The Philharmonic Society, the OC's oldest music organization, is kicking off the 10th annual Laguna Beach Music Festival this week. Placido Domingo returns to the stage in a production of Simon Boccanegra in the titular role.
Classical Pick of the Week: Laguna Beach Music Festival and Placido Domingo in Simon Boccanegra
Classical Pick of the Week: See the Symphony Orchestra Where Gustavo Dudamel Got His Start (For Free)
Want to see the highly acclaimed Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra (where Dudamel got his start) perform for free?
Classical Pick of the Week: Steve Reich, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Nigel Armstrong's Debut
This week's classical picks include performances by the Bang on a Can All-Stars, Steve Reich, Nigel Armstrong and Andrew Shulman.
Classical Pick of the Week: Mostly Mozart and Mahler
The Coachella Valley Symphony is putting on a program similar to the wildly popular NY Phil "Mostly Mozart" festivals, with an all-Mozart program Monday night at 7 pm. If Coachella is a bit of a trek for you, the LA Phil kicks off their Mahler Project this Friday the 13th.
Classical Pick of the Week: Chopin, Haydn, Lalo
Things are pretty quiet in LA this week and next, but you can check out the last Sundays Live of the year at the LACMA, tonight at 6 PM.
Classical Pick of the Week: Beethoven and Hillborg
The Da Camera Society is putting on a festival of Strads! To celebrate the 300th anniversary, the Da Camera Society is bringing Martin Chalifour (concertmaster of the LA Phil) to Cicada Restaurant in Downtown.
Classical Pick of the Week: Mahler is Baller
There's something about 9th Symphonies that resonate with listeners (Beethoven, Dvorak, Bruckner, Schubert), and if you have yet to experience it for yourself, go to the OC Performing Arts Center this weekend for some Mahler.
Classical Pick of the Week: For Opera Buffs
We have a line-up of classical picks for the opera buffs (and fans of the Greeks and Shakespeare).
Classical Pick of the Week: Get Your Freak On at the Disney Hall
Everyone likes to dress up and go to the theatre from time to time, and we encourage you to go all out and go to the Disney Hall tonight for their annual Halloween Silent Film. Costumes are not uncommon at the Disney Hall for this event, and add to a lively atmosphere.
Classical Pick of the Week: It Came from Outer Space
All this talk about Siri reminds us of good our friend Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey. You know what else does? Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra, which the Pacific Symphony is performing this Thursday Friday and Saturday at 8 PM.
Classical Pick of the Week: Igudesman & Joo
Would you like some comedy with your classical music? Check out the classical music comic duo violinist Aleksy Igudesman and pianist Hyung-ki Joo. The Los Angeles Master Chorale has its season opener tonight.
Classical Pick of the Week: Rupa - Khanda and Rococo Variations
To experience LA's most cutting-edge percussion chamber music, join the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet this Saturday at Zipper Hall at the Colburn School. The LAPQ is known for their performances of Californian avant-garde composers, and for their commissions of award-winning compositions. This weekend the LAPQ puts on a world premiere Rupa-Khanda, from award winning composer Sean Heim.
Classical Pick of the Week: iCadenza Future of Music Festival
iCadenza, a Classical music organization commited to helping young musicians, is putting on their first festival this week featuring concerts, masterclasses, and presentations. The festival will take place this Wednesday through Saturday at Zipper Hall at the Colburn School.
Classical Pick of the Week: Festivities
It's your last week to head up to Santa Barbara to listen to some talented young musicians at the 2011 Music Academy of the West festival. The final performance is next Saturday at 8 PM at the Granada Theatre conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
Classical Pick of the Week: Liszt and the Arts, and Steinway at the Ranch
There are some pretty big names at the Bowl this week, with Pinchas Zukerman at the Bowl on Tuesday night performing Mozart's Violin Cto. no. 5 and Gil Shaham on Thursday night performing Bruch's Violin Cto. no 1.
Classical Pick of the Week: Turandot
If you want to stay as far away from the 405 as possible, Dudamel is conducting Puccini's Turandot next Sunday at the Hollywood Bowl.
Classical Pick of the Week: Noonday Organ Concerts
The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles in Downtown still has free organ concerts every Thursday noon until July 30th. You can bring your lunch and eat it in the Forecourt before/after the concerts, which last around 50 minutes. Just enough time for a relaxing lunch break.
Classical Pick of the Week: Beethoven and Beatles at the Arboretum
The summer season is about to pick up some steam, great news for those languishing because of the lack of concerts. The Hollywood Bowl just kicked off their Summer season (more on that later), the Music Academy of the West begins this week, and musicians are streaming into Aspen this week to prep for the Summer-long festival.
Need a Weekend Mini-Vacation? Check Out the Ojai Music Festival
If you need a mini vacation away from LA before Carmageddon, head on over to Ojai this weekend for the Ojai Music Festival. Local (and global) fave Dawn Upshaw returns to the 65th iteration of the Ojai Music Festival as music director in a well curated series highlighting contemporary composers and little known or rare works of older composers.
Classical Pick of the Week: Pacific
If you aren't going out to the Ojai Music Festival (and why not?), you've still got some fun programs at home. Pacific Serenades is performing at the UCLA Faculty Center on Tuesday at 8 PM. The program includes Ravel's Introduction and Allegro, a Haydn string quartet, and a world premiere.
Classical Pick of the Week: Brahms Double
Remember Gautier Capucon? He's back at the Disney Hall with his cello (and brother) in tow, to finish off Brahms Unbound with a bang.
Classical Pick of the Week: Danish Dancers
The Royal Danish Ballet is returning to So Cal for the first time in 15 years with 5 American premieres in 5 days. Program 1 features four Nordic choreographers and runs May 24th and 25th while Program 2 performs a comic ballet by August Bournonville.
Classical Pick of the Week: Music and Martinis (and More)
Imagine getting drunk while listening to the Archduke Trio! Or watch it live next week (and get drunk). One door closes and another one opens right? While the Cal Phil unfortunately lost their summer home at the Arboretum to the Pasadena Pops, the Cal Phil kicked off a new series: "Music, Martinis, and the Maestro".
Classical Pick of the Week: Don Quixote
Here's the Balanchine version so you can talk about how the classic version was sooooo much better (Note: we haven't seen the Eifman choreography, just teasing). The Eifman Ballet comes to town (well, the OC) from St. Petersburg to put on a production of Don Quixote at OCPAC. Eifman is known as an innovative choreographer so you're sure to see some "new twists" to this classic ballet.
Classical Pick of the Week: Passion and Stillness, Liszt's Bi-centenary
Liszt's Via Crucis will be performed this Saturday the 23rd in Santa Monica. Liszt was born almost 200 years ago on October 22nd, 1811. To get a head start on the celebrations, you can go to Jacaranda's concert next Saturday at 8 PM. The program, titled Passion and Stillness, focuses on Liszt's vocal works and a piano transcription of a tone poem.

