Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra to Present BAROQUE CONVERSATIONS, 12/5

Elegant themes and opulent variations by a wide range of Baroque composers set the tone for the holidays as the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) features critically acclaimed virtuoso John Schneiderman playing lute and Baroque guitar in the first of five "Baroque Conversations" concerts on Thursday, December 5, 2013, 7 pm, at Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles. LACO Concertmaster Margaret Batjer, who hosts and curates the concert, is joined by LACO's Tereza Stanislav, violin, Armen Ksajikian, cello, Nico Abondolo, bass, and Patricia Mabee, keyboard. The program opens with Passacaglia in D major by Sylvius Leopold Weiss and also includes Karl Kohaut's Lute Concerto in F major (No. 1); Tarquinio Merula's Ciaccona; three sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti; the Ciaconna from Mauricio Cazzati's Varii e Diversi Capricci, Op. 50; and Arcangelo Corelli's "La Follia," Op. 5, No. 12, among other works. Critics have called Schneiderman "dazzling" and "expressive," noting that, "Schneiderman's tone... turns delicate textures into sparkling jewels."

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 music. In signature LACO style, each concert host shares insights into the music and invite questions from the audience, which provides 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.

Four additional "Baroque Conversations" concerts take place on Thursday, February 6, Thursday, March 27, Thursday, April 17 and Thursday, May 1, 2014.

Subscriptions to all five "Baroque Conversations" concerts ($235) are available by calling LACO at 213 622 7001. 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.

MARGARET BATJER has served as concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra since 1998. Batjer made her first solo appear¬ance at the age of 15 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has since returned to the CSO and soloed with a succession of major orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra and the St. Louis, Seattle and Dallas symphony orchestras. Batjer has performed with such European ensembles as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Prague Chamber Orchestra and Berlin Symphony Orchestra. She appears regularly at the Marlboro Music Festival, La Jolla Summer¬fest, Salzburg Festival, and Italy's Naples and Cremona festivals. In 2008, she developed LACO's acclaimed chamber music series, Westside Connections.

Critically acclaimed virtuoso of plucked instruments since age nine, John SchneiderMAN specializes in the performance practice and repertoire of 18th century lutes and 19th century guitars. Schnei¬derman is in demand as a soloist and chamber musician and has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Chamber Or-chestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, among many others. Schneiderman is currently on the faculties of the University of California at Irvine and Irvine Valley College, and has been on the faculties of Orange Coast College, California State University, Long Beach and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

NICO ABONDOLO was appointed principal double bass of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in 2011. He made his debut at age 14 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and in 1983, became the first double bass ever to win first place in the International Competi¬tion for Musical Performers in Geneva, Switzerland. Abondolo has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and has toured with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe under Clau¬dio Abbado, Sir Georg Solti and Lorin Maazel. He was the double bass for the New York-based ensemble CONTINUUM and for eight seasons, served as principal bass for San Francisco's Grammy-nom¬inated New Century Chamber Orchestra.

Associate Principal Cello ARMEN KSAJIKIAN joined LACO in 1998 and has performed as princi¬pal and soloist with the Los Angeles and Opus chamber orchestras and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He toured New York and Europe with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Japan and Brazil with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He has also appeared at the Colorado, Banff, Venice Film and Oregon Bach music festivals. Ksajikian is a member of the adventurous Armadillo String Quartet, voted Best String Quartet in 2004 by Los Angeles magazine. Ksajikian has worked with such notables as John Cage, John Adams, John Wil¬liams, Chick Corea, Randy Newman, Incubus and System of a Down.

PATRICIA MABEE has been principal keyboardist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra since 1976, and has appeared in more than 20 works from the concerto repertoire under the batons of Sir Neville Marriner, Christopher Hogwood, Helmuth Rilling, Nicholas McGe¬gan and Iona Brown. Mabee performs with the Bach's Circle which focuses on the music of JS Bach, his sons and contemporaries. She is the music director of Ritornello, a period instrument ensemble that presents educational programs for schools, museums and community groups. She is pianist for world premieres by John Adams, Bruce Broughton, Donald Crockett and Libby Larsen.

LACO Assistant Concertmaster TEREZA STANISLAV has appeared in venues such as the Library of Con¬gress, Wigmore Hall and Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, and with artists such as Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Jon-Kimura Parker and Hung-Kuan Chen. An advocate for new music, Stanislav has worked with many composers and performed several world premieres includ¬ing Gunther Schuller's Horn Quintet with Julie Landsman, Louis Andriessen's The City of Dis and James Matheson's Violin Sonata. Stanislav has joined the Miró Quartet for several tours and served as concertmaster of the Los Angeles Opera's 2010 production of The Marriage of Figaro, conducted by Plácido Domingo.

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.

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