Classical Music News for January/February 2022

LOS ANGELES NEWS

L.A. MASTER CHORALE’S LATEST CONCERTS

A CITY CALLED HEAVEN by Derrick Skye is one of two new works which Los Angeles Master Chorale will unveil this winter, both at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

CITY CALLED HEAVEN takes its title from the famous African-American spiritual. The concert explores themes of homecoming and aspiring toward paradise. Last year LAMC premiered a short film of Skye’s “Ready, Bright,” a piece which, in the artist’s words, “sonically and visually interprets the process of gaining release from restraint using mind, body, soul and voice.” After being postponed from the 2019-20 season, the new commission will finally be mounted on Sunday Jan. 30th at 7pm. The other offerings that eveningt are world premieres by composers Saunder Choi and Dale Trumbore. Grant Gershon and Jenny Wong will conduct a chorus of 62 voices plus piano and percussion.

Jenny Wong will also conduct the performance of ESMAIL/MARTIN on Sunday Feb, 20 at 7pm. She will lead a chorus of 64 voices plus piano, tabla, cello and clarinet.

This concert will take an in-depth look at the tapestry of Reena Esmail’s choral repertoire. The program includes her “TaRekiTa,” which was recorded by the Chorale in a virtual choir and became a social-media hit during the pandemic. She is the Swan Family artist in residence at LAMC,

Paired with “TaRekiTa” is Frank Martin’s a cappella masterpiece, “Mass for Double Choir.” The latter takes the audience on a journey from personal religious devotion to a glorious confluence of inspirations including Renaissance polyphony, Bach, Venetian antiphony and French Impressionism.
(For tickets and information, visit lamasterchorale.org)


THE MUSIC GUILD RETURNS

After a two-year COVID hiatus, the Music Guild will return to the concert world on Monday, Feb. 28 at 8pm. The date will mark the Music Guild’s 77th season. Featured is the Fiato String Quartet (with guest pianist Micah Yui), performing works by Brahms and Schumann.

The Music Guild is based in a new home, at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 580 Hilgard Avenue (at the Westholme entrance to UCLA), Westwood, CA 90924. “Our prior venue was acquired by another organization making it impossible to continue presenting concerts there,” explained artistic director Eugene Golden. “For months we searched extensively for another hall that would meet our requirements of intimacy, sound and location. The result is St. Alban’s.”

For tickets and information call 310-558-3500 or visit themusicguild.org