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The following reflects listings on the Lister Calendar as of press time, but we're always adding more.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to some recent changes in Constant Contact's interface, our ability to add links is severely hampered, and very time-consuming, as each link must be hand-coded. We're working with them to solve the problem, but for now, we've put our linking energy into the articles at right instead of the timeline below. To view any of these events and more,
Click here to go to the Lister Calendar! |
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Fri 12/16
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12:15pm -- Downtown LA LA Opera Young Artists
Cosi Lite
7pm -- Santa Monica Pacific Lyric Association Amahl and the Night Visitors
7:30pm -- La Jolla Bach Collegium of San Diego Gaudete!
8pm -- Disney Hall David Higgs, Organ Shana Blake Hill, soprano Holiday Organ Spectacular
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Sat 12/17
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4pm -- Pasadena LA Opera Young Artists Cosi Lite
7pm -- Los Angeles Tash & Asawa and Friends
7pm -- Malibu Holiday Carols and 'Quality Street'
7:30pm -- Downtown LA Los Angeles Symphony Peace on Earth 2011: Christmas Concert at the Cathedral
7:30pm -- Long Beach Horizon Chamber Choir Sweet Rejoicing
7:30pm -- Pacific Beach Bach Collegium San Diego Gaudete!
8pm -- Thousand Oaks Los Robles Master Chorale Holiday Presence |
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Sun 12/18
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3:30pm -- Claremont Claremont Symphony Messiah Sing-Along
4pm -- Pasadena Pasadena Pro Musica Christmas Madrigal Magic
4pm -- Los Angeles Church of Christian Fellowshop Songs of the Season
5pm -- Oak Park Oaks Camerata Holiday Concert
5:30pm -- Costa Mesa Pacific Chorale 'Tis the Season!
6pm -- La Mirada La Mirada Vocal Arts Sing Noel
6pm -- Orange Blackbird Music Project Ariel Pisturino, soprano Ben Makino, piano Hindemith's Das Marienleben
6pm -- Beverly Hills All Saints' Beverly Hills Lessons & Carols in the Style of Kings' College
7pm -- Malibu Holiday Carols and 'Quality Street'
7pm -- Los Angeles Isabel Bayrakdarian, soprano Serouj Kradjian, piano
7pm -- Disney Hall Los Angeles Master Chorale Handel's Messiah
7pm -- Encino Camerata of Los Angeles Bach and Saint-Saens
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Tues 12/20
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7pm -- Palos Verdes EstatesSt. Francis' Episcopal Church Advent Taizé Service and Reception
7:30pm -- Costa Mesa Holiday Organ Spectacular
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Wed 12/21
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8pm -- Costa Mesa
Pacific Chorale
'Tis the Season!
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Get reviewed
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| Hidden Gem |   Singing Paul & Mary (sans Peter) Although the dramatic and memorable music of Paul Hindemith is performed less often than one might expect for a composer of his monumental stature, a quick look at his publisher's website shows that no fewer than 40 major performances were scheduled in seven countries in December 2011 alone, and that's just the concerts they know about. Hindemith is surely one of the great musical figures of the twentieth century, both in composition and in music theory -- his texts and letters are still widely used today, and his ideas helped shaped the way musicians and composers think about their craft for generations to come. (For more on this titan of modern music, click here.) One work in particular is not often performed: Das Marienleben, a song cycle from texts by Rainer Maria Rilke. But lucky for us, Blackbird Music Project will perform this lesser-known set in Orange County on Sunday, continuing their mission to spotlight music that is slightly off the beaten track. Sung by rapidly emerging soprano Ariel Pisturino, with BMP founder Benjamin Makino at the piano, this powerful and monumental work tells the story of the life of Mary, mother of Jesus, using Rilke's dense, richly emotional words to evoke a little seasonal time travel. The duo will perform the revised 1948 version of the work, painstakingly redrafted by the composer over a period of 25 years. (Hindemith was known for his ability to write extraordinary music very quickly, so this attention to detail and commitment to perfecting the piece hints at how much this cycle meant to him.) Some pieces fade away because they're too much of their own era. or because they're simply not the composer's best work. This is certainly not the case here: this cycle is performed less often simply because it is so challenging for both the vocalist and the pianist. But when performed well, it is deeply satisfying to hear, with great sweeps of emotion, affecting themes, and layer upon layer of intricate composition that become an enticing and fascinating aural puzzle. Pisturino's luxurious, soulful voice is well suited to this material, and Makino has already proven himself a sensitive and very capable performer. What a beautiful way to celebrate Christmas: gorgeous tunes, a great story and a melding of old and new. Perhaps there's a new tradition in the works? Blackbird Music Project presents Hindemith's Das Marienleben
Sunday, December 18, 6pm Salmon Recital Hall
Chapman University
One University Drive, Orange CA
Map & Directions
Tickets $20, or students $10
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Vocal Focus from CCMN
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Southern California Vocal Events
LAURI D GOLDENHERSH's Weekly Highlights
What a week! As the countdown to the annual holiday clumpage continues, there is no lack of entertainment and culture in Southern California. There are more Messiahs than you can shake a stick at, of course, but that's all part of the fun. There are plenty of other ideas, too...
If you missed your annual 'Amahl' fix in Pasadena last week, you can still catch it in Santa Monica on Friday and Saturday, this time presented by PACIFIC LYRIC ASSOCIATION. This classic chamber opera by Gian Carlo Menotti is still a seasonal favorite, 50 years after it was written as the world's first television opera. A charming tale about a boy, his crutch, his single mother, and three mysterious (very wise) travelers, the work contains some of the most haunting melodies in the modern repertoire, with drama and comedy to boot. A reception will follow the one-act opera, featuring goodies from the company's local sponsors and making the event a special holiday treat. For information, click here.
Saturday evening brings DIANA TASH and BRIAN ASAWA together again, joined by the considerable talents of tenor A.J. TESHIN, baritone ZACHARY GORDIN, and soprano LOVA HYATT for a holiday program full of favorites and flair. Get your tickets early for holiday vocals sure to bring you a boost of Christmas spirit! For information, click here.
There's nothing like Christmas in a really big church: this Saturday also brings the annual holiday concert at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, presented by the LOS ANGELES SYMPHONY with HYUN-SANG JOO conducting. Choruses and solos from the Messiah, Gounod's 'Messe Solenelle', Schubert's Mass, and other seasonal selections will be performed by the Cathedral Choir, an exceptional assortment of guest choristers, orchestra and soloists. This increasingly popular concert draws thousands of holiday music-lovers each year, and tickets are going fast! (Disclosure: I'm singing on this one.) For information, click here.
HORIZON MUSIC GROUP shows off their chamber choir in Long Beach this weekend, with the Christmas portion of the Messiah, plus richly hued selections by Howells, Britten and Tavener, capped off by jazz arrangements of holiday favorites. CHRISTIAN CAMPOS directs, with EDWARD MURRAY at the organ. This newish group is gaining a rapidly-growing fan base as they perform excellent music with skill and artistry. The concert is free, and followed by a sponsored reception that sounds just as delicious as the music. For information, click here.
For music slightly off the beaten track, hear BLACKBIRD MUSIC PROJECT's presentation of Hindemith's 'Das Marienleben' in Orange County on Sunday. Sung by rapidly emerging soprano ARIEL PISTURINO and ensemble founder and pianist BENJAMIN MAKINO, this powerful and monumental work tells the story of The Life of Mary, based on Rilke's dense, richly emotional texts. The concert features the revised 1948 version of the work, the composer's own version, completed 25 years after the cycle's premiere. This rich work sports a wealth of compositional layers, presenting an extraordinary challenge for its performers: this leaves it rarely performed, but uniquely satisfying to hear. You won't want to miss this opportunity to experience it live. Click here for details.
Also on Sunday, the long-awaited Los Angeles recital debut of internationally renowned opera star ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN takes place at Occidental College. Appearing with pianist SEROUJ KRADJIAN, the duo will perform works by Gomidas, Khachaturian, Berlioz, Rossini, Liszt and Piazzolla. VIP seats for this concert have already sold out, but there are still other tickets available as of press time. You won't regret making time for this rare appearance by one of the world's most evocative sopranos. For details and ticket information, click here.
This will, of course, be our last newsletter (CCMN) until January, so we must bid you all au revoir and wish you happy holidays, whatever your tradition. Make some time for music between the bouts of rampant merriment, and as always, thank you for supporting live singing! Lauri D. Goldenhersh lauri@laurislist.com There's never enough room here, and we're always adding more there -- For details about these and many other vocal events, see the Calendar at LaurisList.com, now the largest centralized resource for vocal events in the area. Visit the calendar by clicking http://bit.ly/ListerCalendar and send a message to the email address above to learn how to register with us, so you can add your vocal events! Want weekly updates? Subscribe to 'Next 7', the free newsletter from LaurisList.com, to keep up with vocal-related events like these are more. All are welcome! Click here to sign up: http://tinyurl.com/ListerNews or click here to see the latest issue: http://www.laurislist.com/Next7 |
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