By Robert D. Thomas
Music Critic
Pasadena Star-News/San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Whittier Daily
News
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Each Thursday morning,
I list five events (this week it’s just four — I’m on vacation) that peak my interest,
including (ideally) at least one with free admission (or, at a minimum,
inexpensive tickets).
Here’s today’s grouping:
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Friday and Saturday
at 8 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles
Philharmonic; David Afkham, conductor, Peter Stumpf, cello
These concerts just got a lot more interesting, IMHO.
Originally, the conductor was to have been the 50-year-old Dutch maestro Jaap
van Zweden, who was relatively unknown when he was named music director of the Dallas
Symphony three years ago. However, van Zweden cancelled this week due to
illness and in his place will be 28-year-old David Afkham, who is one of four
Dudamel Conducting Fellows this season. The German-born Afkham isn’t a
neophyte; he is currently assistant conductor of the London Symphony
Orchestra.
Two-thirds of the program remains as originally scheduled:
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, and Prokofiev’s Sinfonia
Concertante, with the orchestra’s principal cellist, Peter Stumpf, as
soloist. The program will now begin with Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture. INFO: www.laphil.com
Saturday at 8 p.m.
at The Broad Stage (Santa Monica) and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Valley Performing
Arts Center (Cal State Northridge)
The Colburn
Orchestra, Yehuda Gilad, conductor; Paul Coletti, violist
The principal large-scale ensemble of The Colburn School
concludes its 2010-2011 season with the West Coast premiere of Los Angeles
composer Paul Chihara’s Viola Concerto (When
Soft Voices Die), Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 and Brahms’ Tragic Overture. The Sunday afternoon concerts offers a second
chance (after last week’s China Philharmonic performance) to hear the new CSUN
performing facility. INFO: www.colburnschool.edu
Sunday at 4 p.m. at
Neighborhood Church, Pasadena
Pacific Serenades
This intrepid chamber-music ensemble presents the 101st
world premiere in its 25-year history: Eric Charnofsky’s piano quintet, “5×5,”
with the composer playing the piano part and joined by Roger Wilkie and Miwako
Watanabe, violin; David Walther, viola; and David Speltz, cello. The program
also includes Mozart’s Piano Trio in B-flat Major, K. 502, with Edith Orloff as
pianist. This program also plays Saturday at 4 p.m. at a private home in Los
Angeles and next Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the UCLA Faculty Center in Westwood.
INFO; www.pacser.org
And the weekend’s “free admission” program this week …
Today at 8 p.m., Saturday
at 1:30 p.m. at Bridges Hall of Music, Pomona College
Pomona College Glee
Club; Donna M. Di Graza, conductor
This 23-member ensemble will sing selections from the 16th
century to the present, including music by Byrd, Palestrina, Durufl, Vaughan Williams
and others. INFO: www.pomona,edu
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(c) Copyright 2011, Robert D. Thomas. All rights reserved.
Portions may be quoted with attribution.
