Acclaimed harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell, founder and music director of Cleveland's Apollo's Fire makes her Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra debut when she conducts concertos by Vivaldi, Bach and Boccherini at LACO's "Baroque Conversations" series on Thursday, February 6, 2014, 7 pm, at Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Sorrell, who "forges a vibrant, life-affirming approach to the re-making of early music," according to BBC Music Magazine, leads Principal Cello Andrew Shulman, Cello Trevor Handy, Principal Violin II Josefina Vergara and Flute Sandy Hughes in Vivaldi's Concerto grosso in B minor (arr. Sorrell) after Sonata in B minor, Op. 1, No. 12, RV 63 ("La Follia"), and Concerto in G minor for Two Cellos, RV 531; Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050; and Boccherini's "Fandango" (arr. Sorrell) after Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D major, G. 448.
LACO's highly regarded "Baroque Conversations," now it its eighth year, explores the genesis of orchestral repertoire from early Baroque schools through the pre-classical period. This year the series spotlights how Baroque composers transformed a simple theme or melody into grand, complex and intricate variations and great music. In signature LACO style, each concert host shares insights into the music and invites questions from the audience, providing an in-depth look at the music being presented as well as an opportunity to get to know LACO artists on a more personal level. A complimentary wine reception for all ticket holders begins at 6 pm.
Three additional "Baroque Conversations" concerts take place on March 27, April 17 and May 1, 2014.
Tickets for individual concerts (beginning at $55) are available online at
laco.org, by calling LACO at
213 622 7001, or at the venue box office on the night of the concert, if tickets remain. Student rush tickets ($10), based on availability, may be purchased at the box office one hour before the concert.
JEANNETTE SORRELL has quickly gained international attention as a leading voice among the great early music conduc¬tors. Sorrell made her much-acclaimed debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony in April 2003 as conductor and soloist in the complete Brandenburg Concertos. With standing ovations every night, the event was hailed as "an especially joyous occasion" (Pittsburgh Tri¬bune-Review). Sorrell founded Apollo's Fire, the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, in 1992. Since then, she and the ensemble have built one of the largest audiences of any Baroque orchestra in North America. Sorrell and Apollo's Fire have released 20 commercial CDs, of which four have been bestsellers on the Billboard classical chart.
Cello TREVOR HANDY has been a member of the Los Angeles Cham¬ber Orchestra since 2002, and is also principal cello of the Santa Barbara Symphony. He performs frequently with LA Opera, in vari¬ous chamber music series, at festivals and as a studio musician in Hollywood. While freelancing in New York, Handy was a member of the Griffon String Quartet, which won the grand prize at the 1991 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. He has spent sum¬mers at Aspen and Tanglewood, as well as in Switzerland at Yehudi Menuhin's Summer Academy and at Lausanne's Academy of Music in master classes given by Maurice Gendron.
SANDY HUGHES became a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in the 2012-13 season. Called "one of the best young American flutists I've heard" by Sir James Galway, she has received critical acclaim for her "eloquent playing" and "detailed attention to the musical phrase." A Fulbright scholarship recipient and New World Symphony finalist, Hughes performs second flute with the Akron Symphony Orchestra and also appears frequently with the
New York Philharmonic. She has also collaborated with the Miami String Quartet, the Alturas Duo and the Wallingford and Hartt symphony orchestras.
ANDREW SHULMAN was appointed principal cello of LACO in 2008 and has recently become a professor of violoncello at the Univer¬sity of Southern Californi
A. Shulman was the first British winner of the Piatigorsky Artist Award and was bestowed with an Honorary RCM by The
Queen Mother in 1986. He was solo cello of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, first chair with London's Philharmonia Orchestra and principal cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has given recitals in the Royal Palace in Stockholm; in London at Wigmore Hall, Buckingham Pal¬ace and Royal Festival Hall; and locally at the Hollywood Bowl.
JOSEFINA VERGARA joined LACO in 1999 as principal second violin. She has been a prizewinner at the Pasadena Showcase House Instru¬mental Competition, and the Osaka International, Fischoff National and Coleman chamber music competitions. Vergara has appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Peninsula Symphony and the Indiana Chamber Orchestra. Recently, she has toured Europe and Asia as the violinist of the Uri Caine Ensemble. She has performed in various summer music festivals including Mainly Mozart and Tanglewood, the Music Academy Summer Fes¬tival and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival. She is also active in many film, television and recording projects.
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (LACO), proclaimed "America's finest chamber orchestra" by Public Radio International, has established itself among the world's top musical ensembles. Since 1997, LACO has performed under the baton of acclaimed conductor and pianist Jeffrey Kahane, hailed by critics as "visionary" and "a conductor of uncommon intellect, insight and musical integrity" with "undeniable charisma." Under Kahane's leadership, the Orchestra maintains its status as a preeminent interpreter of historical masterworks and a champion of contemporary composers. During its 45-year history, the Orchestra has made 31 recordings, toured Europe, South America and Japan, performed across North America and garnered eight ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming. Headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, LACO presents its Orchestral Series at Glendale's Alex Theatre and UCLA's Royce Hall; Baroque Conversations at downtown Los Angeles' Zipper Concert Hall; Westside Connections chamber music series, designed to illustrate the relationship between music and other artistic disciplines, at the Moss Theater in Santa Monica; and an annual Discover concert, which features an in-depth examination that sheds new light on a single piece of music, at Pasadena's Ambassador Auditorium. LACO also presents a Concert Gala, an annual Silent Film screening and several fundraising salons each year. Additionally, LACO outreach programs Meet the Music, Community Partners, Campus to Concert Hall and the LACO/USC Thornton Strings Mentorship Program reach thousands of young people annually, nurturing future musicians and composers as well as inspiring a love of classical music.
