Perlman pleases

kreisler

From my review of Itzhak Perlman in today’s Orange County Register online:

“Itzhak Perlman, who played his first violin recital in Orange County in a long while on Sunday afternoon, is a smooth entertainer. The description is not meant to slight. Classical music has but four or five names these days that can sell-out a hall on the basis of their names alone, Perlman among them. We could use a few more Perlmans.”

Click here to read the whole thing, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.

photo: Fritz Kreisler, Library of Congress

Pacific Symphony plays late Mozart

In the Orange County Register, I review the Pacific Symphony in a conceptual concert on late Mozart, scripted by Joseph Horowitz and Carl St. Clair.

Click here to read my review

‘The Rite of Spring’ at 100

ritescore

For last Sunday’s print edition of the Orange County Register, my fellow arts writers and I got together to create a package for the A section of the newspaper on ‘The Rite of Spring,’ which turns 100 in May. A number of local events celebrate the occasion. My job, of course, was to write about the music — for a general audience — in 850 words or less.

Click here to read my article on ‘The Rite of Spring’.

Links to some of the other contributions are at the bottom of my article.

Vancouver Symphony plays something new

newmusic

Hooray, a professional orchestra played a piece of new music by a living composer in Orange County, by my estimation for the first time this season!

Click here to read my review of the Vancouver Symphony performing at Soka University under the direction of Bramwell Tovey.

Photo: Cigar in hand, I phone my editor at intermission, telling him to stop the presses because a piece of new orchestral music was spotted within county borders.

Long Beach Opera performs ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ by Philip Glass

My review is in today’s Orange County Register.

Click here to read it

Lortie hits Wagner out of the park

homerun

In today’s Orange County Register online, I review pianist Louis Lortie performing a program of Wagner transcriptions.

Click here to read my review, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.

Philharmonic Society of Orange County announces 2013-2014 schedule

Pianist Yuja Wang. Credit: Rolex, Fadil Berisha

The season will include performances by the Vienna Philharmonic, Yuja Wang, Gil Shaham and others.

Click here to read about it.

photo: Rolex, Fadil Berisha

A pianist goes to the opera

L

My interview with pianist Louis Lortie, who will be touring with a program of transcriptions of Wagner’s operas, by Liszt and others. He arrives in Orange County next week.

Click here to read the interview, or pick up a copy of Sunday’s Orange County Register.

photo credit: Elias

Takacs Quartet, Joyce Yang, perform at Soka

In today’s Orange County Register online, I review the Takacs Quartet, with pianist Joyce Yang, performing at the Soka Performing Arts Center.

Because of space restrictions in print, the review is short … but guaranteed information-rich.

Click here to read my review, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.

Pacific Symphony performs Lutoslawski, Cage and Xenakis

OK, not really. In today’s Orange County Register online, I review the Pacific Symphony in a performance of a standard program with guest conductor Garry Walker and guest violinist James Ehnes.

Click here to read my review, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.