Classical Music News for July/August 2017

MUSIC GUILD’S SUMMER FEST 16

LOS ANGELES – The Music Guild has announced the schedule for its Summer Fest 17 chamber-music series.

Pacific Piano Trio Celeste will perform works by Turina, Beethoven and Dvorak on Sunday July 9, followed by the Lyris Quartet on August 13 (Haydn, Janacek, Ravel).

Piano Trio Tuscany’s recital on August 20 will feature works by Mozart, Smetana and Schubert.

All events will take place at 3 pm at University Synagogue, 11960 Sunset Blvd (at Saltair). Complimentary coffee, cookies, Brie and Jarlsberg cheese, veggies, strawberries and whipped cream will be served 2.30-3 pm, and also at intermission.

Call 310-558-3500 or visit concerts@themusicguild.org


OUR GREAT TCHAIKOVSKY

BEVERLY HILLS- Hershey Felder’s latest one-man show, OUR GREAT TCHAIKOVSKY, will be performed July 19-Aug. 6 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

For more than twenty years, actor/pianist Felder has been portraying such noted composers as Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Liszt in his solo shows, illuminating the men behind the music and performing their works as well. OUR GREAT TCHAIKOVSKY is Felder’s first with a contemporary perspective, juxtaposing the composer in his 19th century with the United States and Russia of today.

“I didn’t know how much his fear of being found out as being a homosexual drove him,” said Felder in an interview. “I knew he was gay, but not how deeply that affected his music. He poured his emotional angst into all his pieces.”

(9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Call 310-746-4000 or visit thewallis.org)


LA MASTER CHORALE RECEIVES AWARD

The Los Angeles Master Chorale was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame during its recent performance of LUX AETERNA, a concert which celebrated the music of Morten Laurindsen and other L.A. composers. The honor was accepted by Artistic Director Grant Gershon and President & CEO Jean Davidson on behalf of the Master Chorale from the stage of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. It joins previous inductees in the ensembles category such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Mormon Tabernacle Choir and New York Philharmonic.

The American Classical Music Hall of Fame (ACMHF) was founded in 1996 and is based in Cincinnati. It seeks to build and sustain enthusiasm for classical music by celebrating diverse facets of classical music excellence.

The presentation was made by Catherine Dehoney, CEO of Chorus America, which at the time was holding its annual conference in L.A., hosted by the Master Chorale. “It was wonderful to receive this honor in front of so many of our peers from Chorus America,” said Gershon. (Lamasterchorale.org)