Sam Kim

Here is an excerpt from Dudamel's inaugural concert at the Disney Hall, conducting Mahler's First. Due to popular demand, the LA Phil is performing one more concert this year with Dudamel. The program is a repeat of his inaugural concert (the Walt Disney Concert Hall debut, not the Hollywood Bowl debut) and will include John Adam's "City Noir" and Mahler's Symphony No. 1 (the "Titan"). Tickets will go on sale to the general public...

Frederica von Stade as Cherubino singing "Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio" from Mozart's opera the Marriage of Figaro. This week, the LA Phil is taking the show on the road, to the Wilshire United Methodist Church near the Greater Wilshire/Hancock Park area. The program will include some selections from the Marriage of Figaro (including the overture) and the Mendelssohn Symphony no. 4 (the "Italian"). The concert takes places this Wednesday at 7:30...

Rostropovich performing Shostakovich's Cello Concerto no. 2. Often neglected piece (most likely due to the first concerto's immense popularity). There are three performances this week featuring the cello (four if you count Lynn Harrell on Saturday). Unfortunately, one of them is sold out (Johannes Moser, who is performing today at Pepperdine and most recently at the Disney Hall with the LA Phil) and another one is most likely sold out.Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax...

You can "hear" John Cage's groundbreaking piece 4'33" later this week in LA. Everyone loves free stuff. As usual, the LACMA hosts free concerts every Sunday at the Bing Theatre at 6 PM. You can get more info here. The Santa Monica Symphony is performing a free concert at 3:30 PM today geared towards families. Music includes Mussgorsky's Night on Bald Mountain and other music by Stravinsky and Danzon. On Wednesday the 20th, there...

The MET just put on a fantastic performance of Der Rosenkavalier, with some familiar faces. Hear some Strauss this week at the Disney Hall. If you missed out on Andre Watts last week, don't worry. You can check him out again this Tuesday night at 8 PM in a performance of chamber music with some musicians from the LA Phil. You might not have heard of Bottesini or Schickele, but this concert is a...

Recent LA Phil guest conductor Marin Alsop is seen here providing some contextual information for the second piano concerto composed by Brahms. Andre Watts is heard in the background, and is also performing it this week with the LA Phil. For the most part, it's been all quiet on the Western front (sorry). There haven't been a lot of concerts, but this week's Classical pick promises to be an electrifying one. Andre Watts makes...

The Ring Cycle was a big deal. Still is. LA had a few bumps along the way, but the future remains bright (check out a few LA Times articles here on what to look forward to in 2010. The same can't be said for much of the US though. Why? Timing. In recent years, the opening of a world class hall (the Disney Hall), the investment in new music (Green Umbrella), the rise of...

You can hear Abe Laboriel in a few hours if you have nothing better to do, we highly recommend it! The LA Opera is now on hold until April 3rd, when it returns with the last of Wagner's Ring Cycle, Gotterdammerung (Twilight of the Gods). There is also a special concert with world renown tenor Jose Carreras who will perform at the Greek Theatre on June 26th. Although that's a little far off, these...

Amadeus is a great gift option, but they probably have the movie already. Instead, how about some alcohol? If you have trouble shopping for your friend that is obsessed with classical music, look no further. Our classical music gift guide from last year still has a few relevant goodies, including an LAist fave, the Mozart Chocolate Cream Gold Liqueur. Alcohol is never a bad gift. You can also get little Mozart chocolates from Salzburg...

Hard to believe that the lyrical Langsamer Satz was a piece written by Anton Webern, member of the Second Viennese School (along with Berg and Schoenberg) and founder of total serialism. This was one of his earlier works, written in a romantic style. You can hear it tonight at the LACMA. If you're looking for a classical music concert that isn't Christmas themed, LACMA's Sundays Live is here for you. As usual, the concerts...