Italian Pianist Alessio Bax to Join Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, 11/26-17

Distinguished international conductor and acclaimed Mozart interpreter Hans Graf, recently named Music Director Laureate of the Houston Symphony after serving as its music director for 12 years, makes his Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra debut conducting the highly anticipated Los Angeles debut of Italian piano sensation Alessio Bax, whose artistry "quivers with an almost hypnotic intensity" (Gramophone), in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K. 491 on Saturday, November 16, 8 pm, at the Alex Theatre in Glendale and Sunday, November 17, 7 pm, at UCLA's Royce Hall. Also featured is Beethoven's vivid Symphony No. 6 in F major, "Pastoral," considered among Beethoven's most exquisitely beautiful and popular works. The program begins with Henri Dutilleux' Mystère de l'instant for strings, cimbalom (a hammered dulcimer) and percussion, which premiered in 1989.

Graf, hailed for "his cool and elegant performances" (The New York Times) and "solid musicianship" (Washington Post), is known for his wide-ranging repertoire and creative programming. He served as Music Director of the Calgary Philharmonic for eight seasons prior to his appointment in Houston and held the same post with the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine for six years. The distinguished Austrian conductor also led the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra from 1984 to 1994.

Bax, praised for creating "a ravishing listening experience" with his lyrical playing, insightful interpretations and dazzling facility, received the 2009 Avery Fischer Career Grant as well as the 2013 Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award, of which LACO Music Director Jeffrey Kahane is a previous recipient, and has appeared as soloist with the London and Royal Philharmonic orchestras, Dallas and Houston symphonies, NHK Symphony in Japan, St. Petersburg Philharmonic and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, among others.

Concert Preludes, pre-concert talks held one hour before curtain and free for ticket holders, provide insights into the music and artists. LACO General Manager Andrea Laguni interviews conductor Hans Graf.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra is considered one of the world's premier chamber orchestras as well as a leader in presenting wide-ranging repertoire and adventurous commissions. Its 2013-14 season, the Orchestra's 45th, features a compelling mix of beloved masterpieces and genre-defying premieres from firmly established as well as notable up-and-coming composers programmed by Jeffrey Kahane, one of the world's foremost conductors and pianists, who marks his 17th season as LACO's music director.

Tickets, starting at $25, are on sale now and may be purchased online at laco.org, by calling LACO at 213 622 7001. Discounted tickets are also available by phone for seniors 65 years of age and older and groups of 12 or more. College students may purchase student rush tickets ($10), based on availability, at the box office the day of the concert. Also available for college students is the $25 "Campus to Concert Hall All Access Pass" - good for all seven of LACO's Orchestral series concerts, Discover Beethoven's Eroica and three Westside Connections concerts.

ALESSIO BAX, first prize winner at the Leeds and Hamamatsu international piano competitions and 2009 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, has appeared as soloist with over 100 orchestras worldwide, including London and Royal Philharmonic orchestras, Houston Symphony and the NHK Symphony in Japan. Recent highlights include performances with St. Petersburg Philharmonic (Yuri Temirkanov), Dallas Symphony (Jaap van Zweden), concerts at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and on tour with Joshua Bell. His discography includes Mozart's Piano Concertos K. 491 and K. 595 (2013) and Alessio Bax Plays Brahms (Gramophone "Critic's Choice").
Austrian conductor HANS GRAF concluded his decade-long tenure with the Houston Symphony in May 2013. Prior to his appointment in Houston, he was the music director of the Calgary Philharmonic for eight seasons and held the same post with the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine for six years. He also led the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra from 1984 to 1994. Graf is a frequent guest with all of the major North American orchestras, and his interna¬tional appearances include the Vienna and London philharmonics, among others. He has participated in such prestigious European festivals as the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and appeared at the Salzburg Festival for 12 consecutive seasons.

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.