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The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Presents Russia Revealed
January 14, 2008
THE LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PRESENTS
RUSSIA REVEALED
MUSIC DIRECTOR JEFFREY KAHANE CONDUCTS
DYNAMIC VIOLINIST CHEE-YUN
IN AN EXPLORATION OF SOVIET-INFLUENCED MUSIC
SATURDAY, JAN. 19, AT 8 PM (THE ALEX THEATRE – GLENDALE)
SUNDAY, JAN. 20, AT 7 PM (ROYCE HALL – UCLA)
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s acclaimed music director Jeffrey Kahane conducts world-renowned violinist Chee-Yun in Russia Revealed on Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 8pm at The Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA and Sunday, January 20 at 7pm at Royce Hall at UCLA. The evening begins with Divertimento for Strings, composed by Einojuhani Rautavaara, followed by Rudolf Barshai’s Chamber Symphony, Op. 83A, an arrangement of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 4 in D major. Enesco’s Two Intermezzos for Strings, Op. 12 opens the second half of the program, and Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 concludes the evening.
LACO’s Russia Revealed explores the influence Soviet Communism exerted on a number of 20th-century composers – not only native Russians, but other Europeans as well. Rautavaara, who wrote the first piece of the evening, is a native of Finland, but was profoundly impacted as a young boy by the invasion of his homeland by the Soviets in 1939. Enesco, a former child prodigy, was forced to abandon his native Romania due to the Soviet occupation after World War II.
While Rautavaara and Enesco’s works react to Soviet oppression as seen through the eyes of occupied nations, the second selection of the evening, Chamber Symphony, Op. 83A, is the work of a native Russian, Rudolf Barshai. The piece is an arrangement of String Quartet No. 4 in D major, composed by Barshai’s mentor, Shostakovich, whose complicated and often thorny relationship with the Soviet government informed a body of work that was at times both lauded for its patriotism and banned for being too modernist. Shostakovich’s countryman and contemporary, Prokofiev, had a similarly complex relationship with the USSR. The final selection of the evening, Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto in G minor was written while the composer lived in Paris in 1935, and is built around a melody derived from Russian folk music. The following year, Prokofiev returned to Russia and, like Shostakovich, was forced by the government to adapt his musical style to suit Soviet artistic ideals.
Internationally celebrated violinist Chee-Yun brings her flawless technique, beautiful tone and compelling musical temperament to Russia Revealed. The program marks the LACO debut for the soloist, who American Record Guide heralds as playing with “staggering virtuosity and musicality.”
Concert Preludes, scheduled one hour prior to the concerts, feature the stories behind the music and are free for all ticket holders.
Tickets ($17 to $79) are on sale now and may be purchased online at laco.org, by calling the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at 213 622 7001 × 215 or at the venue box office on the night of the concert. Discounted tickets are also available by phone for students, seniors 65 years of age and older, and groups of 12 or more.
Renowned as a pianist and conductor, Jeffrey Kahane is recognized by audiences around the world for his mastery of diverse repertoire from Bach to Gershwin. He has established a reputation as a truly versatile artist equally sought after as soloist, conductor and chamber musician. This year, Kahane entered his 11th season as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He continues his successful tenure as music director of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Under his leadership, both ensembles received 2007 ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming. Kahane also serves as the artistic director of the Green Music Festival in Sonoma County.
An Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and Young Concert Artists International Auditions winner, violinist Chee-Yun has performed with many of the world’s foremost orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, and the Toronto, Houston and National symphonies. Among her career highlights are performances at the Kennedy Center’s gala farewell to Mstislav Rostropovich, the Mostly Mozart Festival’s tour of Japan, a national tour with the San Francisco Symphony, performances across three continents of the Penderecki Concerto No. 2 with the composer on the podium, the premiere of Lou Harrison’s Suite for Violin and String Orchestra, a performance with Michael Tilson Thomas in the inaugural season of Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, and the US premiere of the Penderecki Sonata No. 2 with pianist Barry Douglas at the Kennedy Center. In 1993, Chee-Yun returned to Korea to receive the Nan Pa award, the country’s highest musical honor.
EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:
SATURDAY, JANUARY 19 – 8:00 PM
The Alex Theatre Glendale, CA
SUNDAY, JANUARY 20 – 7:00 PM
Royce Hall, UCLA Westwood, Los Angeles
CONDUCTOR, JEFFREY KAHANE
SOLOIST, CHEE-YUN, violin
PROGRAM:
Rautavaara, Divertimento for Strings (1953)
Shostakovich/Barshai, Chamber Symphony Op. 83A (after String Quartet No. 4 in D major) (1949)
Enesco, Two Intermezzos for Strings Op. 12 (1902 & 1903)
Prokofiev, Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63 (1946)
TICKET PRICES: $17, $29, $48, $69, $79. (Subject to availability, discounts offered for students, seniors and groups of 12 or more.)
TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets available online at www.laco.org or by phone at 213 622 7001 × 215 or by fax at 213 955 2071. Tickets on sale at the theatre box office the night of the concert, if available.