Kern Plays Rachmaninoff

Went to the Pacific Symphony's concert Saturday night.  This is the first one in the 2016-2017 night series.

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

This performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on February 5, 2017.

This season celebrates the 10 year anniversery of the Renee and Henry Segerstrom concert hall.  If you have never heard a concert hear before, this is an awesome hall.

Music director Carl St. Clair conducted with pianist Olga Kern.

Antonin Dvořák:  Carnival Overture, Op. 92

Sergei Rachmaninoff:  Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43

Conrad Tao:  I got a wiggle that I just can’t shake (world premiere)

Ottorino Respighi:  Pines of Rome, P. 141

We're used to seeing Conrad on stage sitting at the piano, but this time he composed the first work on the second half.  He was here for the rehearsal, but couldn't be present due to an east coast Rach 3 concert.  Who said the virtuoso composers are getting extinct?  :)

KUSC's new playlist

KUSC's playlist got a new look!  :)

I like the accordion style, you can collapse the shows that are not currently playing.

Looks like they still need to work on the past lists though...

Tchaikovsky Spectacular

We went to the final concert of the Pacific Symphony's summer series last week.  It was indeed spectacular!  :)

This is also the final concert in the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre.  The property will be developed for residential use.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with violist Paul Huang, pianist Natasha Paremski, and the Huntington Beach Concert Band.

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Selections from Swan Lake, Op. 20
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 35, TH 59

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker, Op. 71
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 23, TH 55
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, Op. 49, TH 49

Two ballets, two concertos, and the 1812?  What a deal!  :)

As always, we had fireworks and real canons on site.

The fireworks.

The canons.

There was even a PokeStop!  :)

I will sure miss the concerts here.  I hope the venue from next year will be close by (at least in Orange County).