Alexander Treger | Class Act

By Robert D. Thomas

Music Critic

Pasadena Star-News/San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Whittier Daily
News

A shorter version of this
article will be published tomorrow in the above papers.

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In every classical-music season there are one or two weeks
where the operating word is “overload.” The upcoming fortnight counts as one of
those blocks, especially as it comes on the heels of an extremely busy weekend.
Chronologically, here are some of the major upcoming events (check my Blog for
additions, updates, more details and reviews):

Tonight (Saturday)
at 8 p.m. at the Alex Theater, Glendale; tomorrow (Sunday) at 7 p.m. at Royce
Hall, UCLA

Los Angeles Chamber
Orchestra

Music Director Jeffrey Kahane leads his ensemble in
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (Eroica).
Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin will be the soloist in Britten’s Les illuminations and Now sleeps the crimson petal. Info: 213/622-7001; www.laco.org

Tomorrow (Sunday)
at 7 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

Los Angeles Master
Chorale

Music Director Grant Gershon leads the Chorale in the
opening concert of its 48^th season with the U.S. premiere of Music for a big church; for tranquility
by Swedish composer Thomas Jennefelt and Morton Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna, one of the most popular
compositions of the last quarter century. Paul Meier accompanies on the Disney
Hall organ. Info: 213/972-7282; www.lamc.org

Tuesday at 8 p.m.
at Valley Performing Arts Center, Northridge

Mariinsky Theater
Orchestra

Valery Gergiev leads this famed Russian orchestra (formerly
known as the Kirov) in a program of Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Shostakovich. Alexander
Toradze will be the soloist in Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Info: 818) 677-3000; www.valleyperformingartscenter.org

Thursday and Friday
at 8 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall

Los Angeles
Philharmonic

Music Director Gustavo Dudamel conducts music by John Adams
and Prokofiev. Johannes Moser will be the soloist in the world premiere of Magnetar, concerto for electric cello by
Mexican composer/guitarist Enrico Chapela. “What,” you ask, “is an electric
cello?” Read all about it and the piece in the words of the composer HERE. Info: 323/850-2000; www.laphil.com

Saturday at 7:30
p.m. at Pasadena Presbyterian Church

Cappella Gloriana

This San Diego professional chorale opens the church’s Friends of Music series of nine free
concerts performing music by its founder and director, Stephen Sturk, with
organist Martin Green and the San Diego Harmony Ringers Handbell Choir. Info: 626/793-2191; www.ppc.net

Saturday at 8 p.m.
at Ambassador Auditorium

The Colburn Orchestra

Music Director Yehuda Gilad leads his excellent ensemble in
Brahms’ Symphony No. 3 and Shostakovich’s Festive
Overture and Cello Concerto No. 1. Colburn student Estelle Choi will be the
soloist in the concerto. The concert is free but tickets must be downloaded
through the school’s Web site. Info: www.colburnschool.edu

October 23 at 6
p.m. at Royce Hall (UCLA)

American Youth
Symphony

Music Director Alexander Treger leads another of the
region’s top-notch training orchestras in Bernstein’s Candide Overture and Tchaikovsky’s
Symphony No. 5. Rod Gilfry will be the soloist in selections from Carousel, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd and The Most Happy Fella. The concert is free (although a
$10 donation is suggested); make reservations through the orchestra’s Web site.
Info: aysmphony.org

October 28 and 29
at 8:30 p.m. and 30 at 7 p.m. at REDCAT (Walt Disney Concert Hall)

Southwest Chamber
Music

The Golden Quartet helps SWCM open its 25^th season
with Wadada Lee Smith’s Ten Freedom
Summers, which takes three evenings to perform and is inspired by the
1954-64 years of the Civil Rights Movement. Get details on the composition HERE.
Concert and ticket info: www.swmusic.org

Oct. 29 at 2 p.m.
and 8 p.m. at Ambassador Auditorium, Pasadena

Pasadena Symphony

Rising conducting star Mei-Ann Chen leads the PSO in its
opening concerts with a program that concludes with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.
5. James Ehnes will be the soloist in Korngold’s Violin Concerto. My profile of
Chen is HERE. Info: 626/793-7172;
www.pasadenasymphony-pops.org

Oct. 29 at 4 p.m.
at Downey Civic Theatre

Chorale Bel Canto and
Opera a la Carte

The Whittier-based chorus opens its 30^th season
by joining with Opera a la Carte in an unusual program (for CBC, that is):
Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of
Penzance. Richard Sheldon, who founded Opera a la Carte in 1970, stars as
the Modern Major General. Info:
562/861-8211; www.choralebelcanto.org

_____________________

By Robert D. Thomas

Music Critic

Pasadena Star-News/San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Whittier Daily
News

Mei-Ann Chen will lead
the Pasadena Symphony in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 on Oct.
29, one of four performances of this familiar work during the next three weeks.

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Each season, one “warhorse” piece seems to pop up on
multiple orchestra concerts. Last fall Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 was played four
times by different orchestras within a one-month span (plus the Los Angeles
Philharmonic’s concerts during last May’s “Brahms Unbound” festival). This year
the early winner in this dubious category of programmatic clash is
Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, which will be played four times within a
fortnight by orchestras throughout Southern California, plus at least twice
more later in the season.

In chronological order:

Oct. 13 at the Rene
and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa

Marinsky Theatre
Orchestra; Valery Gergiev, conductor

This world-class ensemble, known in the Communist era as the
Kirov, makes its first appearance in five years at Segerstrom Concert hall. The
first of two concerts pairs the fifth and second symphonies; the second
performance, on Oct. 17, is Tchaikovsky’s third and fourth symphonies. These
are the concert pairings that Gergiev and the orchestra are playing tonight and
tomorrow night at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Information: www.philharmonicsociety.org

Oct. 13, 14 and 15
at Walt Disney Concert Hall

Los Angeles
Philharmonic; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

The Venezuelan maestro, who made his local debut in 2005 at
Hollywood Bowl conducting Tchaikovsky’s fifth (LINK), leads it for the first
time in Disney Hall. The weekend’s programs also include Bartok’s Piano Concerto
No. 3, with Yefim Bronfman as soloist. The Thursday and Saturday programs open
with Orion by Montreal native Claude
Vivier (the “Casual Friday” program omits the Canadian work). Information: www.laphil.org

Oct. 23 at Royce
Hall (UCLA)

American Youth
Symphony; Alexander Treger, conductor

One of the region’s top youth orchestras, the AYS opens its
2011-2012 season with a free concert that concludes with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony
No. 5. It also includes Rod Gilfry singing songs from Carousel, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd and The Most Happy Fella. Information:
www.aysymphony.org

Oct. 29 at
Ambassador Auditorium

Pasadena Symphony;
Mei-Ann Chen, conductor

The Pasadena Symphony’s opening concerts (performances at 2
and 8 p.m.) finishes with Tchaikovsky’s fifth symphony. Earlier, Taiwanese-born
Mei-Ann Chen (music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta and Memphis Symphony,
and a rising star in conducting circles) leads Saibei Dance (from Sabei
Dance Suite No. 2) by An-Lun Huang, and Korngold’s Violin Concerto, with
James Ehnes as soloist. NOTE: my article on Mei-Ann Chen will be posted later
this week and will also appear in Pasadena
Scene magazine. Information: www.pasadenasymphony-pops.org

And, if that wasn’t enough, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5
pops up twice in January, as well. Charles Dutoit leads the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra of London playing the piece on Jan. 25 on tour at Copley Hall in San
Diego (curiously, the orchestra wasn’t booked at any other Southland hall).

Meanwhile, Carl St.Clair and the Pacific Symphony play the
piece Jan. 12-15 at Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. The program for the
first three nights will include Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov’s Sidereus, was played last month by
Jeffrey Kahane and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LINK).

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Class Act

The Southern California classical music scene with Bob Thomas

Tag Archives: Alexander Treger

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