Brahms & Prokofiev

We went to the Pacific Symphony concert early February!  :)

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

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

We also went to see the rehearsal on Wednesday.  They had an app called EnCue, which supposedly showed real time program notes.  I couldn't find the concert on Saturday, so I guess it didn't work out as expected...

Assistant concertmaster Jeanne Skrocki served as concertmaster this time!

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Alexander Romanovsky.

Johannes Brahms:  Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90

Paul Chihara:  Wild Wood (West Coast premiere)

Serge Prokofiev:  Concerto No. 2 in G Minor for Piano & Orchestra, Op. 16

Alan Chapman interviewed our star guests, Alexander Romanovsky and Paul Chihara at the pre-concert lecture.  They talked about Alexande's youth, how composers can make the biggest bang for the buck, and other things.  :)

This is the first time the Pacific Symphony played Prokofiev's 2nd piano concerto.

You can sample Alexander Romanovsky's piano on Amazon!  :)

The Magic Flute

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

There is one more performance on Tuesday.

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

The Saturday night performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on March 11, 2018.

Music director Carl St. Clair conducted, with stage director Robert Neu.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Magic Flute

Tamino:  John Tessier, tenor

Papageno:  Hadleigh Adams, baritone

Pamina:  Tess Altiveros, soprano

Queen of the Night:  Kathryn Lewek, soprano

Sarastro:  Evan Boyer, bass

Three Ladies:  Amy Shoremount-Obra, soprano, Deborah Nansteel, mezzo-soprano, Julia Benzinger, mezzo-soprano

Monastatos:  Julius Ahn, tenor

Child Spirits:  Members of the Southern California Children’s Chorus

Papagena:  Bridgette Gan, soprano

Speaker of the Temple, Priest, Armed Guard, Slave:  Colin Ramsey, bass

Priest, Armed Guard, Slave:  David Guzman, tenor

Puppet designer:  Robin Walsh

Lighting designer:  Kathy Pryzgoda

Costume designer:  Katie Wilson

Wig and makeup designer:  Ora Jewell-Busche

This was a "semi-staged" opera, which means the orchestra was on stage, instead of being in the pit.  This allowed stage director Robert Neu to put in a lot of creativity.  He also talked during the pre-concert talk with Alan Chapman, how he took the liberty of "contemporizing" the show.  Tamino and Pamina were wearing office attire, Papageno was calling on Alexa to turn on the lights, etc.

I loved how Papageno was breaking the fourth wall all over the place!  :)

At one point he was conducting the orchestra while Carl was holding the magic bells up high!

And of course, the Queen of the Night aria was amazing!  The visual effect amplified the experience, with her huge puppet floating behind her like a guardian angel.

They still have one more performance on Tuesday.  But in case you miss it, you can listen on the replay on KUSC, March 11.

Beethoven's Violin Concerto

KUSC is broadcasting the fifth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2017-2018 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

We went to the Saturday concert!  :)

Guest conductor Michael Francis conducted with violinist Ray Chen.

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61

Edward Elgar:  Symphony No. 1 in A-flat Major, Op. 55

Gershwin's Concerto

KUSC is broadcasting the fourth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2017-2018 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Guest conductor Anu Tali conducted with pianist Xiayin Wang.

Bedřich Smetana:  The Moldau from Má Vlast

George Gershwin:  Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra

Antonín Dvořák:  Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, Op. 70

You can sample Xiayin's piano on Amazon!

Cathedrals of Sound

KUSC is broadcasting the third concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2017-2018 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with the Nobertine Fathers of St. Michael’s Abbey and organist Christoph Bull.

An Introduction to Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8

Anton Bruckner:  Symphony No. 8 in C Minor

tye_Bruckner_Making-of from trust your ears on Vimeo.

I've been to the first concert when the Nobertine Fathers came.  They were chanting in the dimmed lobby before the concert began, with a spotlight shining from above.  It was definitely a wonderful spiritual experience.

Mozart & Rachmaninoff

KUSC is broadcasting the second concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2017-2018 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

We went to the Saturday concert.  :)

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