Private LA Phil Concert

Out driving today, I was tuned to 91.5 KUSC and the people on it were talking about the first set of concerts for the LA Phil this year. This is Gustavo Dudamel's 4th season with the orchestra and the 9th season in the Disney Music Hall. As the announcers continued, it became clear to me that they were about to broadcast the concert live on the station, so I hurried home so I could listen to it on my home stereo.

On the program today, Ravel's Pavane for a Dead Princess, the world premiere of Stucky's Symphony, and Stravinksy's Rite of Spring.

I know it would have been much better to have been IN Disney Hall, but I was pleased to be able to enjoy the concert from the comfort of my living room. Steven Stucky discusses his work at the LA Phil website here. It generally takes a listener time to get to know a piece, and sometimes the first hearing is not too favorable to the listener's ear. Stucky's piece is definitely accessible and I hope to find a way to be able to hear it again soon.

An Afternoon at the LA Phil

Sometimes it really pays to go to church.  I ran into a friend at the end of the service today who offered me her husband's ticket to this afternoon's LA Phil concert because he is home with a bad virus.  How could I turn it down?

On today's playbill were some good 'ole warhorses conducted by Kurt Masur.  Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture started the program, followed by the Brahms Violin Concerto performed by Sarah Chang.  After intermission, we were treated to Dvorak's 8th Symphony.  Here is a review in the LA Times.

Here is what the reviewer didn't say.  Kurt Masur was dressed like a Jedi Master with tux pants and a a brown tunic with priest-like collar and cuffs.  Sarah Chang, the accompanying princess in a purple gown which dragged on the floor behind her, can sure cut the rug while playing.  If it were me, I would have tripped on the gown and lost my place (that is, if I could even play the Brahms Violin Concerto), but she didn't miss a beat.

I did not see the very animated first chair viola, but I did see a woman in the string bass section!

Gustavo Dudamel

Here is an interview on NPR with Gustavo Dudamel. Wouldn't it be grand to be able to sit in on his rehearsals with the LA Phil?

Dudamel's Inaugural Concert

Since I couldn't make it to Disney Hall for Dudamel's first concert, I was happy to know that it would be aired on PBS. I watched it Wednesday night and enjoyed it for several reasons. First, I got to hear John Adams' City Noir for the first time. We have tickets hear that work in November, and I like to know a piece a bit before I hear it in a concert. I know I will enjoy it more if it is somewhat familiar.

The other reason I enjoyed the concert was to hear Dudamel's interpretation of Mahler's First. That is such a grand symphony, and I especially enjoyed the lustig 2nd movement. Heavy on the bass end, slight pause before the 3rd beat. Of course, watching the conductor's expressions was a treat and not at all distracting.

West Coast, Left Coast

Today the single-concert tickets went on sale for the LA Phil, and Hal got us tickets to see Gustavo Dudamel conduct on Thanksgiving Sunday afternoon. We will be treated to one of the West Coast, Left Coast concerts with LA Variations by Esa Pekka Salonen, Lou Harrison's Piano Concerto, and the new City Noir by John Adams. I bought the LA Variations and have listened to it once, and I'm sure that I'll familiarize myself with it more before November, and then really enjoy a live performance of it.

El Sistema

I finally watched this documentary about Venezuela's music education program. The most famous graduate of El Sistema is Gustavo Dudamel - our new director of the LA Phil. Watching the dedication and hours of practice, I just wonder how far our music students in Claremont would go if we could devote the time and energy and money for comprehensive music education....

LA Phil Composer Fellowship Program

In the LA Times Calendar section yesterday was an article about four teenagers who have spent the past two years studying composition on weekends in an intensive program associated with the LA Phil. Of course, I am jealous of the opportunities these kids have had, but I was also interested to read about one of their assignments. The fellows toured Disney Hall and then composed 4-minute-long pieces inspired by the Gehry building. Each discussed their own take on the relationship between the architecture and their composition. One discussed the "colder" music inspired by the metal exterior. Another spoke of the biological analogy of a metal rose which opens up with a rosebud inside. One is titled "Urban Sea" with images of an ocean and a warm wooden ship.

It reminds me of how I am thinking about aspects of Yosemite to create structure and timbre in my string quartet.

Looking Ahead at the LA Phil

The LA Philharmonic has announced its 2009-2010 season with its new artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel. On Friday, the LA Times ran this article on what's in store for LA, including a free concert at the Hollywood Bowl (can I get tickets?), nine newly commissioned works for the Phil, John Adams as the creative chair, and the Kronos Quartet as ensemble in residence. I'll be saving my money for tickets!