LACO to Present MUSIC & THE BODY Free Labor Day Community Event & Concert With The National MS Society
Event features a panel on MS awareness and a concert of works by Jeff Beal led by Leonard Slatkin.
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 15, 2025
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), in partnership with the National MS Society, will present Music + The Body, a free community event at The Broad Stage on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2025. Inspired by LACO collaborator Jeff Beal’s experience living with multiple sclerosis, the event will include interactive activities, an MS awareness panel, and a concert of Beal’s music conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
The day begins at 11 a.m. with pre-concert festivities including an instrument petting zoo, music composition stations, and activities exploring the relationship between music, movement, and healing. At 12:30 p.m., a special MS awareness panel will feature neurologist Dr. Christina J. Azevedo and music cognition researcher Dr. Assal Habibi. The concert begins at 2 p.m.
“Jeff Beal has been a longtime friend and collaborator of LACO, and it's a privilege to partner with him on this special event that raises awareness for MS,” said LACO Executive Director Ben Cadwallader. “Jeff's journey with MS is both personal and deeply inspiring. This event is about visibility as much as it is about artistry.”
“As someone living with MS, I've experienced firsthand how music can be a powerful force for healing, connection, and resilience,” said Jeff Beal. “This partnership is especially meaningful to me, both personally and artistically.”
The concert opens with the LACO premiere of NEW YORK ÉTUDES, a collection of ten solo piano pieces by Beal originally composed as part of his daily healing practice. These études will be performed for the first time with piano and strings accompaniment, transforming Beal’s personal meditations into a communal musical experience.
Next on the program is BODY IN MOTION, Beal’s violin concerto composed for Kelly Hall-Tompkins. Slatkin, who premiered the work in 2024 with the St. Louis Symphony and again with LACO in October, will lead this West Coast reprise. The piece, rich with jazz, blues, and improvisation, explores themes of water, breath, and movement across three movements: “Head Above Water,” “Breathing,” and “Running.”
The concert concludes with the world premiere of FOUR SCORE, a new symphony by Beal written in honor of Leonard Slatkin’s 80th birthday. The three-movement work—“The Hero,” “The Lovers,” and “The Jester”—draws inspiration from both classical and cinematic musical traditions, blending personal homage with symphonic storytelling.
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