Pittance Chamber Music Announces 2022 Season

Pittance Chamber Music 2022 Season, announced today by Artistic Director Lisa Sutton, celebrates the return of audiences to live concerts since the global pandemic shuttered live performances more than a year and a half ago. Pittance Chamber Music extends a warm welcome back to audiences, as they return to live concerts this January in a spectacular new venue, First United Methodist Church in Pasadena. Pittance Chamber Music's SEASON VIII offers a series of three programs, featuring the extraordinary artists from the LA Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

Among the most extraordinary musicians in the world are those you seldom see - the musicians of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra. Founder and Artistic Director Lisa Sutton, who also happens to be the Assistant Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, formed Pittance Chamber Music in 2013 to shine the spotlight on these remarkable yet invisible artists, bringing them from the pit to the stage to perform in small ensembles, hence the name Pittance. Pittance Chamber Music utilizes a roster of artists drawn from a large pool of talent including members of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra as well as Los Angeles Opera resident vocalists, resulting in a unique variety of repertoire not often heard together in one program.

"It's exciting to be returning to live concerts, especially at the First United Methodist Church, an iconic historic building with superior sound and plenty of space for our audiences" says Sutton. "Season VIII presents three programs dear to my heart - programs I have envisioned for some time. The large stage at the church makes it possible to present something I have always wanted to - chamber music with mallet instruments. Theresa Dimond and Friends features the LA Opera Orchestra's principal percussionist Dr. Theresa Dimond, who is always engaging with her wonderful playing and amusing commentary. The next two programs, The Lyric Oboe and Liebeslieder!, are programs that were previously postponed due to Covid shutdowns. An oboe recital is a unique event; the LA Opera Orchestra's leader of the woodwind section, principal oboist Leslie Reed, has curated a program of favorite works centered around the lyric and pastoral history of the oboe. Finally, we are thrilled to present the complete Liebeslieder Walzer of Johannes Brahms. It's a rare opportunity to hear these stunning works in their entirety, performed by vocalists from the LA Opera Chorus, with soprano Elissa Johnston and LA Opera conductors Grant Gershon and Jeremy Frank on piano four hands."

Concert 1: Theresa Dimond and Friends - Saturday, January 22, 2022; 7:30 p.m.

The first concert of the year takes a deep dive into the pit - landing in the percussion section. Hosted by the LA Opera Orchestra's principal percussionist and UCLA lecturer Dr. Theresa Dimond, the program features a wide variety of repertoire performed by musicians from the percussion, woodwind and string sections of the orchestra.

Ingolf Dahl: Concerto a Tre for Clarinet, Violin and Cello

Arvo Pärt: Spiegel Im Spiegel (Cello and Marimba)

Nathan Daugherty: Burn 3 for Flute, Clarinet and Marimba

Barbara Kolb: Homage to Keith Jarrett and Gary Burton (Flute and Marimba)

Gerard Lecointe: Point Bak (Mallet ensemble)

Concert 2: The Lyric Oboe - Saturday, February 26, 2022; 7:30 p.m.

The second concert features LA Opera Orchestra Principal Oboe Leslie Reed, pianist Edith Orloff and members of the LA Opera Orchestra, in a recital program of favorite works that reflect the lyric side of the oboe, ranging from the pastoral to folk traditions, including works inspired by famous paintings.

Saint-Saens: Sonata for Oboe and Piano

Gilles Silvestrini: Etudes for Oboe, inspired by the paintings of Boudin, Monet, Renoir and Manet)

1. Scène de plage - Ciel d'orage (Eugène Boudin)

2. Hotel des Roches noire à Trouville (Claude Monet)

3. Sentier dan les bois (August Renoir)

4. Le Ballet Español (Edouard Manet)

Joseph Horovitz: Quartet for Oboe and Strings

Gabriel Fauré: Pièce

Jacques Ibert: Escales

Nino Rota: Elegia

Gabriel Pierne: Serenade

Alyssa Morris: Collision Etudes (inspired by the paintings of Cassatt, Mitchell, Thomas and O'Keeffe)

1. Summertime (Mary Cassatt)

2. City Landscapes (Joan Mitchell)

3. Rainbow (Alma Thomas)

4. Autumn Leaves (Georgia O'Keefe)

Arnold Bax: Quintet for Oboe and Strings

Concert 3: Liebeslieder! - Saturday, April 23, 2022; 7:30 p.m.

Pittance is pleased to present this special evening featuring the complete Liebeslieder-Walzer of Johannes Brahms, for vocal quartet and piano four hands. Members of the LA Opera Chorus are joined by soprano Elissa Johnston, with LAO conductors Grant Gershon and Jeremy Frank at the keyboard.

Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder-Walzer, Op. 52 and 65*

*This program will be performed without intermission.

For additional information about Pittance Chamber Music's 2022 season visit www.pittancechambermusic.org.