Mozart & Rachmaninoff

We went to the Pacific Symphony concert on Saturday!  :)

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

The Saturday night performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on February 4, 2018.

Unfortunately, the originally casted conductor André Previn could not make it due to health issues, but Rune Bergmann filled in his spot.

Guest conductor Rune Bergmann conducted with pianist Garrick Ohlsson.

André Previn:  Almost an Overture (West Coast Premiere)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:  Piano Concerto No. 9, K. 271

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2

For an encore, Garrick played Chopin's Nocturne Opus 27 No. 2.  Sample this piece on Amazon.

During the concert preview with Alan Chapman, Rune mentioned that it was actually family time this week.  However, he made a promise with his wife last year, that he can be excused on three events.  When he's called by the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, or Pacific Symphony!

So this is actually Rune's second time with the symphony.  He was also here last November.  He was joking how it was nice that the South Coast Plaza set up the Christmas tree for him each time.  :)

This is the first time I saw him, and he is a very energetic conductor!  Dancing around and jumping, the visuals were awesome, too.  He can also pronounce "Szczecin Philharmonic", which got him the job as music director after one rehearsal.  :)

Beethoven's Fifth Revealed

We went to the Pacific Symphony's matinee concert on Sunday.  :)

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

The Saturday night performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on January 28, 2018.

Music director Carl St. Clair conducted with bass-baritone Greer Grimsley.

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Richard Wagner:  Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire Music from Die Walküre

Beethoven's fifth is the ringtone on my phone for calls from work.  It was either this or J.S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue.  :)

Our Wotan, Greer Grimsley, was as tall as Carl on the podium!  That's how you want your gods to be.  :)

You can sample Greer's Wotan on Amazon.

Tchaikovsky Spectacular

We went to the final summer concert of the Pacific Symphony on Saturday.  This has become a family tradition to end summer with canons and fireworks.

Unfortunately, the Pacific Amphitheater does not have lawn seating, so we decided to let the kids have a sleepover at a friends home.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Yekwon Sunwoo.

Dmitri Shostakovich:  “Galop” from Moscow, Cheryomushki

Sergei Rachmaninoff:  Concerto No. 2 in C Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 18 Moderato

Sergei Prokofiev:  March in B-flat, Op. 99

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:  Overture Fantasy from Romeo and Juliet

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:  1812 Overture Op. 49, TH 49

Yekwon Sunwoo was this year's Van Cliburn International Piano Competition gold medalist.  You can sample his piano on Amazon.  :)

The canons were placed at the top of the amphitheater.

I think they launched the fireworks from the parking lot, but I couldn't see where.  They came up on the left-hand side, facing the stage.  To get the best view, the right side seating would be the best.  That will be sections 1, 7, and 8.

Jurassic Park!

Went to see the Pacific Symphony's summer concert last night.  It was an amazing experience!  I always love the movie nights at the symphony.  :)

It was the full 1993 movie by Steven Spielberg, based on the novel by Michael Crichton.

Pop concert conductor Richard Kaufman conducted the orchestra in real time, while the movie showed on the screen.

This was the first time we went to the new summer venue, the Pacific Amphitheatre at the OC Fair & Event Center.  The first impression was, "hey, I don't have to walk that much from the parking area!"  :)

They do have a picnic area that you can access from the back of the amphitheater, but you have to go through security check when you come back in.  So it's a good idea to start heading back 30 minutes before the concert begins.

 

One drawback is that they do not have a lawn seating section.  Our kids loved the Irvine Meadows lawn.  They could run, roll down the hill, and they had a great time using up their energy before the concert began.  I'm not sure how they're going to like the new place, but we're thinking of trying it out for the Tchaikovsky Spectacular concert n September 9th.

Resurrection!

KUSC is broadcasting the twelfth and final concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

We went to the Sunday concert.  :)

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with soprano Mary Wilson, alto Margaret Lattimore, and the Pacific Chorale.

Gustav Mahler:  Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Resurrection)

Symphony in the Cities

Today and tomorrow (and last Sunday), the Pacific Symphony is giving a free outdoor concert!

The concert starts at 7 PM, but there is a "Musical Playground" before the concert that children (and adults) can have fun with.  :)

Music director Carl St. Clair will be conducting with violinists Danielle Liu and Sarah Liu, and the Southern California Children’s Chorus and the YAYA Dance Academy.  Every year, the concert features a concerto piece with very young musicians.  This year, the soloists are Danielle Liu (17) and Sarah Liu (12), virtuoso sisters.

Leonard Bernstein:  Overture to Candide

Leonard Bernstein:  Mambo from West Side Story

Pietro Mascagni:  Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana

John Philip Sousa:  Hands Across the Sea

Johannes Brahms:  Hungarian Dance No. 5 in F-Sharp Minor

Johann Strauss, Jr.:  Thunder and Lightning Polka

Johann Strauss, Jr.:  On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314

Johann Sebastian Bach:  Air on a G String, D Major BWV 1068

Johann Sebastian Bach:  Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins and String Orchestra, BWV 1043

John Williams:  Superman March

John Williams:  Flying Theme from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Various:  Armed Forces Salute

Samuel Ward (arr. Prechel):  America the Beautiful

Irving Berlin:  God Bless America

And of course, there's the patriotic sing-a-long.  The lyrics should be in the program, so make sure you get one when you arrive!

The musical playground is full of activities, provided by the symphony and the local community.  One thing you want to make sure to attend, is the conducting class by Carl St. Clair himself!  He will teach the children how to conduct using a straw.  And during the concert, all of his new apprentices with be invited to conduct one of the pieces!  :)

The Saturday event starts at 4 PM at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center.

Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center

24932 Veterans Way

Mission Viejo, CA

The Sunday event starts at 5:30 PM at the Mike Ward Community Park Woodbridge.

Mike Ward Community Park Woodbridge

20 Lake Road

Irvine, CA

Mozart & Don Quixote

KUSC is broadcasting the eleventh concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

We went to the Saturday concert.  :)

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Orli Shaham and cellist Timothy Landauer.

Maurice Ravel:  Alborada del gracioso

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:  Concerto No. 17 in G Major for Piano and Orchestra, K. 453

Richard Strauss:  Don Quixote, TrV 184, Op. 35

Magic of Chopin

KUSC is broadcasting the tenth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

We went to the Saturday concert.  :)

Guest conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni conducted with pianist Louis Lortie.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:  Symphony No. 31 in D Major, K. 297 (300a) (Paris)

Frédéric Chopin:  Concerto No. 2 in F Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 21

Claude Debussy:  Ibéria from Images

Maurice Ravel:  La Valse

Ellis Island

KUSC is broadcasting the ninth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

We went to the Sunday concert, which featured just Ellis Island.  I wonder what the electric violin sounds like!  :)

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted, with electric violinist Tracy Silverman.

Frank Ticheli: Blue Shades

John Adams: The Dharma at Big Sur

Peter Boyer: Ellis Island: The Dream of America

Here are the actors of Ellis Island:

Helen Cohen (Poland):  Lesley Fera

James Apanomith (Greece):  Johnathan McClian

Lillian Galletta (Italy):  Samantha Sloyan

Lazarus Salamon (Hungary):  Dean Chekvala

Helen Rosenthal (Belgium):  Kira Sternbach

Manny Steen (Ireland):  Barry Bostwick

Katherine Beychok (Russia):  Lyn Greene

Barry Bostwick, the jolly Irish is a must-hear.  It's not just about the depressing and tragic stuff.  :)

In case you missed it...

Tracy Silverman on John Adams' "The Dharma at Big Sur"

Composer Peter Boyer Interviewed on ABC7 Eyewitness News

Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto

KUSC is broadcasting the eighth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Guest conductor Darrell Ang conducted with pianist Zhang Zuo.

Huang Ruo:  Folk Songs for Orchestra

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Concerto No. 3 in C Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 37

Edward Elgar:  Enigma Variations, Op. 36

You can sample Zhang Zuo's piano on Amazon!  :)

Symphony #3 "Scottish" in a Op 56

Here's from Monday noon's KUSC playlist!

They must really like Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony.  :)

"Symphony #3 "Scottish" in a Op 56" by Felix Mendelssohn

Performance by Scottish Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Joseph Swensen.

Buy this piece from ArkivMusic to support KUSC.

Resurrection!

Tonight at 8 PM (PDT), KUSC is airing the final concert of the Pacific Symphony!

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

In case you miss it, they will broadcast the recording of the performance on July 23.

Music director Carl St.Clair will conduct with soprano Mary Wilson, alto Margaret Lattimore, and the Pacific Chorale.

Gustav Mahler:  Symphony No. 2 in C Minor (Resurrection)

They also have a matinee concert tomorrow.  We'll be there!  :)

You can sample Mary Wilson's and Margaret Lattimore's songs on Amazon!

Where is Dennis Bartel?

Many may have been wondering about KUSC's Dennis Bartel, like me.  He has sent out a letter to his listeners about his long medical leave due to health issues.  Struggling with Parkinson’s disease, Dennis is spending time with his family.

It was sad this morning to see his face removed from the KUSC playlist.  He was the family guy.  He did many children's shows on the weekends with his four C's.

He introduced me to the "Beethoven's Wig" series, by Richard Perlmutter.

He introduced me to "Juanita the Spanish Lobster", by David Haslam.

He introduced me to "The Three Piggy Opera", by Once Upon an Opera.

Dennis has brought in more children's classical music to my home than anybody else.  And that brings smiles and laughter in the air, wonderful nutrition for our kids' emotions.  :)

I wish him well, but I'm not ruling out the possibility of him getting better, recovering, and holding the mike again!

Mozart & Don Quixote

We went to the Pacific Symphony concert on Saturday.

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

The Saturday night performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on July 16, 2017.

Can you find the wind machine?

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Orli Shaham and cellist Timothy Landauer.

Maurice Ravel:  Alborada del gracioso

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:  Concerto No. 17 in G Major for Piano and Orchestra, K. 453

Richard Strauss:  Don Quixote, TrV 184, Op. 35

Here's the wind machine, right behind the brass!

KUSC's Rich Capparela gave the pre-concert lecture, along with Orli Shaham.

Orli gave her 5 minute passionate walk-through of the Mozart concerto, and Rich gave his 20 minute walk-through of the 45 minute Don Quixote.  The concert experience becomes super-enriched with these pre-concert talks!  :)

You can sample Orli Shaham's piano (and her brother, Gil's violin) on Amazon!  :)

[Car tune] Pavane Op 50

Rich Capparela's car tune, during the 2017 Spring Membership Drive!

"... because Fridays on the freeways, in case you're listening to us online, and are not familiar with the traffic patterns in southern California, Friday afternoons around this time are basically the traffic equivalent of unicorns and rainbows and babies giggling happily ..."

"Pavane Op 50" by Gabriel Faure

Performance by Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

Buy this piece from ArkivMusic to support KUSC.

You can sample the piece on Amazon.

Organ Recital: Monte Maxwell

We went to an organ recital by organist Monte Maxwell on Sunday.

The concert was projected to a big screen set up on the concert stage.  I did not know they could do that!

Organist Monte Maxwell played, with handbell ringers Mitchell Bell and Timmy Maggs.

Richard Wagner:  Fanfares from Parsifal

Georges Bizet:  Suite from Carmen

Johann Sebastian Bach:  Fantasia (and Fugue) in G Minor, BWV 542

Pietro Yon:  Humoresque "L'organo Primitivo"

Charles-Marie Widor:  Andante Cantabile from Organ Symphony No. 4, Op. 13

John Philip Sousa:  Stars and Stripes Forever

Monte Maxwell:  A Military Salute

Alexander Russell:  The Bells of St. Anne de Beaupré from St. Lawrence Sketches

Carol Williams:  Major Something, Non Fat Latte! Op. 4

Richard Wagner:  To the Evening Star from Tannhäuser

Louis Vierne:  Finale from Symphony No. 6, Op. 59

Here's Monte Maxwell playing the "National March".  :)

Magic of Chopin

We went to the Pacific Symphony's Saturday night concert!  :)

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

The Saturday night performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on July 9, 2017.

Guest conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni conducted with pianist Louis Lortie.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:  Symphony No. 31 in D Major, K. 297 (300a) (Paris)

Frédéric Chopin:  Concerto No. 2 in F Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 21

Claude Debussy:  Ibéria from Images

Maurice Ravel:  La Valse

This was a French themed concert.  The first half consisted of composers who were not born in France.  And the second half were French composers writing about Spain and Vienna.  :)

Here are some fun facts we heard in the pre-concert interviews with Alan Chapman.

Jean-Marie Zeitouni went to an experimental school in Montreal from second grade, where he did the normal academic curriculum, plus the same amount of musical education.  He went on and got 3 master degrees; percussion, composing, and conducting (because tuition was free)!

Louis Lortie's recording career started after he filled in for a dress rehearsal of a recording (Shostakovich's piano concerto on a two day notice!).  The recording company was Chandos, and Louis got recruited on the spot.  He's been with Chandos ever since!

You can sample Louis Lortie's piano on Amazon!  :)

[#1/100] Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

The results are in, the #1 place in the 2017 KUSC Top 100 Countdown is...

(drum roll)

FYI, the playlist seems to be hiding #6 and #5.  The must be a conspiracy against certain works.  :)

But I digress...

(drum roll continued)

... Beethoven's 9th!  For the third year in a row, the symphony also scored first in 2016 and 2015!  You can see why Jim Svejda always plays it at the end of every pledge drive.

I don't know since when, but they play the choral symphony in Japan every end-of-the-year.  The Pacific Symphony played it last summer.  It is spread everywhere, no wonder it is so popular!  :)

"Symphony #9 "Choral" in d Op 125" by Ludwig van Beethoven

Performance by Gundula Janowitz, soprano, Hilde Rossel-Majdan, alto, Waldemar Kmentt, tenor, Walter Berry, baritone, Vienna Singverein, Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan.

Buy this piece from ArkivMusic to support KUSC.

You can sample the album on Amazon, too.

Ellis Island: An American Dream

We went to the Pacific Symphony's Sunday concert last weekend!  :)

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

The Saturday night performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on July 2, 2017, and it was also recorded for PBS's "Great Performances" next season!

A small statue of liberty stood in the lounge, right above the winding staircase.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted, with 7 actors.  Visuals were projected on a big screen behind the orchestra, like an IMAX!  This was like a documentary, when I hear it on KUSC, I may think it was a normal radio show, and not a concert performance!  :)

Peter Boyer: Ellis Island: The Dream of America

Actors

Helen Cohen (Poland):  Lesley Fera

James Apanomith (Greece):  Johnathan McClian

Lillian Galletta (Italy):  Samantha Sloyan

Lazarus Salamon (Hungary):  Dean Chekvala

Helen Rosenthal (Belgium):  Kira Sternbach

Manny Steen (Ireland):  Barry Bostwick

Katherine Beychok (Russia):  Lyn Greene

Composer Peter Boyer started the project with an idea of having 10 pieces, 2 minutes each and with 1 minute interludes.  But deciding the stories could not fit in that size, came down to these 7.  He said he considered diversity and balance, to pick and choose the immigrants.

I think he was saying this was going to be the 170th performance of this piece, definitely a big hit for a living composer!

Here's an interview from ABC.

Pacific Symphony's Carnegie Hall Debut

On Saturday, April 21, the Pacific Symphony is making their Carnegie Hall debut!  :)

If you have a chance to go there, make sure to ask someone on the street, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?"  If they know the joke, you'll get the answer, "Practice, practice, practice."  :)

Looks like it will be the same menu as the "Glass & Shankar" concert, on the prior week.  This concert will feature the New York premiere of Philip Glass's "The Passion of Ramakrishna".

Music director Carl St.Clair will conduct with Sitarist Anoushka Shankar and the Pacific Chorale.

Philip Glass:  “Meetings Along the Edge” from Passages (based on a theme by Ravi Shankar)

Ravi Shankar:  Concerto No. 3 for Sitar and Orchestra

Philip Glass:  The Passion of Ramakrishna (NY Premiere)

The Passion of Ramakrishna

The Passion of Ramakrishna was commissioned by the Pacific Symphony and the Nashville Symphony, and it is about the final months of the life of Sri Ramakrishna.  It inaugurated the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall back in September 2008.  I first listened to it on a Sunday concert in March 2011.

It is a 45 minute "abbreviated" piece, consisting of a Prologue, parts 2, 4, 6, 8 of the libretto, and an Epilogue.  Philip was talking about completing the piece, extending it to double the size.  He wanted to add the remaining libretto parts 1, 3, 5, 7, a couple more songs, and exactly two more measures in the existing piece.  I don't know if we're going to hear the completed version (or if he even completed it).

The 2011 concert is available on CD, in case you want to have a sneak peek!  :)

Minimalistic Knock-Knock Joke

Since I started this post with a Carnegie Hall, it should be appropriate to end it with a Philip Glass joke.  :)

Ready?  Here it goes:

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Philip Glass.

Philip Glass who?

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Philip Glass.

Philip Glass who?

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Philip Glass.

Philip Glass who?

(Repeat until you are tired, and then some.)

Aida

KUSC is broadcasting the seventh concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

We went to the Saturday concert, and it was the best one yet!  :)

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted Giuseppe Verdi's Aida with the following cast.

Aida:  Kelebogile Besong

Radamès:  Arnold Rawls

Amneris:  Milena Kitić

Amonasro:  Mark Delavan

Ramfis:  Julian Close

King of Egypt:  Philip Skinner

Messenger:  Nicholas Preston

High Priestess:  Renée Tatum

Dancers:  Tyquan Christie, Raymond Ejiofor, Lisa Gillespie, Isaac Huerta, Natalie Iscovich, and Andrew Martinez

Scottish Fantasy

KUSC is broadcasting the sixth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Guest conductor David Danzmayr conducted with violinist Ning Feng.

Hamish MacCunn:  The Land of the Mountain and the Flood

Max Bruch:  Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 46

Mendelssohn:  Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56 (Scottish)

You can sample Ning Feng's violin on Amazon!  :)

Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto

KUSC is broadcasting the fifth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

I'm pretty certain we won't hear 3 concerts today.  :)

Anyways, we went to the Saturday concert (and the following Sunday one).  It was awesome!  :)

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Haochen Zhang.

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:  Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 23, TH 55

Serge Prokofiev:  Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 100

You can sample Haochen Zhang's piano on Amazon!  :)

Aida

Went to the Pacific Symphony's concert Saturday night.  This is seventh one in the 2016-2017 night series.  They have one more performance on Tuesday!

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

This performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on March 19, 2017.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted Giuseppe Verdi's Aida with the following cast.

Aida:  Kelebogile Besong

Radamès:  Arnold Rawls

Amneris:  Milena Kitić

Amonasro:  Mark Delavan

Ramfis:  Julian Close

King of Egypt:  Philip Skinner

Messenger:  Nicholas Preston

High Priestess:  Renée Tatum

Dancers:  Tyquan Christie, Raymond Ejiofor, Lisa Gillespie, Isaac Huerta, Natalie Iscovich, and Andrew Martinez

And this completes the Pacific Symphony opera ABC cycle!  A for Aida, B for Puccini's La Boheme, and C for Bizet's Carmen.

Per Alan Chapman in his pre-concert lecture, this is officially called a "Pyramid Scheme".  :)

Anyways, this is the whole stage in a sandbox.  By the time of intermission, it looks like this.

I liked how they used the spotlights, and focused on the singers when they were singing out their thoughts.  Kind of like the "Cone of Silence."  :)

Here's some trivia, there were 3 CRT televisions like this in the seating sections.  This is so the singers can see Carl conduct.  They can't use a digital one because of the lag time!

[Update] Here's how the pyramid scheme was made!  :)

Strauss' Vienna

KUSC is broadcasting the fourth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Jeremy Denk.

Johannes Brahms:  Concerto No. 1 in D Minor for Piano, Op. 15

Richard Strauss:  Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, TrV 227, Op. 59

Johann Strauss, Jr.:  On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314

You can sample Jeremy Denk's piano on Amazon!  :)

Grieg's Piano Concerto

KUSC is broadcasting the third concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Guest conductor Rune Bergmann conducted with pianist Joaquín Achúcarro.

Edvard Grieg:  Selections from Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Op. 46

Edvard Grieg:  Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 16

Ainojuhani Rautavaara:  Cantus Arcticus, Op. 61 (Concerto for Birds and Orchestra)

Igor Stravinsky:  Suite from The Firebird (1919)

You can sample Joaquín Achúcarro's piano on Amazon!  :)

Pacific Amphitheatre

The Pacific Symphony has announced their new summer home, the Pacific Amphitheatre!  :)

This is at the place where the OC Fair is held.

OC Fair & Event Center

88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, California 92626.

Parking is $10 for cars, $20 for limos, and $30 for VIP parking.

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth

KUSC is broadcasting the second concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with violinist Arnaud Sussmann.

Narong Prangcharoen: “Absence of Time” for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Orchestra (world premiere)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concerto No. 3 in G Major for Violin and Orchestra, K. 216, "Strassburg"

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36, TH 27

You can sample Arnaud Sussmann's violin on Amazon!  :)

Kern Plays Rachmaninoff

KUSC is broadcasting the first concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2016-2017 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

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 went to the Saturday concert.  Let's see how Conrad Tao's new piece sounds on the radio.  It inspired by the Renée and Henry Segerstrom concert hall!  :)

Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto

Went to the Pacific Symphony's concert Saturday night and Sunday.

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

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

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Haochen Zhang.

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:  Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 23, TH 55

Serge Prokofiev:  Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 100

Here are some interesting things that came out of the pre-concert lecture, featuring an interview with Haochen Zhang.  :)

He doesn't come from a musical family, but started learning the piano because his mother read something good about it in Reader's Digest.

He has around 10 piano concertos up his sleeves that he can play this instant if asked!  And another 10 or so that he can play with a day's notice.

He liked to memorize all of the notes before being asked to by his teacher.  Also very good at memorizing numbers, he can dial his contacts by heart, so people are not registered on his cell phone.  But, he thinks he won't be able to do that for long, because of the "aging" process!  (He's 26, in case you missed it.)

Rich Capparela is doing the Saturday midnight show!

Rich Capparela is doing Saturday mornings from midnight to 7 AM on Classical KUSC!  What a pleasant surprise.  :)

Well, maybe there won't be as many ladders on the freeway, but Caltrans will definitely have enough time to pick them up!