Classical Pick of the Week: LA Has a World-Class Competition to Call its Own

Itzak Perlman performing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, which will be performed at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend.

Russia has the Tchaikovsky Competition, Poland the Chopin Competition, and Los Angeles gets the relatively new Jose Iturbi International Music Competition. The main drawing power of the new competition? A top prize of 50,000 dollars and it takes place every year (most of these competitions take place every 4-5 years and usually offer less money). Along with the addition of Dudamel at the LA Phil and recent faculty hiring at USC and Colburn, Los Angeles is definitely an exciting place to be for classical music.

The very first 1st prize winner of the competition (in 2007), Rufus Choi, is playing a concert at Zipper Hall with the Bach-Busoni D Minor Chaconne (a transcription of a violin partita), the Beethoven "Eroica" Variations, and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (the orchestral version is a transcription by Ravel, this is the original composition). The concert takes place September 7th at 3-4:30 PM, with the cost of tickets at 10 (for students), 30, and 60 dollars.

concert info and happenings at the Bowl...