahane discusses highlights of this weekend’s concerts, including Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony and the performance’s connection to Daniel Pearl World Music Days.
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January 31, 2011
Loved the concert, but missed concert preludes? Here is your chance to hear conductor and pianist Ignat Solzhenitsyn talk about the program he performed at the January 23 Haydn’s Drum Roll concert at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
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May 18, 2010
From Great Romantics on May 16, LACO composer-in-residence Derek Bermel talks shop with Sound Investment composer George Tsontakis, whose new piece Laconika was premiered to critical acclaim at the concert.
Each year our Sound Investment program allows a group of music lovers to commission a new piece of music and gain insights into the composition process by attending salons with the composer throughout the year, hearing early readings of the piece, seeing sketches and even attending a full rehearsal. For more information, visit laco.org/soundinvest.
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March 24, 2010
Executive director of The OREL Foundation and former LACO executive director Bob Elias spoke before this past weekend’s Hope concert about the tactics the Third Reich took to suppress and censor music. If you missed Bob’s extremely informative talk, here’s your chance to hear it.
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February 26, 2010
At the Concert Preludes before LACO’s Baroque +, executive director Andrea Laguni sat down with LACO violins Tereza Stanislav, Josefina Vergara and Sarah Thornblade, three of the featured soloists in that performance.
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January 29, 2010
At the Concert Preludes before the performances on January 23 and 24, mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile sat down with LACO music director Jeffrey Kahane to talk about the California premiere of his Mandolin Concerto.
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January 29, 2010
On January 23 and 24, mandolin virtuoso sat down with LACO music director Jeffrey Kahane to talk about the California premiere of his Mandolin Concerto.
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December 16, 2009
In the second half of the Concert Preludes before LACO’s Bel Canto concert, Jeffrey Kahane continues his conversation with composer-in-residence Derek Bermel. Jeffrey plays musical examples to illustrate the intricacies and meter of Mr. Bermel’s A shout, a whisper, and a trace. An accomplished clarinetist, Derek Bermel performs excerpts from his works.
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