LACO Music Director To Conduct World Premiere Of WILL THERE BE SINGING, 5/20-21

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, conducts the world premiere of Christopher Cerrone's Will There Be Singing, commissioned by the Orchestra, as part of his final concert with the Orchestra on Saturday, May 20, 2017, 8 pm, Alex Theatre, and Sunday, May 21, 2017, 7 pm, Royce Hall. With these two performances, Kahane concludes an unprecedented and extraordinary 20-year tenure at the Orchestra's artistic helm, the longest in LACO history. The sweeping, deeply personal concert program opens with Kahane, long heralded for championing new music, conducting the world premiere, a LACO commission, by Cerrone, a 2014 Pulitzer-Prize finalist and "rising star" (The New Yorker) whose compositional voice is characterized by expressive lyricism, ringing clarity and a deep literary fluency. Kahane, also a world renowned pianist, then takes on dual roles as soloist and conductor, in his trademark style, as he leads the Orchestra from the keyboard to perform Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27, which he describes as a "bittersweet valedictory piece about being at the end of winter and longing for spring." For his final flourish as LACO music director, Kahane takes the podium to conduct Schubert's Symphony No. 9, "The Great C-major," which embodies Schubert's great love of Beethoven. After each performance, the audience is invited to a free post-concert party with Kahane and LACO artists to celebrate Kahane's final appearance as LACO Music Director.

"LACO is deeply indebted to Jeffery Kahane, a truly visionary talent who, for the past two decades, has propelled the Orchestra forward on an amazing and successful trajectory," says LACO Board President Dana Newman. "He has expanded our musical and artistic horizons in ways we never could have imagined while providing inspired and thoughtful leadership every step of the way, and he's genuinely beloved by LACO audiences and the Orchestra. After the final note of Jeffrey's final program, we look forward to celebrating him and his remarkable legacy with our devoted LACO audience members."

"It is with a mixture of joy, excitement, pride and sadness that I look forward to my final concert as music director of one of the world's finest and most versatile chamber orchestras," says Kahane. "It is the hope of every music director to leave an orchestra in better shape than it was when he inherited it, and I believe that anyone who has known and loved LACO over the last few decades would resoundingly agree that this hope has come to fruition. I also know that the Orchestra's distinguished history of nearly half a century is a prelude to still more wonderful things to come. I have cherished every moment of every rehearsal and concert with my beloved and extraordinary colleagues, and anticipate what I am sure will be a memorable finale."

Kahane, equally at home at the keyboard or on the podium, has established an international reputation as a truly versatile artist, recognized around the world for his mastery of diverse repertoire ranging from Bach, Mozart and Beethoven to Gershwin, Golijov and John Adams. Now in his 20th season as LACO music director, he previously served as music director of the Colorado and Santa Rosa symphonies. He has garnered tremendous critical acclaim for his innovative programming and commitment to education and community involvement and received multiple ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming for his work in both Los Angeles and Denver. He is a Professor of Keyboard Studies at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

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 with "effortless musicality and extraordinary communicative gifts." Under Kahane's leadership, the Orchestra maintains its status as a preeminent interpreter of historical masterworks and a champion of contemporary composers.

Steinway is the official piano of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Tickets, starting at $29, are on sale now and may be purchased online at laco.org or by calling LACO at 213 622 7001 x 1. 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 ($8), based on availability, at the box office the day of the concert.

PHOTO CREDIT: CM Artists

To post a comment, you must register and login.