Ludovic Morlot to Lead LA Phil in Mozart, Mendelssohn, Barber and More, 9/2 & 4

Conductor Ludovic Morlot ushers in the month of September by leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic in two classical performances, Tuesday, September 2 and Thursday, September 4, both at 8 pm.

Tuesday's concert features Kari Kriikku performing Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, in a program which also includes Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture and selections as well as that composer's Symphony No. 4 "Italian."

Thursday's concert brings the audience the Hollywood Bowl debut of Los Angeles' own Simone Porter, playing Barber's Violin Concerto. Porter is currently studying at the Colburn School Conservatory of Music, directly across the street from the LA Phil's winter home, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and is a graduate of Colburn's Music Academy. The program also includes Ravel's Ma Mere l'Oye: 5 pieces enfantines and his Pavane, as well as Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite in an evening that culminates in a vivid fireworks display encore.

French conductor Ludovic Morlot is Music Director of the Seattle Symphony. There have been many highlights during his first three seasons in this position, including an exhilarating performance at Carnegie Hall in May 2014, as reported in The New York Times: 'The performance Mr. Morlot coaxed from his players was rich with shimmering colors and tremulous energy.' During the 2014/15 season Morlot and the Seattle Symphony will continue to invite their audiences to 'listen boldly', presenting a wide variety of works ranging from Mozart's Requiem, Dvorak's last three symphonies, Berlioz Romeo and Juliet and Mahler's Symphony No. 3 to Ives, Dutilleux and Salonen as well as premieres by Sebastian Currier, Julian Anderson and Trimpin. Complemented by their highly innovative series, 'untuxed' and 'untitled', this season will also see the release of several more recordings on the orchestra's new label, Seattle Symphony Media.

In 2014/15 after a return to the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and New York Philharmonic, Kari Kriikku is guest soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Thomas Søndergård, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in Amsterdam's Concertgebouw with Olari Elts and he performs Saariaho's "D'OM LE VRAI SENS" with Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and Thomas Dausgaard, marking the Asian premiere of this work. Kriikku collaborated with American theater director Peter Sellars during the working process of the Saariaho concerto. Another effective collaboration was SWR Baden Baden with Francois-xavier Roth. Kari Kriikku's musical inventiveness and fresh attitude towards traditional performance have established a fascinating and versatile career, not only as a soloist but also as Artistic Director of Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, all of which in June 2009 was further acknowledged as Kari Kriikku was announced recipient of the prestigious Nordic Council Music Prize.

Violinist Simone Porter has been recognized as an emerging artist of impassioned energy, musical integrity and vibrant sound. At 17 years of age, she has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, the American Youth Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Utah Symphony, and as soloist at the Aspen Music Festival. She made her professional solo debut at age 10 with the Seattle Symphony, and her international debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at age 13. Nationally, Porter has been heard on the renowned syndicated NPR radio program "From the Top," featuring America's best young classical musicians hosted by acclaimed pianist Christopher O'Riley. Her performance in July 2012 marked her third appearance on the program; her first was in 2007 at the age of 11. She also made her Carnegie Hall debut on the Emmy Award-winning TV show From the Top: Live from Carnegie Hall. Other TV appearances include the BBC Documentary, The World's Greatest Musical Prodigies, which aired in the UK in June 2009. Porter has been featured on Seattle's KIRO 7 TV's Quarterly Magazine, In Color, and in August 2011, she was selected as the only Aspen Music Festival student to be featured on the popular national APM radio program Performance Today, recorded live at Aspen's Harris Hall.

Complete programs:

Tuesday, September 2

MENDELSSOHN A Midsummer Night's Dream

Overture, Nocturne and Scherzo

MOZART Clarinet Concerto

MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 "Italian"

Thursday, September 4

RAVEL Mother Goose Suite

BARBER Violin Concerto

RAVEL Pavane

COPLAND Appalachian Spring Suite

All performances take place at THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90068. Subscriptions and single tickets are available now for the Hollywood Bowl 2014 summer season at HollywoodBowl.com or Ticketmaster.com, or via phone at 323.850.2000, and in person at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office. For more information, call 323.850.2000.