PRESS CONTACTS:
Libby Huebner, 562 799 6055, pr@laco.org
Laura Stegman, 310 470 6321, pr@laco.org
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA’S
NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR JAIME MARTÍN MAKES HIS DEBUT
WHEN 2019-20 SEASON LAUNCHES WITH
LACO-COMMISSIONED WORLD PREMIERE BY ANDREW NORMAN
AND WORKS BY BERLIOZ, FEATURING MEZZO SOPRANO ANNE SOFIE VON OTTER,
AND BEETHOVEN
The Orchestra’s Open Rehearsal of Beethoven Work
and Welcome Reception on the Morning of September 28 are Free to All
Saturday, September 28, at the Alex Theatre
(10 am Open Rehearsal/Welcome Reception; 8 pm Performance),
Sunday, September 29, at Royce Hall
(7 pm Performance)
Marking an exciting new era for Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) and classical music in Los Angeles, Jaime Martín makes his first appearance as Music Director when the 2019-20 season launches on Saturday, September 28, 8 pm, at the Alex Theatre, and Sunday, September 29, 2019, 7 pm, at Royce Hall. Martín opens his inaugural season of sweeping programming with the world premiere of Begin, a LACO commission by Andrew Norman. The program also features Berlioz’ Les nuits d’été, one of the composer’s most popular works, featuring mezzo soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, and Beethoven’s celebratory Symphony No. 7. A pre-concert conversation with Martín and 2019 Pulitzer Prize Winner Ellen Reid, who succeeds Norman this season as LACO’s Creative Advisor and Composer-in-Residence, takes place at 7 pm on Saturday and 6 pm Sunday. The Saturday conversation will be livestreamed on LACO’s Facebook page.
Norman wrote his work to mark not only the beginning of Jaime Martin’s tenure as LACO’s Music Director but also as the beginning of a concerto he is writing for the Orchestra. “I am grateful for the six years I served as LACO’s composer in residence,” he says, “and I look forward to seeing where Maestro Martin takes the Orchestra going forward.”
In celebration of Martín’s debut, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra invites the community to a Free Open Rehearsal of the Beethoven work, sponsored by Glendale Arts, on Saturday, September 28, 10 am, at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, followed by a Welcome Reception at 11 am with refreshments and opportunities to learn about local arts organizations. Special guests include Brand Library & Art Center, which presents an instrument “petting zoo,” Antaeus Theatre Company, Grand Performances, LAMusArt and more. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are required, and may be made online at laco.org/meetjaime
Martín succeeds Jeffrey Kahane, who stepped down as Music Director in June 2017 after a 20-year tenure and is now Conductor Laureate, and LACO’s four other distinguished Music Directors: Sir Neville Marriner, Gerard Schwarz, Iona Brown and Christof Perick. Praised as “a visionary conductor, discerning and meticulous” (Platea Magazine), Martín turned to conducting full time in 2013 following a prominent career on flute. He has since emerged as a talented technical conductor with stylistic authenticity who is known for making deep connections to the musicians under his direction.
von Otter, acclaimed as “spectacular” (BBC Music Magazine) with a “remarkably versatile voice” (Financial Times), makes her LACO debut as one of several guest artists this season with whom Martín has enjoyed particularly meaningful professional relationships. Of his close musical friend, he says, “I have always been in awe of Anne Sofie von Otter’s artistry, and I’m so excited at the chance to work with her in my new musical home with LACO.”
The Alex Theatre is located at 216 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale CA 91203; Royce Hall is located at 10745 Dickson Court, Los Angeles, CA 90095.
Tickets start at $31. For information about the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s 2019-20 season or to order tickets, please call 213 622 7001, or visit www.laco.org.
Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano ANNE SOFIE VON OTTER is one of today’s most recorded artists with an unrivalled discography built across a career spanning more than three decades at the very top of her profession. A lengthy and exclusive relationship with Deutsche Grammophon produced a wealth of acclaimed recordings as well as a collaboration with pop legend Elvis Costello on For the Stars. She was considered the superlative Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) of her generation appearing in the role at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opéra national de Paris, and at The Metropolitan Opera. An ever-evolving repertoire has played a key role in sustaining her international reputation as an operatic force. A busy concert schedule takes von Otter to all corners of the world where recent appearances have included the Boston, Washington National and Swedish Radio symphony orchestras, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. She appeared with Jonas Kaufmann and the Berliner Philharmoniker, conducted by the late Claudio Abbado, for a televised performance of Das Lied von der Erde on the 100th anniversary of Mahler’s death, and she appeared with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Hannu Lintu performing specially commissioned arrangements of Sibelius songs on the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth.
JAIME MARTÍN makes his debut as Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s Music Director in the 2019-20 season. Following a prominent career on flute, he turned to conducting full time in 2013 and has since emerged not only as a talented technical conductor but also one with stylistic authenticity who is known for making deep connections to the musicians under his direction. He is also Principal Conductor of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra. He has been Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Gävle Symphony Orchestra since 2013, and his time there has brought the orchestra a new level of international recognition through highly acclaimed recordings and touring performances. Martín is also Artistic Director of the Santander Festival, where over the last five years, he has brought financial stability and created a platform for some of the most exciting artists in their fields, ranging from symphony orchestras and baroque ensembles to education workshops and ballet companies. As conductor, he has worked with an impressive list of orchestras that includes the London Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National, Swedish Radio Symphony, Barcelona Symphony, New Zealand Symphony, Queensland Symphony, Essen Philharmonic, Gulbenkian and Philharmonia Orchestras, the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Autumn 2018 saw his highly successful debut performances with the London Symphony Orchestra and Christian Tetzlaff in Madrid and London, with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and Joshua Bell, and with the Colorado Symphony and Pinchas Zukerman. In January 2019, he completed a nine-concert tour of Europe with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, including performances at the Gasteig in Munich and the Cologne Philharmonie. Martín made his conducting debut at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam with the Gävle Symphony in September and undertook an extensive tour of Switzerland and an appearance at the Prague Spring Festival with Orquestra de Cadaqués. Martín is recording a series for Ondine Records with the Gävle Symphony Orchestra, which includes the Brahms Serenades, Songs of Destiny, Brahms choral works with the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, and a recording of the Brahms Piano Quartet, arranged by Schoenberg, was released in February 2019. He has also recorded Schubert Symphony No. 9 and Beethoven Symphony No. 3, “Eroica” with Orquestra de Cadaqués and various discs with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra for Tritó Records. Martín made his operatic debut conducting The Magic Flute at El Escorial Madrid and San Sebastian Festival in August 2012. His debut at the English National Opera in February 2013 conducting The Barber of Seville led to a return in autumn 2014 to conduct The Marriage of Figaro. As a flautist, Martín was principal flute of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, English National Opera, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields and London Philharmonic Orchestra. A much sought-after soloist, he made a recording of Mozart flute concertos with Sir Neville Marriner, the premiere recording of Sinfonietta Concerto for Flute and Orchestra written for him by Xavier Montsalvatge and conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, and Bach works for flute, violin and piano with Murray Perahia and Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields for Sony. He was also a founding member of the Orquestra de Cadaqués, and while he has held the title of Chief Conductor with the orchestra since 2012, his association with them has spanned over 30 years. Martin is a Fellow of the Royal College of Music, London, where he was a flute professor. He now enjoys working with many of his former students in orchestras around the world.
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (LACO), ranked among the world’s top musical ensembles, marks an exciting new era in Southern California as it welcomes Jaime Martín in his debut year as Music Director. Martín builds upon LACO’s rich legacy as a preeminent interpreter of historical masterworks and, with eight ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming, a champion of contemporary composers. Headquartered in the heart of the country’s cultural capital, LACO is “more important with each passing year,” (Los Angeles Times), “America’s finest chamber orchestra” (Public Radio International) and “one of the world’s great chamber orchestras” (KUSC Classical FM). Martín’s appearance as LACO’s Music Director Designate in early 2019 was described by the Los Angeles Times, as “a thrilling performance, and the orchestra played like it was having the time of its life,” adding, “he will make fans very quickly.” Overseas, he has been praised as “a visionary conductor, discerning and meticulous” (Platea Magazine), and London’s The Telegraph said, “his infectious enjoyment of the music communicated to the orchestra and audience alike.” The Orchestra has made 32 recordings, including, most recently, a 2019 BIS Records release of works for violin and chamber orchestra that features Concertmaster Margaret Batjer and the world premiere recording of Pierre Jalbert’s Violin Concerto (a LACO co-commission). LACO, with offices located in downtown Los Angeles, has toured Europe, South America and Japan, and performed across North America.
Editors, please note:
WHAT:
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Welcome Jaime!
Jaime Martín, conductor
Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano
WHEN/WHERE:
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Alex Theatre, 216 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale CA 91203
10 am In celebration of Martín’s debut, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra invites the community to a Free
Open Rehearsal of the Beethoven work, sponsored by Glendale Arts;
11 am Welcome Reception with refreshments and opportunities to learn about local arts
organizations. Special guests include Brand Library & Art Center, which presents an instrument “petting zoo,” Antaeus Theatre Company, Grand Performances, LAMusArt and more.
No tickets are necessary, but reservations are required, and may be made online at laco.org/meetjaime
8 pm Performance,
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Royce Hall, 10745 Dickson Court, Los Angeles, CA 90095
7 pm Performance
PROGRAM:
ANDREW NORMAN Begin, a LACO Commission/World Premiere
BERLIOZ Les nuits d’été
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
CONCERT PRELUDES:
7 pm (Alex Theatre and livestreamed on LACO’s Facebook page)
6 pm (Royce Hall)
One hour before curtain, pre-concert talks provide insights into the music and artists. Free for all ticket holders.
TICKETS/INFO:
Rehearsal/Reception tickets are free, and may be made online at laco.org/meetjaime.
Concert tickets start at $28; For information about the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s 2019-20 season or to order tickets, please call 213 622 7001, or visit www.laco.org
Artists, dates, programs and venues subject to change
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8/27/19