Around Town Archives - Page 2 of 15

LAEMMLE LIVE presents Cellist Armen Ksajikian with Host Rich Capparela in Santa Monica

April 1, 2019 by Lamb L.

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LAEMMLE LIVE presents cellist Armen Ksajikian in a solo recital with music by composer/friends. Rich Capparela returns to host this robust program which includes pieces by Sulkhan Tsintsadzè, J.S. Bach, Alan Hovhaness, James Horner, Haim Shtrum, Gabrielle Rosse Owens, Leslie La Barre, Peter Schickele and more.

Admired as much for his artistry and his sense of humor, Armen Ksajikian joined Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra as Associate Principal cello in the 2001-02 season. He is also Associate Principal cello of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He started out his professional career at age 12 with the Abkhazian State Philharmonic in the former Soviet Union. Since 1976, Armen has been very active in LA’s musical life, working with such notables as Heifetz, Rostropovich, Van Cliburn, Pavarotti, Rosza, Giulini, Baryshnikov, Cage, Mancini, Corea, Dudamel, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Randy Newman, Zubin Mehta and James Cameron, and with groups such as the Eagles, Incubus, System Of Down, and with the Duke Ellington, Dancing with the Stars and Academy Awards orchestras.

Armen has appeared as a soloist with the Nacional Orchestre du Brazil, Pacific Symphony, and Hollywood Bowl and Los Angeles Chamber orchestras, and regularly subs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is a member of several ensembles including The Catgut Trio, The Rio Trio, California String Quartet and the award-winning Armadillo String Quartet, with whom he performed Haydn’s complete string quartets in a 34 ½ hour marathon. He made his Carnegie Hall debut premiering a quartet by PDQ Bach in 1999 and has appeared in the Cabrillo, Colorado, Banff, Sitka Summer, Oregon Bach, High Desert, Park City and Venice Film festivals; the Rio International Cello Encounter and Jasper Festival of Music and Wine.

In 1993, Armen made his ‘limousine-driving” debut in James Cameron’s True Lies with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis and played his own death scene in the movie. Also a busy recording musician – he has over 1,100 movies to his credit. Armen’s performances in less conventional venues include 16-day whitewater tours down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, “concerts for grizzlies” inside a clarifier tank of an old pulp mill in Sitka, Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro and at Neverland Ranch. He is particularly proud to have soloed with the Hiland Mountain Women’s String Orchestra at the Hiland Mountain Correctional Center.

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Sunday, April 14, 2019
Monica Film Center
1332 2nd Street
Santa Monica
11am – 12 pm

LAEMMLE LIVE PASADENA presents Pascale Music Institute April 7

March 24, 2019 by Lamb L.

LAEMMLE LIVE PASADENA, inspired by Laemmle’s popular concert series in Santa Monica presents nationally acclaimed Pascale Music Institute on April 7. Laemmle Live showcases emerging musicians and professional performers from local schools and organizations, celebrating our diverse community with live performance. Laemmle Live Pasadena’s free Sunday morning concerts take place in the courtyard between Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 and Vroman’s Bookstore from 11am to 12pm. A light reception will follow the concert

Award-winning Pascale Music Institute, founded by Susan Pascale, teaches aspiring musicians as young as three and half years old to play the violin, viola, cello, bass, and piano. The Sunday concert will feature the Los Angeles Children’s Chamber Orchestra conducted by Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist, Mitchell Newman. Students of the Pascale Music Institute, or PMI, are taught using the innovative The Pascale Method®, a systematic approach that sets young children up for success from the beginning. Detailed directions, fun exercises, rapid progress, coupled with a delightful reward system motivate students to master skills quickly and correctly. From the beginning, the Pascale Method and Institute stress the importance of music reading, and within 12 weeks, the student is ready to perform for friends and family, and advance to the next level of instruction. For more information visit pascalemusic.com

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Sunday, April 7, 2019
Playhouse 7 Courtyard
673 East Colorado
Pasadena, CA 91101
11am – 12pm

LAEMMLE LIVE presents PASADENA CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC in Pasadena March 24

March 4, 2019 by Lamb L.

Laemmle Theatres proudly presents the launch of LAEMMLE LIVE PASADENA, inspired by Laemmle’s popular concert series in Santa Monica. Laemmle Live showcases emerging musicians and professional performers from local schools and organizations, celebrating our diverse community with live performance. Laemmle Live Pasadena’s free Sunday morning concerts will take place in the courtyard between Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 and Vroman’s Bookstore from 11am to 12pm. A light reception will follow the program. The inaugural concert will feature musicians from the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. The Pasadena Conservatory of Music provides opportunities for students of all ages and backgrounds to study, perform, and enjoy music. The March 24 program will feature the Los Angeles Youth Guitar Orchestra (LAYGO) from the Conservatory. LAYGO is a dynamic group composed of fifteen of PCM’s top guitar students, ages 12-17. The ensemble is led by faculty member Felix Bullock, coaches Brian Barany and Adam Pettit, who are proud to give the emerging musicians the opportunity to practice and perform around the world.

LAYGO has performed at SOKA University, the Pasadena Presbyterian Church, and Loyola Marymount University, and have collaborated with guitarists Scott Tennant, Andrew York, and pipa virtuoso, Wu Man. LAYGO has also embarked on several tours with the German group Guitarreando in a musical and cultural exchange. While on tour, they have performed in Switzerland, Prague, Germany, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Additionally, they have premiered new works for guitar orchestra including Concerto in E minor by Alexander Mansour, Bleu by Alfonso Montes, and Tribal Youngers by Andrew York. The program will include Huapango by Moncayo, Kyrie from Requiem by W.A. Mozart, Heart & Passion by Patrick Roux, Tantra by Carlos Rafael Rivera.

MUSICIANS
Charlie Beroud, Caleb Bowne, Sean Browne, Jadon Elliott, Grayson Gooden, Maggie Grether, Ethan Kim, Hameed Majid, Jazzbird, Molina, Momo Moran, Evelyn Nguyen, Cooper Norman, Neel Sadda, Lyric Woo, Brandon Wong

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Sunday, March 24, 2019
Playhouse 7 Courtyard
673 East Colorado
Pasadena, CA 91101
11am – 12pm

LAEMMLE LIVE presents CANTILENA TRIO March 17 in Santa Monica

February 25, 2019 by Lamb L.

LAEMMLE LIVE presents Beverly Hills National Auditions Winner CANTILENA TRIO featuring Susan Greenberg, flute; Jon Lee Keenan, tenor; and Kenton Youngstrom, guitar. These three consummate ensemble artists and good friends are favorites among Southern California aficionados. Join us Sunday, March 17 at the Monica Film Center.

The program will include works by Wolfgang Mozart, John Dowland, Vincenzo Bellini, Isaac Albéniz, Gabriel Fauré, Astor Piazzolla, I Bordel 1900, Aaron Copland and Fred Ahlert.

Flutist Susan Greenberg enjoys a versatile career as soloist, chamber musician, symphony player, and recording artist. The Los Angeles Times has described her playing as “brilliant,” “elegant” and “supple,” and has lauded her “panache” and “musical projection.” During her 36 years with the LA Chamber Orchestra, she was a frequent soloist on both flute and piccolo, premiering a concerto for piccolo by Bruce Broughton and performing a concerto for flute, alto flute and piccolo written for her by Gernot Wolfgang. Presently she is the principal flutist with the Santa Monica Symphony and the Vicente Chamber Orchestra. She has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, L.A. Opera, New York City Opera, American Ballet Theater, as well as at the Casals, Ojai and Martha’s Vineyard Music Festivals. he received both her B.A., cum laude, and her M.A. from UCLA. She is the Co-Artistic Director of Chamber Music Palisades, now celebrating its twenty-first season. Ms. Greenberg has recorded for over 500 motion pictures and many TV television shows, including the Simpsons for 25 years.

Versatile tenor Jon Lee Keenan studied Classical Voice and Jazz Bass at UNLV. Jon relocated to Southern California to pursue a career in classical singing, and study vocal arts at the USC Thornton School of Music. Shortly after moving to LA, Jon was selected to join the LA Master Chorale and has been featured as a soloist at Walt Disney Concert Hall in each season since. Recent highlights with the Chorale include the role of “Evangelist” in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Magnificat. Jon recently recorded the role “Gniphos” in the LA Philharmonic’s production of Lou Harrison’s Young Caesar, released internationally in 2018 on The Industry Records. This season’s highlights include appearances with the Corona Del Mar Baroque Festival in Bach’s Magnificat; Various roles in John Cage’s Europeras I and II with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and an international tour of Lagrime di San Pietro with music by Orlando di Lasso and staging by Peter Sellars.

Kenton Youngstrom, guitarist, composer, and educator is the first in a long line of prize-winning students of Jim Smith at the University of Southern California. While earning his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees, he studied composition with Donald Crockett, arranging with Darniell Pershing, and film scoring with David Raksin. Mr. Youngstrom has performed concerts and recitals with numerous jazz notables such as pianists Taylor Eigsti and Dave Brubeck, flutist Hubert Laws, bassist Scott Colley and guitarist Larry Koonse. Producing credits include the Falla Guitar Trio’s Concord Records LP, “Virtuoso Music for Three Guitars” which won a Record of the Year Award from Stereo Review magazine. Mr. Youngstrom teaches guitar at the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts.

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Sunday, March 17, 2019
Monica Film Center
1332 Second Street
Santa Monica, CA
11am – 12pm

LAEMMLE LIVE presents Samohi Chamber Orchestra and Rich Capparela February 24

January 30, 2019 by Lamb L.

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LAEMMLE LIVE is delighted to welcome back the talented musicians of the Samohi Chamber Orchestra. Repertoire will include Der Tod Und Das Mädehen (Death and the Maiden) by Franz Schubert, arranged for string Orchestra by Gustav Mahler and Concerto Grosso for String Orchestra with Piano Obbligato by Ernest Bloch. Joni Swenson and Jason Aiello, Directors. Guest Host, KUSC Radio Announcer Rich Capparela.

Samohi has a long tradition of musical excellence. Several factors contribute to the strength of the Samoni music program including strong elementary and middle school programs, a supportive community, an outstanding music faculty and fine arts coordinator, enthusiastic administrative support, and most important, dedicated parents and students. The Samohi orchestra program offers opportunities to all musicians, ranging from entry to advanced levels. Courses offered are the Beginning Orchestra, String Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra. Students receive one hour per week of sectional small group instruction taught by paid coaches funded by the Samohi Orchestra Parents Association.

Sunday, February 24, 2019
Monica Film Center
1332 Second Street
Santa Monica, CA
11am – 12pm

LAEMMLE LIVE presents Musicians of Orchestra Santa Monica July 15

June 15, 2018 by Lamb L.

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We are SOLD OUT
Email sheryl@laemmle.com
For wait list information

Join us as LAEMMLE LIVE proudly presents musicians from Orchestra Santa Monica at the Monica Film Center July 15. Lisa Kohorn-clarinet, Larry Kohorn and Cindy Bandel-violins, Brooke Wharton-viola, Eran Marcus-cello perform Alexander Krein Jewish Sketches #1, op. 12 and Johannes Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 for clarinet in A with String Quartet.

Founded in 2012, Orchestra Santa Monica (OSM) has already established itself as an important civic institution, providing Santa Monica and its surrounding communities with a first-class orchestra which presents accessibly-priced concerts. In addition to innovative programming and compelling interpretations of the classical and contemporary repertoires, outstanding local composers and soloists are featured in OSM’s programs and reflect the musical diversity of the cultures present in Los Angeles County. Beyond its regular full orchestra concert programming, OSM brings musical outreach to the community through performances by smaller music ensembles at venues like the Miles Playhouse and the Laemmle. Furthermore, educational outreach to young people is an especially important OSM priority. Each year the OSM Woodwind Quintet plays in local Title I schools where the children have little access to classical music. Tom O’Connor is Executive Director and Julia Tranner is Communications Coordinator. www.OrchestraSantaMonica.org

Event Details
Sunday, July 15, 2018
11:00 am
Monica Film Center

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Win tickets to see Buster Keaton in STEAMBOAT BILL, JR. at the Orpheum Theatre with Last Remaining Seats

June 11, 2018 by Lamb L.

Each year, our friends at the Los Angeles Conservancy screen classic films in L.A.’s historic theatres at their Last Remaining Seats series. Enter our drawing to win a pair of VIP tickets to their screening of Steamboat Bill, Jr. at the Orpheum Theatre! Enter below!

Buster Keaton stars in this 1928 silent as William “Steamboat Bill” Canfield, the owner of a paddle steamer who hopes to teach his son the family trade. The son, however, falls in love with the daughter of Steamboat Bill’s biggest rival, much to Bill’s dismay.

Will this father and son be able to sort out their differences before a hurricane destroys Bill’s steamboat?

This entertaining slapstick comedy features one of Keaton’s most famous stunts: the entire front side of a house falls on top of him, but he is untouched due to standing in the perfect spot to pass through an open upper floor window.

Live accompaniment on the Orpheum’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ.

Before the screening enjoy live entertainment from Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys. On stage before the screening: Keaton Talmadge, great-granddaughter of Buster Keaton will introduce the film. A free Q&A session about the theatre will follow the screening. Stay in your seat to learn more about the history and architecture!

Last Remaining Seats: Buster Keaton in STEAMBOAT BILL, JR. Drawing

LAEMMLE LIVE presents Los Angeles Youth Orchestra Chamber Players June 3

May 11, 2018 by Lamb L.

Join us on June 3 as LAEMMLE LIVE proudly presents chamber players from The Los Angeles Youth Orchestra at the Monica Film Center. LAYO is comprised of pre-college age musicians from greater Los Angeles who rehearse and perform classical symphonic masterworks and contemporary music. Collective talent, intellectual curiosity, and discipline are key to student performances of programs that model professional orchestras, more than conventional youth orchestras.

Each season, the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra serves over 120 student musicians, ages 8-18, who hail from 60 different public and private schools. In addition to studying privately and attending weekly orchestra rehearsals, many of these students give back to their communities by teaching music to younger students, volunteering at hospitals, writing columns for their school and local newspapers, and excelling in their academic and athletic pursuits. LAYO rehearses at the Encino Community Center on Sunday afternoons and regularly performs at UCLA Schoenberg Hall and Ambassador Auditorium. LAYO has also appeared at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and Carnegie Hall. The orchestra toured internationally to Vienna and Prague in 2015 and in June 2017, completed a nine-day performance tour to Italy, presenting concerts at the Arvedi Auditorium in Cremona; Terme Tettuccio in Montecatini; and Sant’Agnese in Agone in Rome. Many of the orchestra’s alumni have gone on to prestigious universities including Juilliard, Cornell, Berklee College of Music, UCLA, USC, Harvard and New England Conservatory. For more information regarding auditions and concerts, visit our website at www.losangelesyouthorchestra.org.