Extra! Extra!

One of Los Angeles’ most talented groups of classical musicians is also one of it’s most playful.  For people with very serious job descriptions that celebrate the world’s most revered classical composers, the members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra are borderline goofy.  They’re also incredibly knowledgeable and are interested in telling Los Angeles (and the world beyond) what makes chamber music so unique and exciting.

In an effort to reach everyone, they perform at venues all across this sprawling metropolis and even perform in a series of half-concert-half-lectures to bring everyone in the audience up to speed on how instruments have changed since the days when Bach, for example, was composing.  These aren’t, to be clear, the kind of lectures you avoided in college – these redefine what you know about lectures and they come with live music.

Performing February 20 and 21 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale and Royce Hall, respectively, the LA Chamber Orchestra are exploring the world of Baroque music with a concert that includes compositions by Purcell, Vivaldi, Bach, and Mendelssohn.  We caught up with Assistant Concertmaster Tereza Stanislav and got to chat with her about Baroque music, playing violin, and her favorite place in Los Angeles. (See? Serious job description. Smiling, giggling interview. Go figure.)

Not only did we get a chance to talk to them and get some insider info, we also begged and pleaded for some tickets to give to our readers for the February 20 performance at the Alex Theatre.  Check out our video interview and enter this installment of our Extra! Extra! giveaway!

Some details you’ll want to remember: by entering into this giveaway, you’re automatically entered into the next three we’ve got going on.  All we need is your first name, last name, and email address and voila – you’re headed downtown for a first class look at LA’s most charismatic orchestra.  Just make sure you’re on your best behavior – no fooling around.

(Click here if you’d rather buy your own tickets – it’s not worth the risk!)

It’s pretty safe to say at this point in Beethoven’s posthumous career, that the man was not a one hit wonder.  Sure, we’re more familiar with some of his works than others, but generally speaking – he’s a heavy hitter.  His Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” is considered one of the most magical and beautiful pieces amidst the enormous anthology of his compositions – it has a sort of romance and familiarity that is sweeter than Moonlight Sonata and less intense or dramatic than his famed Fifth Symphony.

Then there’s his Symphony No. 7.  It has an almost dancing rhythm, with plenty of drama, fantasy, and familiar melodies hidden within an abundance of brass and string instruments doing what they do best.  Perhaps the most recognizable movement of Symphony No. 7 is the Allegro con Brio.

While we’re on the subject of classical musicians who are worth their salt, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, performing on Wednesday, February 17 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, is the oldest civic concert orchestra in the world.  Founded in 1743, the Gewandhaus Orchestra is no stranger to performing Beethoven – they performed all of his symphonies during his lifetime.  For those who are skimming, that was during his lifetime.  We love our LA Philharmonic just as much as Gustavo Dudamel likely does, but even they can’t boast having played all of a composer’s works during his lifetime.  (Maybe we can accomplish this with Esa-Pekka Salonen’s compositions? Hint, hint!)

Because there is absolutely nothing like seeing the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor,” and his Symphony No. 7 with Riccardo Chailly at the conductor’s stand and guest pianist Louis Lortie gracing the stage, we’re actually giving away the pair of tickets hidden behind our backs for the performance on February 17 at 8:00pm.  It’s the kind of thing we’d normally just keep for ourselves.

Here are some Extra! Extra! details you’ll want to keep in mind: by entering into this giveaway, you’re also entered into the next three giveaways! All we need is your first name, last name, and email address and voila – you’re reminiscing about the days of yore when Beethoven was just a young man and a gewandhaus was just a meetinghouse for textile merchants.  Ah, the good old days.

(Click here if you’d rather not risk it and you’d like to buy your own tickets.)

Glorya Kaufman’s contribution to dance in Los Angeles, and specifically at the Music Center, has already begun to impress.  They recently presented the Joffrey Ballet’s Cinderella and up next, on February 16 – 17, we Angelenos have a chance to see the critically acclaimed Kings of the Dance at the Ahmanson Theatre.

If you haven’t heard of Kings of the Dance, you’ve more than likely heard of its components (hint: some of the world’s most phenomenal male dancers) like Guillaume Cote, Marcelo Gomes, David Hallberg, and Denis Matvienko.  Spoiled as we are in Southern California, and now by Glorya Kaufman and her welcomed and generous contribution, the performances will also include special guest appearances by Desmond Richardson, Jose Manuel Carreno, Nikolay Tsiskaridze, and Joaquin DeLuz.  These dancers have graced the stage with some of the world’s most prestigious companies like the American Ballet Theatre, Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and New York City Ballet.

Admittedly, when you think of ballet, the first images that come to mind are of pointe shoes, beautiful ballerinas in tutus in a perfect arabesque, or dancers with their hair pulled into tight buns and wearing enviable tiaras.  Finally recognizing the beauty and strength of male dancers, Kings of the Dance celebrates these virtuosos in some of dance’s most incredible choreography by such inspiring artists as Roland Petit, Sir Frederick Ashton, Christopher Wheeldon, and Leonid Jacobson.

Because we’re so generous (and because we want to have someone to gush over the performance with), we’ve got tickets to give away!  Enter below to win a pair of tickets to the performance on February 17 at 7:30pm and then let us know what you thought after – we’ve got a good feeling your email will be filled with exclamation points and many synonyms for amazing.

Here are some Extra! Extra! details you’ll want to keep in mind here: by entering into this giveaway, you’re also entered into our next three giveaways! All we need is your first name, last name, and email address, and voila – you’re a connoisseur of dance.  Or, at the very least, you’re on your way to watching some of ballet’s most muscular (er, talented) examples at the height of their careers.

(Click here if you feel like you need to witness what’s on stage and can’t risk the whole giveaway thing.)

Anyone who survived years of Catholic grammar school would shudder at the thought of going to listen to an organ concert – just two notes on an organ is enough to bring memories of the stages of the cross rushing back.  There is one organ, of course, that may just be the exception to the rule.

We could tell you that it’s outfitted with 72 total stops, 109 ranks, and 6,134 pipes, but we would be lying if that implied we knew what all that meant.  What we do know is that when Frank Gehry designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall, he designed this organ to go along with it.  It has been a point of interest ever since. The curved wooden façade of the organ, the meticulousness with which the organ was assembled, tuned, “voiced,” and maintained, all coupled with the unparalleled acoustics of Disney Hall can’t prepare you for the unexpectedly beautiful sound emerging from those pipes.

We think it is time to give the organ another chance.  On Wednesday, December 9 at 8:00pm, the LA Philharmonic’s Holiday Organ Spectacular welcomes David Higgs to the instrument of the hour, soprano Lisa Vroman, Mindy Bell on the harp, and percussionist Bernie Dresel.  To help you kick off the holiday season, we’re giving tickets away to Wednesday’s performance!

Some Extra! Extra! details you’ll want to remember: by entering into this giveaway, you’re also entered into our next three giveaways! All we need is your first name, last name, and email address, and voila – those Catholic school memories will be wiped away – if not by the organ, definitely by the egg nog.

If only we could put in requests – our favorite holiday song is Deck the Halls… “FALA-la-la-la…”

(Click here if you’re all about the organ and you want to buy your own tickets.)

Celebrating this coast and all it has to offer has never seemed more pertinent – if for no other reason than because it’s December 4 and the weather outside is anything but frightful.  You need nary more than a blazer out there!  Since LA is the entertainment capitol of the world, it’s only fitting that we celebrate our side of the States with a music festival, namely the LA Philharmonic’s “West Coast, Left Coast” Festival on now at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

We’ve told you about the upcoming concerts, seen Kronos Quartet (and loved ‘em), and now have one last suggestion: this weekend’s performance featuring Brian Wilson (he of Beach Boys fame), Dave Alvin, The Living Sisters, and Harper Simon.  Talk about an LA tour de force – Brian Wilson will be on hand to perform an acoustic set of some of his greatest hits including “God Only Knows” and “California Girls” (another reason to celebrate this state).  He’ll share the stage with Dave Alvin, a blues and Americana hero originally from Downey, CA.  Up next is LA’s own The Living Sisters (who include the ethereal Eleni Mandell, Becky Stark, and Inara George) followed by singer/songwriter Harper Simon.  All in all, Disney Hall has never sounded more like the hippie, carefree state it calls home– and we doubt it ever will again.

Here’s the best bit… we’ve got tickets to giveaway! The performance will be held at Disney Hall on Sunday, December 6 at 8:00pm and we want you to be there.

Some Extra! Extra! details you’ll want to jot down: by entering into this raffle, that makes you eligible to win the next three we’ve got coming down the pike! All we need is your first name, last name, and your email address, and voila – you might just feel like the age of Aquarius is upon us all over again.

(Click here if you can’t stand the heat and you’d rather just buy your own tickets.)

Whenever you set on a path to do something restrictive, isn’t it always the case that all you end up doing is exactly what you were trying to avoid? Any time you tell yourself to cut down on sugar, you end up eating dessert after every meal and as soon as you decide to stay focused and study, your web browser mysteriously makes its way to Facebook and there go three hours.  You’re not alone and this is nothing new – even Shakespeare knew the perils of setting on a task and then just giving into digression or temptation instead.

With Love’s Labour’s Lost, one of Shakespeare’s early comedies, you’re faced with a King and three cohorts who have all devoted themselves to studying for three years without the (inevitable) distraction of women.  (What was that Bob Marley said? No woman, no cry?) As you can ascertain, the gentle lads fall for the princess and her three ladies in waiting who happen to have moved to court just as the men crack open their history books.  A raucous comedy that revolves around the awkward, electric, fumbling world that is young love, Love’s Labour’s Lost is timeless and more so when performed by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

They’re at the The Broad Stage now through November 29 bringing you all of the moments you will find so familiar about trying to resist what you want and failing miserably at it.  And what’s better than giving in when it’s free? We’ve got tickets to give away to the Globe Theatre’s performance at the Broad Stage on Monday, November 23 at 7:30pm!

Some Extra! Extra! details you’ll want to remember: by entering into this raffle, you’re automatically entered to win the next three we’ve got hidden behind our backs.  All we need is your first name, last name, and your email address and voila – it will make you think before you say “no” to that next beau!

(Click here if you’d rather just buy your own tickets – playing is for kids.)

When it comes to recognizing classical music, we know you’re a pro.  You don’t even have to be in the same room when a British Airways commercial comes on to pinpoint their constant use of the “Flower Duet” from Lakmé.  We’d be the first to admit, however, that it can be difficult to catch every live performance of all the musical masterpieces in your listening repertoire– when LA Opera, the LA Phil, and the LA Chamber Orchestra are all on the same night as Top Chef, it leaves you in a very difficult position.  Having never heard Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony performed live, for example, is an unfortunate consequence that comes with living in a world of so many options.  It is also a musical crime.  However, LA Chamber Orchestra is here to help.

Their “Discover” concert series continues this Saturday, November 7 at 8pm with “Discover Beethoven’s 5th” at the Ambassador Auditorium.  The well-known, powerful, majestic symphony will be played in full during the second half of the concert after what could be considered the world’s shortest and most intense lesson on Beethoven and his music.  Perhaps we shouldn’t call it a lesson so much as a bonus – the first half of the concert will include excerpts from the Fifth alongside a number of Beethoven’s other symphonies, solo piano works, and our personal favorite – bits of his “Moonlight” and “Pathetique” sonatas.  Hearing all of these works performed live under the direction of Jeffrey Kahane will prove a truly grand experience… made all the better by the fact that Fine Arts LA has got some tickets to spare that we’re itching to give away to our faithful, music-loving readers!  Welcome to our latest Extra! Extra! raffle…

Some Extra! Extra! details you’ll want to keep in mind: by entering into this raffle, you’re automatically entered to win the next three we’ve got going on.  All we need is your first name, last name, and email address and voila – you’ll be blown away.

(Click here if you’d rather not risk it and want to buy your own tickets.)

There are many directions you could take your Halloween experience this year. You could take the sweet ‘trick-or-treat amongst the children’ route, the ‘excuse to dress like a slut’ route, or the truly ghoulish, creepy, scary route.  If you are looking for any excuse to participate in the latter, REDCAT is the place to be on Friday, October 30 or Saturday, October 31.

It’s been proven time and again that it doesn’t take much to be thoroughly spooked.  In a great many very effective horror films, you may not even catch a glimpse of the monster until more than halfway through.  This weekend at REDCAT, prepare yourself for a truly original, horrifying experience: The Golem with live musical accompaniment under the direction of Brian LeBarton (otherwise known as Beck’s producer) for your pleasure.  Made in 1920 by Paul Wegener and shot by Karl Freund (of Metropolis fame), The Golem is the story of a statue brought to life by a Rabbi in 16th century Prague.  While the Rabbi’s intentions are noble, the experiment goes awry and the Golem ends up committing horrible crimes and kidnapping the Rabbi’s daughter.

We’d be ruining Halloween for everyone if we gave away the ending, but we do have something else to give away… tickets!  Fine Arts LA has got some tickets for both screenings of this spectacularly spooky piece of cinema and we’re just dying to give them away.

As always, some Extra! Extra! details you’ll want to keep in mind: by entering into this raffle, you’re automatically entered to win the next three we’ve got going on.  All we need is your first name, last name, email address, and voila – you’ll be off to REDCAT this weekend.  Try not to scream too loud!

(Click here if you don’t want to risk it and would rather just buy your own tickets.)

Everyone answers the question the same way.  “So, what kind of music do you listen to?” A little bit of everything, except country… right? Well, whether or not you’re hiding Carrie Underwood on your iPod, have you ever mentioned your penchant for “eclectic post-jazz?”

John Hollenbeck and his Claudia Quintet are betting they’ll be able to change your tune.  The New York-based band experiments with what we’ve thus far known as jazz, but not in an extremely esoteric way – their rhythms and sounds are playful, complex, and really get you thinking.  Since hearing them will undoubtedly give you a whole new genre to brag about (“I mostly love traditional Ghanaian drumming”), we’ve got some tickets to give away! Performing at REDCAT on Wednesday, October 28 at 8:30pm, Claudia Quintet includes Hollenbeck himself, Drew Gress on double bass, Maat Moran on “vibes,” Ted Reichman on accordian, and on the clarinet and tenor sax, Chris Speed.  They’ll be joined by guest pianist Gary Versace as well as a couple of curious and lucky Fine Arts LA readers!

Here are some Extra! Extra! details you’ll want to remember: by entering into this raffle, you’ll automatically be entered into the next three raffles we’ve got hidden behind our backs.  All we need is your first name, last name, and email address and voila – your eclectic musical taste speaks volumes about your open-mindedness.

(Click here if you don’t want to risk it and would rather just buy your own tickets.)

Enlightenment comes in many forms, especially in Los Angeles.  Depending on the weather, the day of the week, or the current passing trend, enlightenment can be found in a yoga class, in a martini shaker, or at the movies.  Where some need to sweat out their worries on a treadmill, others are of the school of thought that meditation, silence, and breathing are the ticket.  Personally, one thing that works every time is good music, played loud and up close.  I’m not talking about the ‘jump on your bed while listening to Pearl Jam’ kind of loud and up close, I’m talking about the kind of music that moves you to your core – Yo-Yo Ma on the violin or Ravi Shankar on the sitar, for example. 

This weekend at the Broad Stage, you’ll find another musician bringing enlightenment in bulk – Rajeev Taranath.  One of the world’s leading Sarod players, Taranath will grace the stage on Saturday evening with tabla virtuoso Abhiman Kaushal for a performance guaranteed to shift your perspective for the better.  The Sarod is a stringed instrument similar to the sitar that has long been used in classical Indian music, while the tabla is a classical Indian drum that has been featured in both traditional and popular music around the world.  

What’s more is… Fine Arts LA has got tickets for you!  The lucky winner of today’s Extra! Extra! raffle will win tickets to see Rajeev and Abhiman enlighten Santa Monica on Saturday night at the Broad Stage at 7:30pm.  Some Extra! Extra! details you’ll need to remember: by entering into this raffle, you’re also eligible to win the next three (3!) raffles!  All we need is your first name, last name, and email address and voila – you’re a newly enlightened guru!

(Click here if you don’t want to risk it and you’re just gonna buy your own tickets.)