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LA Phil comings and goings (Fall 2015 edition): Principal Clarinet update and...
Boris Allakhverdyan (left) and Ilya Shterenberg Once again, I do what I can to give you the latest and greatest news about the musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Let’s begin: Principal Flute...
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A chat with Michele Zukovsky (part 1 of 2): the LA Phil’s outgoing Principal...
On first impression, Michele Zukovsky might not strike you as anyone particularly notable other than being a fairly energetic, witty, and self-deprecating 70-something. That seems to suit her just...
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RIP Kurt Masur: German conductor dies at 88-years old
Kurt Masur, Music Director Emeritus of the New York Philharmonic and former Kappellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, has died at his home in Greenwich, CT. The German native was 88-years...
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A chat with Michele Zukovsky (part 2 of 2): on German clarinets, German...
Michele Zukovsky, Principal Clarinet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, wraps up her amazing 54-year tenure with the orchestra in an all-Rachmaninoff concert today at 2pm; Cristian Măcelaru conducts....
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Pierre Boulez, 1925-2016
I’m currently running around CES in Las Vegas and can’t cover this with the detail I’d prefer, but nonetheless had to acknowledge the passing of this truly great musician. Therefore, I refer you to Tim...
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My $0.02 on LA Opera’s 2016/2017 Season
The good folks at Los Angeles Opera just announced their 2016/17 season (at the slightly curious time of 9pm-ish Pacific Time, midnight-ish Eastern, but no matter). There are six mainstage...
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A chat with Jean Davidson, new President & CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale
Jean Davidson is six months into her job as President & CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and in some ways, she’s still settling in. She’s lived much of the past two decades in New York. Her...
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My $0.02 on the LA Phil’s 2016-17 Walt Disney Concert Hall season and 2016...
Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Philharmonic made public their plans for the upcoming 2016-17 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall (details available HERE). This comes on the heels of last week’s...
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Boris Allakhverdyan will be the next Principal Clarinet of the Los Angeles...
As I mentioned last November, Boris Allakhverdyan was one of two finalists in the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s open auditions to find a new Principal Clarinet to take over for the retiring Michele...
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The Oscar moment that didn’t happen for soprano Sumi Jo and composer David Lang
“Mommy would explain to us: ‘Quiet, Daddy’s composing. Quiet, Daddy has Stravinsky coming to the house tonight.’ ” — Lena Ballinger (Rachel Weisz), Youth “Molto triste.” — Sumi Jo, the Oscar’s red...
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Susanna Mälkki named as new LA Phil Principal Guest Conductor (and I say,...
The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced this morning that Susanna Mälkki has been appointed as Principal Guest Conductor of the orchestra. The Finnish maestra’s tenure will officially begin with the...
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A chat with Jeffrey Kahane: with only 12 months left as LA Chamber...
Nineteen years down, one more to go. With tonight’s concert at UCLA’s Royce Hall, Jeffrey Kahane will complete his penultimate season at Music Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. It’s a...
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A chat with Kaija Saariaho: the world-renowned composer talks about the 2016...
There are few places that celebrate living composers and their works more than the Ojai Festival. And among those favored by this haven for contemporary classical music is Kaija Saariaho. She first...
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A chat with Caroline Shaw: Pulitzer Prize-winning musician talks Ojai...
Attend the Ojai Music Festival, Southern California’s loveable cabal of contemporary classical music, and you expect works by living composers, particularly brand new pieces that get their debut at...
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Music critic Tim Mangan gets laid off, quick notes from Ojai, and an anniversary
Hello, everyone. If you’re shocked that I’ve actually published something three days in a row, join the club. I realize that I’ve not been publishing at the rate I have in the past. I’m working on...
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“Bravura,” a classic American march for July 4, 2016
Happy Independence Day, everyone! In my continuing effort to expand beyond the ubiquitous marches of John Philip Sousa, I present “Bravura” by C.E. Duble. It will likely sound familiar to many of...
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SoCal’s classical concerts worth checking out this July
I trust everyone enjoyed their 4th of July weekend with tummies still full after all that BBQ and fingers still intact after all those fireworks. Now that those festivities are behind us, let’s look...
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Comings and goings at the LA Phil and beyond (Summer 2016 edition): Lots of...
It’s time once again to talk about one of our favorite topics: musical chairs in major orchestras, particularly the Los Angeles Philharmonic. There has been a lot happening since last we broached the...
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A chat with Raynor Carroll (part 1 of 2): the outgoing Principal...
“Someone will usually ask me: ‘How did you pick percussion or drums?’ I didn’t, it picked me. It was always been the sound of a drum that caught my ear,” explains Raynor Carroll, Principal...
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A chat with Raynor Carroll (Part 2 of 2): post-retirement plans and stories...
Here’s Part Two of my interview with Raynor Carroll, the Principal Percussionist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic who’ll retire after tonight’s concert at the Hollywood Bowl. (Part One can be found...
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