Sam Kim

Since 2003, the music series Jacaranda has provided the Los Angeles music scene with a much-needed boost of contemporary music programming, specializing in chamber music with an emphasis on West Coast composers.

For the 49% of you that don't want to go out for dinner on Valentine's Day, there's a nice and equally romantic alternative at your local music venues.

Sir John Eliot Gardiner returns to Orange County this week with the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique and the Monteverdi Choir, and the dynamic duo of Petrenko and Trpčeski return next weekend to perform the Grieg Piano Concerto the way it was meant to be played and Shostakovich's exciting 10th Symphony.

Classical music has made a contribution in some of the most iconic horror films, from the violins in Psycho to Wendy Carlos' work on the Shining. We're sure you'll get more spooks out of these shows than you will at a party where everyone is dressed as Honey Boo Boo, a binder full of women, or a sexy ________.

The American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining the financial future of the Israel Philharmonic. The orchestra will be in town next Tuesday, the 30th, led by former Los Angeles Philharmonic director Zubin Mehta. We spoke with Suzanne Ponsot, the executive director of the organization.

Yuja Wang is one of those rare up-and-coming musicians whose name mainstream audiences should be familiar with. Known for her fiery renditions of great Romantic pieces, she travels around the world and performs with all the top orchestras and conductors on a regular basis.

The Green Umbrella series is the LA Phil's ongoing commitment to new music, and this season's first concert features music from two very in-demand composers, Nico Muhly and Daníel Bjarnason. We got to chat with Nico Muhly and violinist Thomas Gould, who is performing Muhly's electric violin concerto, "Seeing is Believing."

It's another great week of music at the Disney Hall. We've got quite a few European artists crossing the Atlantic to perform in L.A.

The LA Opera has a double dose of Placido Domingo this week, and Dudamel will conduct this Thursday at the Disney Hall.

Though Andre Watts kicked off the Pacific Symphony's season this weekend, the real buzz is for this Thursday's concert at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.