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Mixing it up Contemporary music in the wilds of LA Don't let this ensemble fool you: they're a very vocal group. With composer/performers regularly push the envelope of the expected, challenging the way audiences experience the music, the genre, even the venue. Quite a few of them sing, and include classical-oriented vocals in their new chamber works. wild Up LA is one of the city's newer contemporary ensembles, building their reputation with solid educational programs and ambitious concert appearances. Under the purview of Christopher Rountree, the 24-member troupe aims to "defy convention and address the need for heart-wrenching, mind-bending experiences." Saturday evening's program, 'Ornithology', brings their evocative style to the Armory in Pasadena, and includes new compositions by Mark Menzies, orchestrations of songs by Andrew Bird, as well as avian-related works by Ferneyhough, Charlie "Bird" Parker, Haydn, Kallmyer, and of course, one of classical history's most famous bird lovers, Olivier Messiaen.
Leave your whistles at home: they've got it covered. wild Up LA presents Ornithology
Saturday, January 14, 8pm
Armory Center for the Arts
145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena
Map & Directions Venue website
Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Purchase online
Event Listing wild Up Website
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Vocal Focus from CCMN
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Southern California Vocal Events
LAURI D GOLDENHERSH's Weekly Highlights
As we ease into the "second season" after the December hiatus, unusual and evocative music programs seem to be unfolding like a crocus through that white stuff we see up on the mountains. Whether it's new talent, new beginnings or works new to our ears and eyes, the few events listed on our calendar this week are all loaded with potential.
Friday and Sunday, CENTER STAGE OPERA offers up their ' Amici della musica' event to saw an at least temporary farewell to troupe leaders DYLAN F. THOMAS and SHIRA RENEE THOMAS, who are moving to New York. These founders of the CSO crew will return for a concert performance in March, but we'll see less of them as they start new career chapters on the other edge of the country. This particular 'Amici' event has been so popular that the usually Sunday-only soirée has been expanded to include Friday as well. Make your reservations asap, before the spots are gone! For details, click here. The LONG BEACH MOZART FESTIVAL serves up young singers in their ' Night in Vienna' vocal finals this weekend. All the best to these artists as they dip their toes into the pro end of the pool. To check out the stars of tomorrow, get details by clicking here. LYRIC OPERA LA presents a double bill of lesser-known chamber operas (their specialty, of course), with Menotti's ' The Telephone' and Poulenc's ' The Human Voice'. These are unlikely to appear in LA again, at least any time soon, so with two performances available this weekend and more later this month, you'll want to find time to experience these miniature curiosities. For more information, click here. We'll feature more about WILDUP LA's daring and unique 'Ornithology' in this week's Next 7 [see above]. A Sunday jaunt into SoCal's Temecula wine country offers a special treat with 'El Canto y Cuerdas'. (You'll want to make time to stay for dinner at one of the town's magnificent wineries!) Two very different recitals feature two very different mezzos on Wednesday, but you can catch them both -- during lunch in Pasadena, and in the evening in Northridge. Check the Calendar for details on all of these goodies. Don't let the winter doldrums get you -- enjoy the sunshine, and expand a horizon or two this week. 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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