2021-22 SEASON
53 YUJA WANG & LEONIDAS KAVAKOS Appearing November 10
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OCTOBER
JANUARY
TAKÁCS QUARTET
EMANUEL AX
Revelle Chamber Music Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
Piano Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2021 · 8 PM
FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 · 8 PM
LES VIOLONS DU ROY WITH AVI AVITAL
ZOLTÁN FEJÉRVÁRI
Artist-in-Residence Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
Discovery Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 · 8 PM
SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2022 · 3 PM
ALEXANDER MALOFEEV
ALONZO KING LINES BALLET
Discovery Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
Dance Series Civic Theatre
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2021 · 3 PM
NOVEMBER JAZZY ASH & THE LEAPING LIZARDS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2021 · 9:30 AM & 11:30 AM The ConRAD Kids Series
LEONIDAS KAVAKOS & YUJA WANG WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 · 8 PM Revelle Chamber Music Series Balboa Theatre
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022 · 8 PM
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 · 8 PM Jazz Series Balboa Theatre
CONNECT TO THE CONRAD — JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 · 8 PM
AVI AVITAL & MILOS̆
Jazz Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
Artist-in-Residence Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
SOUNDS OF ZAMAR
BRIA SKONBERG
Global Roots Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
Concerts @ The JAI
FEBRUARY
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 · 8 PM
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM
DECEMBER
SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2022 · 8 PM
NAT GEO LIVE! HILAREE NELSON
COUNTERPOINT CONRAD TAO & CALEB TEICHER
Speaker Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
ProtoStar Innovative Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
HOLIDAY SHOW THE QUEEN’S CARTOONISTS
DREAMERS’ CIRCUS
Education Ambassador Special Event The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
NAT GEO LIVE! NIZAR IBRAHIM
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2021 · 7 PM
Saturday, December 11, 2021 · 3 PM & 8 PM
BÉLA FLECK, MY BLUEGRASS HEART THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2021 · 8 PM Global Roots Series Balboa Theatre
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2022 · 8 PM
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022 · 7 PM Speaker Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
123 ANDRÉS
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2022 · 9:30 AM & 11:30 AM The ConRAD Kids Series
GOITSE
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI The JAI
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JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
DOVER QUARTET WITH ESCHER STRING QUARTET
CHRIS BOTTI
FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022 · 8 PM Jazz Series Balboa Theatre
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022 · 8 PM Revelle Chamber Music Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
DAKHABRAKHA
FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2022 · 8 PM
XAVIER FOLEY
Global Roots Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2022 · 3 PM Discovery Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
SHEKU KANNEH-MASON & ISATA KANNEH-MASON
MARCH
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2022 · 8 PM Revelle Chamber Music Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
BEATRICE RANA
FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2022 · 8 PM
GUNHILD CARLING
Piano Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI
AVITAL MEETS AVITAL
THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM
MAY
Artist-in-Residence Series The JAI
LILA DOWNS
ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS WITH JOSHUA BELL
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2022 · 8 PM
MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2022 · 8 PM
Global Roots Series Balboa Theatre
Special Orchestra Performance Civic Theatre
THE OKEE DOKEE BROTHERS
LANG LANG
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 · 8 PM Piano Series Balboa Theatre
AROD QUARTET
SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2022 · 3 PM
Gala
The ConRAD Kids Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
WINTERFEST
JOFFREY BALLET
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2022 · 8 PM
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022 · 3 PM
Dance Series Civic Theatre
Discovery Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV
UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN
Piano Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2022 · 3 PM
FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2022 · 8 PM SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022 · 3 PM & 8 PM Special Event The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
ROBERTO FONSECA
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI
NAT GEO LIVE! BRIAN SKERRY
SPEKTRAL QUARTET “SOMETHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT”
THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2022 · 7 PM Speaker Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022 · 8 PM ProtoStar Innovative Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
APRIL SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE “A HOME WITHIN”
JUNE
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2022 · 7 PM
ProtoStar Innovative Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
MATTHIAS GOERNE & SEONG-JIN CHO
ARTURO SANDOVAL
FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2022 · 8 PM
Thursday, April 7, 2022 · 8 PM
Jazz Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
Special Vocal Recital The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
Dates, times, programs, and artists are subject to change. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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Foundation
The ResMed Foundation is pleased to support your excellent programs in musical arts education. Board of Trustees Edward A. Dennis, PhD Chairman
Mary F. Berglund, PhD Treasurer
Peter C. Farrell, PhD, DSc Secretary
Charles G. Cochrane, MD Michael P. Coppola, MD Anthony DeMaria, MD Sir Neil Douglas, MD, DSc, FRCPE Klaus Schindhelm, BE PhD Jonathan Schwartz, MD Kristi Burlingame Executive Director
7514 Girard Avenue, Suite 1-343 La Jolla, CA, USA, 92037
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JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
Tel 858-361-0755
ResMedFoundation.org
L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
Proud partner in support of The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center A one minute walk from THE CONRAD LUNCH | DINNER | HAPPY HOUR SATURDAY & SUNDAY BRUNCH
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L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
Pamplemousse Grille
HAPPY HOUR DINNER PRIVATE ROOMS RETAIL WINE CATERING
514 VIA DE LA VALLE STE. 100 SOLANA BEACH, CA 92075
PROUD PARTNER OF THE CONRAD & LONG TIME SUPPORTER OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY
PGRILLE.COM 858.792.9090 INFO@PGRILLE.COM
L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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WELCOME TO THE LOT...
CINEMAS/ RESTAURANT/ BAR/ CAFÉ/
La Jolla 7611 Fay Ave, La Jolla CA, 92037 (858) 777- 0069 Liberty Station 2620 Truxtun Rd, San Diego CA, 92106 (619) 566- 0069
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JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
Chocolates of Switzerland San Diego
"For chocolate lovers...many connoisseurs consider teuscher to be the world's finest!" -- NY Times
In Sweet Harmony with La Jolla Music Society
9 of 10 people love chocolate the tenth one is a little liar! 7863 Girard Ave / Suite 204 / La Jolla / CA 92037 858.230.6337 www.teuschersandiego.com
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L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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some traditions just keep getting richer. Located along the shores of La Jolla, the elegance and sophistication of your dining experience is matched only by the power and drama of the ocean just inches away. At The Marine Room, every meal is a special occasion. 858.459.7222
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MarineRoom.com
JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
EXPERIENCE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE Stay and Play on Fay - A Preferred Partner of THE CONRAD Connnental Breakfast - Piano Spa Suite - Fine Italian Cuisine
7766 Fay Ave. La Jolla, CA 92037 www.Empress-Hotel.com (858) 454-3001
ManhaaanofLaJolla.com (858) 459-0700 info@manhaaanoflajolla.com
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FLOWERCHILDSANDIEGO.COM
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JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
TABLE OF CONTENTS CALENDAR ABOUT LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY TAKÁCS QUARTET LES VIOLONS DU ROY, JONATHAN COHEN & AVI AVITAL ALEXANDER MALOFEEV LEONIDAS KAVAKOS & YUJA WANG AVI AVITAL & MILOŠ NAT GEO LIVE! SKIING THE DREAM LINE WITH HILAREE NELSON THE QUEEN'S CARTOONISTS MY BLUEGRASS HEART WINTERFEST 2022 GALA & LANG LANG INTERVIEW ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES SUPPORT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS · 2021-22
HONORARY DIRECTORS Brenda Baker Steve Baum Joy Frieman, Ph.D. Irwin M. Jacobs Joan K. Jacobs Lois Kohn (1924-2010) Helene K. Kruger (1916-2019) Conrad Prebys (1933-2016) Ellen Revelle (1910-2009) Leigh P. Ryan, Esq. Dolly Woo *Executive Committee LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY
7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla, California 92037 Admin: 858.459.3724 | Fax: 858.459.3727
LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY STAFF Todd R. Schultz – President & CEO Leah Rosenthal – Artistic Director Inon Barnatan – SummerFest Music Director
Steve Baum* – Chair H. Peter Wagener* – Vice Chair Vivian Lim* – Second Vice Chair Stephen Gamp* – Treasurer Sharon Cohen* – Secretary Mary Ann Beyster* Wendy Brody Ric Charlton Bert Cornelison* Ann Parode Dynes Jennifer Eve* Debby Fishburn* Lehn Goetz* John Hesselink Susan Hoehn* Sue Major Robin Nordhoff Arman Oruc
2 16 18 21 25 28 32 33 34 35 36 43 47
Peggy Preuss Sylvia Ré Sheryl Scarano* Marge Schmale Maureen Shiftan* Jeanette Stevens Stephanie Stone* Debra Turner* Lise Wilson Bebe L. Zigman
ADMINISTRATION Rick Dahlseid, MST, CPA – Interim Director of Finance Brady Stender – Finance and Administration Manager PROGRAMMING Allison Boles – Education and Community Programming Director Sarah Campbell – Artistic Programming Advisor Grace Smith – Artistic Programming Manager John Tessmer – Artist Liaison Eric Bromberger – Program Annotator Serafin Paredes – Community Music Center Director Xiomara Pastenes – Community Music Center Administrative Assistant Community Music Center Instructors: Pierre Blocker, Noila Carrazana, Marcus Cortez, Armando Hernandez, Michelle Maynard, Eduardo Ruiz, Rebeca Tamez DEVELOPMENT Ferdinand Gasang – Director of Development Nicole Slavik – Venue Sales and Events Director Mary Emerson – Development Manager, Individual Giving and Grants MARKETING & TICKET SERVICES Adam Thurman – Director of Marketing Hayley Woldseth – Marketing & Communications Project Manager Rachel Cohen – Marketing Coordinator Angelina Franco – Graphic & Web Designer Shannon Bobritchi – Ticket Services Manager Nina Paganucci – Assistant Ticket Services Manager Patrick Mayuyu – Ticket Services Associate Kaitlin Barron – Ticket Services Associate Shaun Davis – House Manager OPERATIONS & PRODUCTION Hannes Kling – Director of Operations Verdon Davis – Technical Director Abby Viton – Production Manager Jonnel Domilos – Piano Technician L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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Winter Season From classical, jazz, and dance, to global, National Geographic speakers, and family concerts, each Winter Season Artistic Director Leah Rosenthal brings the best artists in the world to the San Diego community. This season, our most dynamic to date, will feature over 50 artists, including favorites like Wynton Marsalis, Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Emanuel Ax, Yuja Wang, Joffrey Ballet, Bela Fleck, and Lila Downs, plus many inspiring new faces like Artist-In-Residence Avi Avital, rising-star pianists Isata Kanneh-Mason and Beatrice Rana, The Queen’s Cartoonists, Sweden’s Queen of Swing Gunhild Carling, and Ukrainian Ethno-Chaos band DakhaBrakha.
SummerFest La Jolla Music Society's acclaimed chamber music festival, SummerFest, curated by award-winning pianist and festival Music Director, Inon Barnatan, engages over 80 of the world's finest musicians to perform at The Conrad throughout the month of August. In addition to remarkable mainstage performances, SummerFest offers over 50 free and open-to-the-public educational activities. To learn more, visit LJMS.org/SummerFest
The Conrad The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center opened in 2019 and serves as a gathering place for cultural, arts education, and community activity. As the permanent home of La Jolla Music Society, The Conrad hosts world-class performances presented by LJMS and other local arts organizations in its four outstanding performance and activity spaces, The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, The JAI, The Atkinson Room, and the picturesque Wu Tsai QRT.yrd.
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rd
Welcome to the La Jolla Music Society’s 53 Winter Season Dear Friends, Thank you for joining us for La Jolla Music Society’s 53rd Season. We’re thrilled to be back! With an ear for exceptional talent and a goal of engaging the world’s best artists in their respective genres, Artistic Director Leah Rosenthal has curated an exciting season of classical, jazz, dance, family programming, bluegrass and more. Every concert will be breath-taking in its own special way, but two series in particular intrigue me personally. First is our Discovery Series, which showcases the next generation of exceptional classical musicians. This series has a long-standing reputation for identifying and presenting artists like Daniil Trifonov, Augustin Hadelich and Richard O’Neill who were on the brink of a major career. In addition to performing for you in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, these young musicians participate in curated educational activities, interacting with and performing for students throughout San Diego. Second is our new Artist-in-Residence Series featuring internationally renowned and Grammy®nominated Israeli mandolin player. Hailed by the New York Times as “passionate and “explosively charismatic”, Avital will appear with us three times this season showcasing the breadth of his talent. In his first San Diego appearance, he’ll perform works by Bach and Vivaldi alongside the renowned French-Canadian early-music ensemble Les Violons du Roy – a concert that most certainly is not to be missed.
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Over the next nine months I invite you to join us on this journey of musical discoveries, and I hope to see you often!
Todd Schultz President & CEO La Jolla Music Society
Our Mission: The mission of La Jolla Music Society (LJMS) is to enhance cultural life and engagement by presenting and producing a wide range of programming of the highest artistic quality, and to make The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center a vibrant and inclusive hub. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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PRELUDE 7 PM
Lecture by Michael Gerdes
TAKÁCS QUARTET FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2021 · 8 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL
HAYDN String Quartet in F Minor, Opus 20, No. 5 (1732-1809) Allegro moderato Menuetto Adagio Finale: Fuga a due Soggetti COLERIDGE-TAYLOR Five Fantasiestücke for String Quartet, Opus 5 (1875-1912) Prelude Serenade Humoresque Minuet and Trio Dance I N T E R M I S S I O N
La Jolla Music Society’s 2021-22 Season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Joy Frieman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Bebe and Marvin Zigman.
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SCHUBERT String Quartet in D Minor, D.810 “Death and the Maiden” (1797-1828) Allegro Andante con moto Scherzo: Allegro molto Presto Takács Quartet Edward Dusinberre, Harumi Rhodes, violins; Richard O’Neill, viola; András Fejér, cello Takács Quartet last performed for La Jolla Music Society in the Revelle Chamber Music Series on December 9, 2016.
JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
TAKÁCS QUARTET - PROGRAM NOTES
Program notes by Eric Bromberger
String Quartet in F Minor, Opus 20, No. 5
FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Born March 31, 1732, Rohrau, Austria Died May 31, 1809, Vienna Composed: 1772 Approximate Duration: 25 minutes In
1772 Haydn completed the six quartets that he would publish as his Opus 20, but listeners should not be misled by that low opus number—these quartets are the work of an experienced composer. When he wrote them, Haydn was 40 years old, he had been kapellmeister to the Esterházy family for over a decade, and he had composed nearly fifty symphonies. Now he set out to transform the entire conception of the string quartet. The string quartet had begun as an entertainment form, usually as a multi-movement work of light character intended as background music at social occasions. The original title of this form—divertimento—made clear that this music was intended as a diversion. Haydn in fact published the six quartets of his Opus 20 under the title Divertimenti, but already he had re-imagined the nature of the string quartet. No longer was it entertainment music content to remain in the background—Haydn made it a concise form, capable of an unusual range of expression. He reduced the number of movements to four, liberated all four voices (particularly the cello), and built the music around taut motivic development. The evolution of the form, though, was not simply a matter of newlyrefined technique—it was also a matter of a new depth of expression. Haydn brought to his Opus 20 all his recent growth as a composer, and some have heard the influence of his symphonic thinking in this music. When the Opus 20 quartets were published in 1772, the publisher prefaced the set with a handsome illustration of the rising sun, and as a result they are sometimes known as the “Sun” Quartets. That is a fortuitous nickname, because these quartets do represent the beginning of a new era in quartet-writing. The Quartet in F Minor is a particularly good example of Haydn’s new conception of the form. Three of its four movements are in a minor key, and—throughout—this music is marked by a seriousness of expression and a tautness of construction. The opening of the Allegro moderato may flow smoothly, but it remains resolutely in F minor, and the concise second subject does little to alter the somber spirit of the opening. The lengthy development and recapitulation are rounded off with a substantial coda that drives to a sudden (and surprisingly subdued) close. In the classical period the minuet movement was usually an elegant dance-interlude, but the Menuetto of this quartet
sustains the spirit of the opening movement—it remains in F minor and powers forward implacably. Its trio section, in F major, projects a flash of sunshine across an otherwise dark landscape. The atmosphere changes perceptibly at the Adagio, which moves to F major and relaxes slightly. It is built on a dotted 6/8 meter, and its easy flow of melody swings gracefully along that old siciliano rhythm. The first violin part grows more ornate as the movement proceeds until it soars high above the other three instruments. The Finale returns to the spirit (and key) of the opening two movements, but now Haydn intensifies the atmosphere by casting this movement as a fugue built on two subjects. The second violin announces the first fugue subject, which Haydn appears to have borrowed from another composer: it echoes the chorus “And with his stripes” from Handel’s Messiah. Even as this subject is being stated, the viola presents the second subject. Haydn’s contrapuntal writing here is sharp-edged and closely argued: he combines his two subjects, presents them in canon and upside down, and at one point offers both subjects simultaneously.
Five Fantasiestücke for String Quartet, Opus 5
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR Born August 15, 1875, London Died September 1, 1912, Croydon, South London, England Composed: 1895 Approximate Duration: 21 minutes
Born in London, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was the illegitimate son of an Englishwoman and a doctor from Sierra Leone. His father, a descendant of slaves from North America, returned to Africa before his son was born, and his mother named the boy after the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, reversing the poet’s final two names in the process. The boy was raised by his mother and her family, who were quite musical: they taught Samuel to play the violin and encouraged him to make a career in music. So talented was the boy that at age 15 he entered the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Charles Villiers Stanford. After graduation, he supported himself by composing, conducting, and teaching. He very early attracted the support of Edward Elgar, who recommended that the Three Choirs Festival commission a piece from him—this would be his Ballade in A Minor for orchestra, which helped establish his reputation. Coleridge-Taylor was very interested in his heritage as the descendant of African-American slaves, and he dedicated himself to improving the condition of people of African descent everywhere. He made three extended tours of the United States, where he became acquainted with African-American and American Indian music, and L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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TAKÁCS QUARTET - PROGRAM NOTES
he would eventually incorporate some of this into his own music. While in the United States he conducted the marine band and was invited to the White House by Theodore Roosevelt. Coleridge-Taylor composed three cantatas based on Longfellow’s Hiawatha, and the first of these, Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast, became immensely popular in both England and the United States, though performances today are rare. He was a prolific composer (his works include an opera, a symphony, a violin concerto, much orchestral and chamber music, incidental music, and keyboard pieces), but he died at age 37 of pneumonia that was partly the result of overwork. Coleridge-Taylor composed his Five Fantasiestücke for String Quartet in 1895, when he was only 20 and still a student at the Royal College of Music. Though the world of music was evolving quickly around him, Coleridge-Taylor remained firmly within the conservative late-nineteenth century tradition that he learned from Charles Stanford, to whom he dedicated the Fantasiestücke. That title was a favorite of Robert Schumann, who used it for four of his works. It means literally “fantasy pieces,” and such pieces— as plays of the imagination—can take any form the composer would like. Coleridge-Taylor’s Fantasiestücke are character pieces: all are brief, and each projects a particular mood. Intended purely for enjoyment, they require little comment. The first two are at reserved tempos, but the final three race ahead, and the set is rounded off with a vigorous final dance marked Vivace.
String Quartet in D Minor, D.810 “Death and the Maiden”
FRANZ SCHUBERT Born January 31, 1797, Vienna Died November 19, 1828, Vienna Composed: 1824 Approximate Duration: 36 minutes
In the fall of 1822 Schubert became extremely ill, and every indication is that he had contracted syphilis. The effect on him—physically and emotionally—was devastating. He was quite ill throughout 1823, so seriously in May that he had to be hospitalized. His health had in fact been shattered permanently, and he would never be fully well again. The cause of his death five years later at 31, officially listed as typhoid, was probably at least partially a result of syphilis. Emotionally, the illness was so destructive that he never went back to complete the symphony he had been working on when he contracted the disease—it would come to be known as the “Unfinished.” By early 1824 Schubert had regained some measure of health and strength, and he turned to chamber music, composing two string quartets, the second of them in D minor. The nickname Der Tod und Das Mädchen (“Death and the Maiden”) comes from Schubert’s use of a theme from his 1817 song by that name as the basis for a set of variations
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in the quartet’s second movement. In the song, which sets a poem of Matthias Claudius, death beckons a young girl; she begs him to pass her over, but he insists, saying that his embrace is soothing, like sleep. It is easy to believe that, under the circumstances, the thought of soothing death may have held some attraction for the composer. The quartet itself is extremely dramatic. The Allegro rips to life with a five-note figure spit out by all four instruments. This hardly feels like chamber music. One can easily imagine this figure stamped out furiously by a huge orchestra, and the dramatic nature of this movement marks it as nearly symphonic (in fact, Gustav Mahler arranged this quartet for string orchestra in 1894, and that version is still performed and recorded today). A gentle second subject brings a measure of relief, but the hammering triplet of the opening figure is never far away—it can be heard quietly in the accompaniment, as part of the main theme, and as part of the development. The Allegro, which lasts a full quarter of an hour, comes to a quiet close with the triplet rhythm sounding faintly in the distance. The Andante con moto is deceptively simple. From the song Der Tod und Das Mädchen, Schubert uses only death’s music, which is an almost static progression of chords; the melody moves quietly within the chords. But from that simple progression Schubert writes five variations that are themselves quite varied—by turns soaring, achingly lyric, fierce, calm—and the wonder is that so simple a chordal progression can yield music of such expressiveness and variety. After two overpowering movements, the Scherzo: Allegro molto might seem almost lightweight, for it is extremely short. But it returns to the slashing mood of the opening movement and takes up that same strength. The trio sings easily in the lower voices as the first violin flutters and decorates their melodic line. An unusual feature of the trio is that it has no repeat—Schubert instead writes an extension of the trio, almost a form of variation itself. The final movement, appropriately marked Presto, races ahead on its 6/8 rhythm. Some listeners have felt that this movement is death-haunted, and they point out that its main theme is a tarantella, the old dance of death, and that Schubert also quotes quietly from his own song Erlkönig. Significantly, the phrase he quotes in that song sets death’s words “Mein liebes Kind, komm geh mit mir” (My dear child, come go with me), which is precisely the message of the song Der Tod und das Mädchen. What this movement is “about” must be left to each listener to decide, but it is hard to believe this music death-haunted. The principal impression it makes is of overwhelming power—propulsive rhythms, huge blocks of sound, sharp dynamic contrasts—and the very ending, a dazzling rush marked Prestissimo that suddenly leaps into D major, blazes with life.
LES VIOLONS DU ROY JONATHAN COHEN, music director & conductor AVI AVITAL, mandolin FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021 · 8 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL
VIVALDI Concerto in C Major for Mandolin and Orchestra, RV 425 (1678–1741) Allegro Largo Allegro J.S. BACH Selections from The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080 (1685–1750) (Completed by Bernard Labadie after Davitt Moroney) Contrapunctus I Contrapunctus IV Contrapunctus VII Contrapunctus IX Contrapunctus XIV La Jolla Music Society’s 2021-22 Season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Joy Frieman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Bebe and Marvin Zigman.
Les Violons du Roy would like to thank the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Government of Canada for their support. violonsduroy.com/fr/ facebook.com/violonsduroy/
North American Management for Mr. Avital and Exclusive Tour Management for Les Violons du Roy: Opus 3 Artists 470 Park Avenue South, 9th Floor North, New York, NY 10019 www.opus3artists.com David V. Foster, President & CEO Sarah Gordon, Manager, Artists & Attractions Grace Hertz, Associate & Company Manager Laurent Patenaude, Joint Executive Director and Artistic Administrator Patrice Savoie, Joint Executive Director – Director of Administration
Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041 (arr. for solo mandolin by Avital) [Allegro] Andante Allegro assai I N T E R M I S S I O N
VIVALDI Concerto for Lute and Two Violins, RV 93 (arr. for solo mandolin by Avital) Allegro Largo Allegro Concerto Grosso in G Minor, RV 578 Adagio e spiccato Allegro Larghetto Allegro J.S. BACH Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052 (arr. for solo mandolin by Avital) Allegro Adagio Allegro
Les Violons du Roy last performed for La Jolla Music Society in the Revelle Chamber Music Series on April 30, 2011. This performance marks Avi Avital’s La Jolla Music Society debut. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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Les Violons du Roy US Tour with Avi Avital Conductor and Harpsichord Jonathan Cohen Violin I Pascale Giguère Nicole Trotier Pascale Gagnon Noëlla Bouchard Violin II Marie Bégin Angélique Duguay Michelle Seto Maud Langlois Viola Isaac Chalk Annie Morrier Jean-Louis Blouin
The Concerto in C Major is in three movements in the expected fast-slow-fast sequence, and the opening Allegro is by far the longest of these. It opens with the orchestra’s steady, firm ritornello, and between the reappearances of this refrain the mandolin has passages of unusual flair and virtuosity. The Largo belongs largely to the soloist—the orchestra simply offers a progression of quiet chords, and Vivaldi uses these as the harmonic foundation for the rich solo part. The concluding Allegro returns to the ritornello structure of the first movement and keeps textures clear by alternating solo and tutti sections.
Selections from The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Born March 21, 1685, Eisenach Died July 28, 1750, Leipzig Composed: 1740-50 Approximate Duration: 22 minutes
About 1740 Bach began a lengthy work consisting of a series of fugues and canons based on one theme. This work continued across the decade, even during the years of his increasing blindness, and in fact the project would remain unfinished—at the time of his death, Bach was working on Cello a triple fugue that he left incomplete. Bach had prepared the Benoît Loiselle first eleven fugues for publication, and after his death all of Raphaël Dubé the pieces based on this one theme were gathered by his son Carl Philipp Emanuel and published in the fall of 1751 under Double Bass the name The Art of the Fugue, a title the composer probably Raphaël McNabney never heard or imagined. This evening’s program offers five movements from The Art of the Fugue (in this work Bach preferred the Program notes by Eric Bromberger title Contrapunctus, or “counterpoint,” to Fugue). Bach’s fundamental theme seems simplicity itself: in D minor, it is Concerto in C Major for Mandolin and Orchestra, RV 425 only four measures long, and—even at its steady tempo—it gives the impression of increasing speed, as the half-notes of Born March 4, 1678, Venice the opening measures give way to quarters in the third and Died July 26/7, 1741, Vienna to eighths in the final measure. Contrapunctus I introduces Composed: 1725 Bach’s fundamental fugue subject in its simplest form, Approximate Duration: 8 minutes worked out here without countertheme. Contrapunctus IV has the subject in inversion, here developed with unusual Vivaldi spent nearly forty years as music director of the harmonic freedom. Contrapunctus VII is a stretto fugue, Ospedale della Pietà, a home for illegitimate, abandoned, simultaneously halving and doubling the tempo of the original or orphaned girls in Venice. At the Ospedale, Vivaldi’s responsibilities were to teach the violin and to write music for subject. The brief Contrapunctus IX is a spirited double fugue on a new theme; as it progresses it incorporates as its second the girls to play, and it was for the use of these girls that he wrote most of his 450 concertos. Most of Vivaldi’s concertos subject the original fugue theme, combined at the interval of a twelfth. were for violin, but some of the girls played unusual Contrapunctus XIV was left unfinished at the time of instruments, and among Vivaldi’s compositions are a tiny Bach’s death. This was to be the culmination of this project, handful for lute and for mandolin. He originally wrote most but it does not make use of the fundamental theme of The of these as chamber music—he knew that the delicate sound of those instruments would have a tough time competing with Art of the Fugue. Instead, it was to be a massive triple fugue: a lengthy working-out of the first subject, a second subject an orchestra.
ANTONIO VIVALDI
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which is combined with the first as it is worked out, and a third section built in part on a subject whose notes are based on the letters of Bach’s last name (B-flat/A/C/B-natural). Just at the point at which he combined these subjects (at measure 239), Bach—aging, weak, and blind—gave up work on this fugue. Some have attempted to complete the fugue on their own, and Contrapunctus XIV is sometimes performed in one of these “completed” versions. Other performers break off abruptly at measure 239.
Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041 (arr. for solo mandolin by Avital)
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Composed: 1720 Approximate Duration: 12 minutes
Bach spent the years 1717 to 1723 as kapellmeister in the service of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. The prince was extremely enthusiastic about music, and he maintained a seventeen-piece orchestra that he was happy to put at the composer’s disposal. Bach—who once said that music exists for two purposes: the glorification of God and the refreshment of the soul—spent six years refreshing his soul at Cöthen. The Violin Concerto in A Minor was probably composed in Cöthen about 1720. Its opening movement is animated: the upward leap of a fourth at the beginning recurs throughout, giving the movement its rhythmic energy and forward impulse. Against vigorous orchestral accompaniment, the soloist enters in a more lyric voice on material derived directly from the orchestral exposition. The Andante belongs almost entirely to the soloist: here the orchestra is limited to a bare ostinato accompaniment. Bach aims for brilliance in the final movement: its marking is Allegro assai—“Very fast”—and its 9/8 meter and dancing energy give it some resemblance to the gigue.
Concerto for Lute and Two Violins in D Major, RV 93 (arr. for solo mandolin by Avital)
ANTONIO VIVALDI Composed: 1730-31 Approximate Duration: 10 minutes
Though the Concerto in D Major was conceived for an unusual instrument, the lute, this has become one of Vivaldi’s most popular concertos, and it has been played on the mandolin and even the violin. This popularity is no surprise. Its pleasing melodies, rhythmic vitality, and infectious spirits have made this concerto a favorite with both audiences and performers. Perhaps because he was writing for an instrument that is not very powerful, Vivaldi scored this concerto for the unusual orchestra of only two violin parts and a basso
continuo line. Much of this music’s effectiveness comes from the deft interplay of soloist and orchestra, for the ritornello themes are full of snap and energy, and they contrast nicely with the delicate but agile sound of the lute. Vivaldi launches the concerto with a firm Allegro giusto built on the orchestra’s rhythmic opening ritornello, and the soloist plays off the orchestra’s strong statements. This music feels constantly alive, from the snapped 32nd-notes of the ritornello through the busy runs that are exchanged by soloist and orchestra. An expressive Largo is followed by a concluding Allegro that dances (gallops?) happily along its 12/8 meter.
Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Opus 3, No. 2
ANTONIO VIVALDI Composed: 1711 Approximate Duration: 9 minutes
Vivaldi was fond of ornate titles for his collections. His Opus 4 is nicknamed La Stravaganza (“The Extraordinary”), and he called his Opus 3 L’Estro armonico, which translates as either “Harmonious Inspiration” or “The Spirit of Harmony.” L’Estro armonico is a collection of twelve concertos for solo violin or groups of violins and string orchestra. These are not display concertos for virtuoso soloist (as in The Four Seasons) but concerti grossi, in which a small body of soloists—the concertino—is set against the larger string orchestra, called the ripieno. Much of the interest of the concerto grosso form comes from a composer’s ability to contrast the sounds of these two groups, and Vivaldi was a master at creating different sonorities from different groups of instruments. The Concerto Grosso in G Minor features a concertino of two violins and (in a lesser role) one cello. The idea of contrast is central to this music, and listeners should be alert to Vivaldi’s sharp contrasts between dynamics, the sound of the concertino and ripieno, and instrumental colors. The Concerto Grosso in G Minor has an introductory slow movement built on repeated chords, with the soloists entering only at the end. The brilliant Allegro features syncopated rhythms and virtuoso writing for the soloists, while the Larghetto makes sharp contrast between forte and piano chords from the orchestra. Vivaldi concludes with a buoyant Allegro built on a dancing 12/8.
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Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052 (arr. for solo mandolin by Avital)
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Composed: 1708-17 Approximate Duration: 21 minutes
In April 1729, shortly after leading performances of his monumental St. Matthew Passion, Bach made a significant change in his musical life. After six exhausting years as cantor of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig—during which he had composed cantatas, oratorios, and passions for religious observances—Bach was named director of the Leipzig Collegium Musicum. This orchestra gave public concerts on Wednesday afternoons from 4 to 6 in a coffee-garden called Grimmische’s Thor during the warm months and inside Zimmerman’s coffee-house on Friday evenings from 8 to 10 during the winter. Bach quickly discovered that he needed new keyboard concertos for his orchestra. He turned to his library and recycled eight concertos he had written much earlier—often for other instruments—by arranging them as keyboard concertos for the Collegium. Evidence suggests that the original version of the Concerto in D Minor was for violin and may have been written as early as Bach’s tenure in Weimar, 1708-1717. The Allegro bursts to life with a hard-edged ritornello that will be tossed antiphonally between the violin sections over the span of this movement. Bach was no believer in virtuosity for its own sake, but at the center of this movement he does write out what amounts to a cadenza for the soloist—a series of brilliant runs—and provides further solo passages before the movement concludes. The expressive Adagio moves to G minor, and Bach opens with a long introduction for the orchestra in octaves before the soloist enters with quite different music—disconsolate and intricate—that is eventually taken up by the orchestra The concluding Allegro returns to D minor. The solo passages here encompass a wide range of expression—sometimes powerful, sometimes delicate.
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PRELUDE 2 PM Musical Prelude by young artists from the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory
Support for this program generously provided by:
Gordon Brodfuehrer Jeanette Stevens
ALEXANDER MALOFEEV, piano SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2021 · 3 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL
MEDTNER Two Fairy Tales, Opus 48 (1880-1951) Dance Tale Tale of the Elves Forgotten Melodies I, Opus 38 Sonata reminiscenza Danza graziosa Danza festiva Canzona fluviola Danza rustica Canzona serenata Danza silvestra Coda: Alla reminiscenza I N T E R M I S S I O N
JANÁČEK Sonata: 1.X.1905 (1854-1928) Con moto: Presentiment Adagio: Death La Jolla Music Society’s 2021-22 Season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Joy Frieman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Bebe and Marvin Zigman.
RACHMANINOFF Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Opus 28 (1873-1943) Allegro moderato; Allegro Lento Allegro molto Alexander Malofeev, piano
This performance marks Alexander Malofeev’s La Jolla Music Society debut. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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that he called Forgotten Melodies, and the first set, which consists of eight pieces, begins with one of Medtner’s most famous compositions, the Sonata Reminiscenza. This oneTwo Fairy Tales, Opus 48 movement sonata is built not on the conflict of the classical sonata but instead on the continuous evolution of lyrical Born January 5, 1880, Moscow ideas, which are stated, extended, and sometimes woven Died November 13, 1951, London together contrapuntal-ly. The sonata opens with its principal Composed: 1925 idea, which has sometimes been described as the “theme Approximate Duration: 8 minutes of reminiscence.” This haunting melody sets the nostalgic Nikolai Medtner was part of that generation of great atmosphere of the entire work, and Medtner takes care to pianists trained in Russia at the end of the nineteenth century mark it sempre espressivo e disinvolto (that last term means that included Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Moisewitch, and—a “casual” or “free and easy”). More animated material intrudes little later—Horowitz. Medtner, who was of German ancestry, as the movement proceeds, but the principal theme always trained at the Moscow Conservatory, where he studied returns to restore order, and finally that theme brings the piano with Safonov and composition with Taneyev, and then Sonata Reminiscenza to its close. Medtner composed this embarked on a career as both pianist and composer. He left sonata in the cottage of the painter Anna Troyanovskaya, Russia in the years after the revolution and settled in Paris, set deep in a forest south-west of Moscow. The composer but that city—then at the cutting edge of new music—proved and his wife Anna had fled there to escape the violence and too radical for his essentially conservative sensibilities, and he dis-ruption the revolution had brought to Russian cities, and found a more congenial home in England. In the final decades Troyanovskaya has left an account of hearing the Sonata of his life Medtner recorded a great deal of his own music, Reminiscenza for the first time during the winter of 1920: and those recordings are available on compact disc. It was an evening in January, when a proper lamp was Medtner wrote almost exclusively for the piano, and burning on the piano, something we thought a rare while there are four concertos, most of his music is for solo luxury and comfort. Nikolay Karlovich called us to piano. He wrote a number of sonatas with often-fanciful him, we stood by the pi-ano, Anna’s head rested on my titles, and between 1904 and 1928 he composed a series of shoulder, and he played for the first time in full his Sonata short works for piano that he called skazki, or “fairy tales.” Reminiscenza. Our total solitude in the forest, the winter While many of them appear to have been inspired by specific behind the dark windows of his room and the richness characters or events from folk-tales, these Fairy Tales do not of the piano sonority under his hands—all this made an tell stories in music. Instead, they are evocative, expressive absolutely magical impression us. pieces. Listeners are free to supply whichever stories suit their fancy—or simply to enjoy these pieces as the fine piano The remaining seven pieces can be considered generally. music they are. They are much shorter than the Sonata Reminiscenza, they Medtner composed the Two Fairy Tales, Opus 48 during take the form of either songs or dances, they are for the most the summer of 1925, just as he was moving to Paris. Both part very quickly paced, they are beautifully written for are dances. Medtner gives Dance Tale the tempo marking the piano, and all have evocative titles. The one exception Allegro risoluto, but this music feels more good-spirited to this rule is the final movement, titled Alla reminiscenza, than resolute. Dance Tale, which dances nimbly along its 3/8 which recalls some of the themes of the opening Sonata meter, demands a light touch from the pianist. A lugubrious Reminiscenza. At a very measured pace, it brings Medtner’s little march makes up the central episode, but Medtner soon first set of Forgotten Melodies to a beautifully understated returns to the opening material and brings Dance Tale to a conclusion. sparkling close. Dance of the Elves takes the form of a waltz, and Medtner takes care to mark the beginning Con moto Sonata: 1.X.1905 flessibile—the tempo ebbs and flows throughout this waltz. After all its energy, this music fades away beautifully. Born July 3, 1854, Hukvaldy, Czech Republic Program notes by Eric Bromberger
NIKOLAI MEDTNER
LEOŠ JANÁČEK
Forgotten Melodies I, Opus 38
NIKOLAI MEDTNER Composed: 1918-20 Approximate Duration: 36 minutes
In the years 1918-20, just as he was leaving Russia, Medtner composed three collections of short pieces for piano
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Died August 12, 1828, Moravska Ostrava, Czech Republic Composed: 1905 Approximate Duration: 13 minutes
Throughout his long life Janáček remained a passionate Czech nationalist, committed to freeing the Czechs from German domination. On October 1, 1905, came an event that fired these passions even more deeply. When the Czechs in
ALEXANDER MALOFEEV - PROGRAM NOTES
Brno asked for the creation of a Czech university, the Germans demonstrated against them, and the Czechs retaliated with a counter-demonstration. Troops were called in to quash the violence, and in the process a 20-year-old Czech worker was bayoneted to death. Outraged, Janáček composed a threemovement piano sonata that he titled after the date of that violence; its subtitle has been translated variously “From the Streets” or “Street Scene.” The sonata was originally in three movements, but at a rehearsal, Janáček—apparently overcome by the quality of works on the program by other composers—stormed onto the stage and, in front of the astonished pianist, burned the last movement. After the next rehearsal, Janáček took the manuscripts to the first two movements and threw them into the Vltava River. He noted: “They did not want to sink. The paper bulged and floated on the water like so many white swans.” This time, though, the pianist was ready—she had made copies of these two movements and saved them. Nearly twenty years later, in 1924, Janáček agreed to their publication. The two surviving movements are quite short, and both are unified around the same rhythmic and thematic figures. The opening Con moto (subtitled “Presentiment”) commences with a generalized theme-shape that becomes, in the fourth measure, the germinal cell for the entire sonata. All the other themes evolve in some way from this figure. It becomes, for example, the accompaniment to the chordal second theme, and throughout the sonata it is transformed by Janáček’s fluid rhythmic sense—the music speeds ahead, holds back, and seems to be stretched or compressed as we listen. The main theme of the Adagio (subtitled “Death” but originally subtitled “Elegie”) also grows out of the first movement’s central theme. Full of a wild and wistful quality, this movement grows more animated and then subsides to an elegiac close. One wonders what the last movement was like.
Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Opus 28
SERGE RACHMANINOFF Born April 1, 1873, Semyonovo. Russia Died March 28, 1943, Beverly Hills Composed: 1907 Approximate Duration: 35 minutes
In February 1906 Rachmaninoff resigned his position as conductor at the Bolshoi and moved his family to Dresden. He had won critical praise as a conductor, but the demands of that position prevented him from composing, which was what he really wanted to do. He loved the quiet house he rented in Dresden—it was surrounded by a garden—and he set to work immediately. The next few years were some of his most productive, for they included the composition of his Second Symphony, Isle of the Dead, and Third Piano Concerto. Also from these years came a work that has proven much less
familiar, the First Piano Sonata. Rachmaninoff sketched the sonata in January and February 1907 and had it complete on May 14 of that year. But he was by no means comfortable with his latest creation. To a friend he described his problems with it: “The sonata is certainly wild and interminable. I think it takes about 45 minutes. I was lured into this length by its guiding idea. This is—three contrasting types from a literary work. Of course no program will be indicated, though I begin to think that the sonata would be clearer if the program were revealed. Nobody will ever play this composition, it’s too difficult and long . . . At one time I wanted to make a symphony of this sonata, but this seemed impossible because of the purely pianistic style in which it is written.” The première, given in Moscow on October 17, 1908, by Konstantin Igumnov, got a respectful but mystified reaction, and the composer had scarcely any more success when he played the sonata on his recitals during the next several seasons. Perhaps it may help audiences to know that the “literary work” that inspired this sonata was Goethe’s Faust and that its three movements were apparently inspired in turn by Faust, Gretchen, and Mephistopheles. Small wonder that the work struck Rachmaninoff as symphonic in character: these are the titles and sequence of the three movements of Franz Liszt’s Faust Symphony, composed in 1857. Rachmaninoff chose not to reveal the inspiration, and this sonata is in no sense programmatic: its three movements should be understood more as character pieces than as pieces that depict specific events. This is an extremely difficult sonata for the performer, and it generates textures so full and dramatic that Rachmaninoff was right to wonder if it might really be symphonic music. The Allegro moderato alternates tentative figures with fierce outbursts before rushing ahead at the Allegro; its second subject, marked Moderato, is built on repeated notes that emerge from murmuring figurations. This movement, long and technically demanding, drives to a sonorous climax that rides along great waves of sound before the music subsides to recall the second subject and to close quietly, even peacefully. The main idea of the Lento is introduced above rocking triplet accompaniment, and that rhythm will eventually drive this movement to an agitated climax; a striking sequence of descending trills brings the movement to its restrained close. The finale has seemed to some who know of the sonata’s original inspiration to have been inspired by the Flight to Brocken in Goethe’s Faust. It opens with hammered octaves that are marked both fortissimo and marcato and then races ahead; the second subject is a quiet, march-like idea that Rachmaninoff marks “very resolute.” These two ideas alternate throughout the movement, which also features some lyric and haunting melodies. The music accelerates to the close, where Rachmaninoff rounds matters off with a great chordal climax full of the sound of pealing bells and a suitably furious cadence. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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PRELUDE 7 PM Lecture
LEONIDAS KAVAKOS, violin & YUJA WANG, piano WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 · 8 PM BALBOA THEATRE
J.S. BACH Sonata No. 3 in E Major for Violin and Keyboard, BWV 1016 (1685-1750) Adagio Allegro Adagio ma non tanto Allegro SHOSTAKOVICH Sonata for Violin and Piano, Opus 134 (1906-1975) Andante Allegretto Largo I N T E R M I S S I O N
La Jolla Music Society’s 2021-22 Season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Joy Frieman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Bebe and Marvin Zigman.
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J.S. BACH Sonata No. 1 in B Minor for Violin and Keyboard, BWV 1014 Adagio Allegro Andante Allegro BUSONI Sonata No. 2 in E Minor for Violin and Piano, Opus 36a (1866-1924) Langsam; poco con moto Presto Andante, più tosto grave Leonidas Kavakos, violin; Yuja Wang, piano Leonidas Kavakos last performed for La Jolla Music Society in a Special Event on March 3, 2018. Yuja Wang last performed for La Jolla Music Society in a Special Event on February 11, 2017.
JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
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Program notes by Eric Bromberger
Sonata No. 3 in E Major for Violin and Keyboard, BWV 1016
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Born March 21, 1685, Eisenach Died July 28, 1750, Leipzig Composed: 1717-23 Approximate Duration: 16 minutes
When Bach moved from Weimar to Cöthen in 1717, his musical duties changed completely. For the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, Bach had been primarily a church musician, writing cantatas and his great works for organ, but the Cöthen court was strictly Calvinist and would allow no music more elaborate than hymn-singing as part of its services. Prince Leopold of Cöthen, however, proved an enlightened patron. He was an enthusiastic amateur musician (he played violin, clavier, and viola da gamba), and he put a seventeen-piece professional orchestra at Bach’s disposal. Bach, who once said that music exists for two reasons—the praise of God and the refreshment of the soul, spent six years refreshing his soul at Cöthen. From this period came the bulk of his secular instrumental music: the Brandenburg Concertos, the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier, several of the orchestral suites, the violin concertos, and The magnificent works for unaccompanied violin and unaccompanied cello. During these years Bach also composed six sonatas for violin and keyboard (which meant harpsichord). Bach was a great synthesizer, and he drew upon several traditions in these sonatas: the trio sonata, in which the polyphony is a product of three distinct voices (the violin and the pianist’s right and left hands), and the Italian instrumental sonata di chiesa, whose four movements are in a slow-fast-slow-fast sequence. These sonatas combine the contrapuntal complexity of German music with the singing line of the Italian instrumental sonata. The Sonata in E Major has deservedly become one of the most popular of the set. For all the talk of polyphonic richness in this music, the opening Adagio belongs largely to the violin, whose noble melodic line soars above the accompaniment. Piano alone introduces the main subject of the Allegro, and only when it has been completely stated is the violin allowed to take up this cheerful and propulsive idea; the piano’s left hand sometimes becomes an active participant in the counterpoint in this da capo-form movement. The Adagio ma non tanto, which moves to C-sharp minor, bears some resemblance to a chaconne: the pianist’s left hand plays a slow four-bar ostinato over which the right hand and violin spin out a series of variations. The bass-line, however, does not remain the same throughout: its steady 3/4 tread continues, but gradually Bach varies the notes and
the harmony. The cheerful concluding Allegro plunges back into E major and rides the energy of its perpetual-motionlike chains of sixteenth-notes. Rather than casting this movement in the expected binary form, Bach instead creates a middle section that sails along triplet rhythms; in one of those wonderful rhythmic touches that Bach could manage so effortlessly, the steady sixteenth-note energy of the opening is allowed to penetrate these triplets as they proceed, and eventually that opening vitality dances this movement to its energetic close.
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Opus 134
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH Born September 25, 1906, St. Petersburg Died August 9, 1975, Moscow Composed: 1968 Approximate Duration: 32 minutes
In the spring of 1967 Shostakovich wrote his Second Violin Concerto and presented it to David Oistrakh that September on the occasion of the violinist’s sixtieth birthday. Surprised and grateful, Oistrakh had to tell Shostakovich an embarrassing fact: the composer had his dates wrong— Oistrakh had been born in 1908 and so was only 59 that year. Undeterred, Shostakovich then celebrated Oistrakh’s true sixtieth birthday by composing his Violin Sonata for the violinist the following year. Oistrakh gave the first performance, a private one, before the Union of Soviet Composers on January 8, 1969. The public première—with Oistrakh and pianist Sviatoslav Richter—took place in Moscow on May 3, 1969. The music of Shostakovich’s final period, covering roughly the last decade of his life, forms a very specific chapter in his output. Gone is the nose-thumbing glee of his early music, and gone too are the broad, heroic canvases of his symphonies. In their place comes a new language, inward and often dark. Whether this is the result of bitterness at the Soviet system (as ideological critics will have it) or the result of a long and painful final illness is a matter of ongoing debate, but the fact remains that Shostakovich’s final works bring a sharpening, a refinement, a darkening of his musical language. This music can be very beautiful—as in the Suite on Verses of Michelangelo and the valedictory Viola Sonata— but it can also bring a haunted and bleak musical landscape, particularly in the late chamber music. Shostakovich’s only violin sonata is a big work, both in duration (it lasts well over half an hour) and intensity—much of it is built on a huge, aggressive sonority. One of the most surprising features of the sonata is Shostakovich’s use of tonerows, and this is all the more remarkable given the official Soviet condemnation of such procedures. Shostakovich L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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defended his occasional use of tone-rows in his late music, telling an interviewer in 1973: “I did use some element of dodecaphony in these works. Of course, if you take a theory and use solely this theory, I have a very negative attitude toward this kind of approach. But if a composer feels that he needs this or that technique, he can take whatever is available and use it as he sees fit. It is his right to do so. But if you take only one technique, whether it is aleatory or dodecaphonic, and use nothing but that technique, then it is wrong.” It should be noted that Shostakovich’s use of tone-rows is not nearly so strict as that of the Second Viennese School. Rather than embracing that system, he instead experiments with some of its techniques, and his rows function as basic thematic material which he is then free to treat any way he prefers. The fundamental technique of the Violin Sonata is not to manipulate the rows in the way Webern might have but instead to create musical structures based on continuous variations of a row. The Violin Sonata is in three massive movements. Piano alone opens the Andante by introducing the movement’s fundamental row, which contains some repetition even on this opening statement. Soon the violin joins this texture, and that opening theme moves between the two instruments. Shostakovich then builds a long music-drama upon variations of the opening theme—some of these episodes are brusque and violent, some melodic, some delicate—and the movement reaches a quiet close on the violin’s eerie tremolo ponticello. The Allegretto takes a more traditional form: it is a scherzo in (vaguely) ternary form. The distinguishing feature of this movement is its furious energy. The violin stamps out the opening theme—almost more rhythm than theme— and Shostakovich changes meter frequently throughout the aggressive opening minutes of this movement. The “trio” section arrives when the music settles into a steady 3/4 meter and waltzes with a hard-edged energy. Shostakovich delays a literal return of the opening material until late in the movement, which drives to a brutal close. The finale opens with a grand Largo introduction that leaves us uncertain about the harmonic direction of the music. Out of the silence, the violin—all by itself—picks out the movement’s principal theme pizzicato. This long theme is itself an extended row, and Shostakovich will repeat and vary this material as he proceeds. These variations are sharply contrasted: back comes the fierce energy of the opening movement, but there are extended interludes here of delicacy and a dark beauty. As the movement nears its climax, Shostakovich gives the piano a dramatic passage by itself, which is followed by a cadenza for the violin marked quasi tremolo. Gradually the heated energy of this climax subsides, the music grows more subdued, and Shostakovich concludes
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with quick reminiscences of the opening two movements. In fact, the sonata returns to the same ponticello passage that brought the first movement to a close, and it is on this icy sound that the music fades into unsettling silence.
Sonata No. 1 in B Minor for Violin and Keyboard, BWV 1014
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Composed: 1717-23 Approximate Duration: 15 minutes
The opening Adagio here is remarkable for its evolving textures. The music begins with the piano alone, the violin joins this, and then the violin part expands into doublestopping, giving the movement a full sonority; the music rises to its climax on a great flourish for the violin alone, then closes quietly. The Allegro is fugue that makes full use of the pianist’s left hand as one of the contrapuntal participants; the movement is in ternary form, and Bach rounds it off with a literal repeat of the opening section. The Andante moves to D major and offers a limpid lyric line that moves between the piano and the pianist’s right hand; the left hand provides a steady bass-line accompaniment. The concluding Allegro, in binary-form, races along some hard-driving energy. Once again, Bach liberates the pianist’s left hand, and his melodic line moves smoothly between all three voices.
Sonata No. 2 in E Minor for Violin and Piano, Opus 36a
FERRUCCIO BUSONI Born April 1, 1866, Empoli, Italy Died July 27, 1924, Berlin Composed: 1898 Approximate Duration: 34 minutes
Busoni wrote very little chamber music—two string quartets, two violin sonatas, and a handful of smaller works, all composed before the age of forty. His creative energies found readiest expression in music for piano and for the stage, but his Second Violin Sonata, composed in 1898 when he was 37, is a very distinctive work. In matters of form and harmony, the sonata is so original that Busoni described it as his “Opus 1”—he felt that it was his first mature composition and that it pointed the way to his future music. Busoni and violinist Viktor Nováček gave the first performance of the sonata in Helsinki on September 30, 1898, and Busoni revised it two years later before publishing it. In the meantime Nováček’s brother Ottakar, also a violinist and one of Busoni’s closest friends, died, and Busoni dedicated the sonata to his memory. Powerful as this sonata can be, it breathes an air of radiant and peaceful expression that makes this music an ideal memorial piece.
LEONIDAS KAVAKOS & YUJA WANG - PROGRAM NOTES
The sonata is in the standard three movements, but these are played without pauses between them, and Busoni brings back themes from the first two movements in the imposing finale, which is longer than the first two movements combined. The sonata begins with what seems at first a slow introduction. Dark and expressive, this is in fact the movement’s opening subject, and it gives way to a very fast section, sharply chiseled and driven along dotted rhythms— Busoni marks this assai deciso: “very decisive.” The music returns to the opening material and comes to an unexpectedly peaceful conclusion in E major. The brief second movement is a very fast tarantella that dances energetically along its 6/8 meter before coming to a sudden stop on powerful chords, and the sonata proceeds directly into its lengthy final movement. At first the music is soft and gentle, and soon Busoni very gently brings back material heard earlier in the sonata, marking this reappearance Wie ein Errinerung: “Like a memory.” And then the sonata takes a completely unexpected turn. A violin flourish leads to the appearance of J.S. Bach’s chorale tune Wie wohl ist mir, O Freund der Seelen, firmly announced by the piano and then taken up by the violin (Busoni’s marking here is dolce, ma solenne: “gentle but solemn”). Just to be sure that the quotation is clear, Busoni offers a footnote in the score and at the bottom of the page reproduces Bach’s melody intact. The rest of the movement consists of a series of variations on that noble melody: some of these are subdued, one is a jaunty march, another is a perpetual motion, and finally comes a slow fugue based on the chorale tune. In the glistening final moments, the energy winds down, the piano introduction to the very beginning of the first movement returns literally, and the sonata concludes very peacefully and quietly. Busoni’s marking for this final section is apoteotico: “like an apotheosis.” A SIDE NOTE: Busoni’s Second Violin Sonata is not a familiar piece, nor is it performed often. Yet one wonders if Alban Berg knew it. Berg wrote his Violin Concerto in 1935, eleven years after Busoni’s death, and in the finale he uses the same technique Busoni employs in this sonata: he introduces a chorale tune by Bach, in Berg’s case Es ist genug, and then builds a finale around extensions of that melody, just as Busoni had done 37 years earlier. Both Busoni’s sonata and Berg’s concerto use music of Bach to come to similarly radiant and calm conclusions.
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AVI AVITAL, mandolin & MILOŠ, classical guitar FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 · 8 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL
J.S. BACH Prelude from English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807 (1685-1750) Fugue from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, No. 2, BWV 847 Adagio from Concerto in D Minor, BWV 974 Capriccio from Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826 DE FALLA Siete Canciones Populares Espanolas (1876-1946) El paño moruno Asturiana Jota Nana Canción Polo PHILIP GLASS Opening No. 1 (b. 1937) Metamorphosis No. 4 Poet Acts Etude No. 9 La Jolla Music Society’s 2021-22 Season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Joy Frieman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Bebe and Marvin Zigman.
VILLA-LOBOS Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 (1887-1959) Aria (Cantilena) Danza (Martelo) MATHIAS DUPLESSY Sonata for Guitar and Mandolin WORLD PREMIÈRE (b. 1972) Avi Avital, mandolin; MILOŠ, classical guitar Avi Avital last performed for La Jolla Music Society in the Artist-in-Residence Series on October 22, 2021. This performance marks MILOŠ’ La Jolla Music Society debut.
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SKIING THE DREAM LINE WITH HILAREE NELSON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2021 · 7 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL
PROGRAM Presentation Question & Answer Session NO INTERMISSION
ABOUT La Jolla Music Society’s 2021-22 Season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Joy Frieman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Bebe and Marvin Zigman.
Next to Everest in the towering Himalaya sits a peak that has acquired a mythical status in its own right: Lhotse, the fourth-highest mountain in the world at 27,940 feet. Its famed couloir—nicknamed the “Dream Line”—is considered one of the boldest ski runs of all time and went unconquered until 2018. That September, mountaineers Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison summited the peak and became the first people to complete the epic descent. Join Nelson, National Geographic’s 2018 Adventurer of the Year, for her captivating stories of the passion, grit, and teamwork behind this historic achievement.
This presentation marks Hilaree Nelson’s La Jolla Music Society debut. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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A rare opportunity!
Photography and video recording are encouraged throughout this show. Follow and tag @thequeenscartoonists and @ljmusicsociety on Instagram! Tag yourself at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center and use the hashtags #tqc or #thequeenscartoonists when you post.
THE QUEEN’S CARTOONISTS A CARTOON, COMEDY, HOLIDAY HURRAH! YULE LOVE IT! SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2021 3 PM & 8 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL
MEMBERS Joel Pierson, piano & music director Drew Pitcher, flute & tenor saxophone Mark Phillips, clarinet & soprano saxophone Greg Hammontree, trumpet & trombone Rossen Nedelchev, drums Kaisa Maënsivu, bass PROGRAM Works to be announced from stage. NO INTERMISSION Joel Pierson is a Yamaha Artist
La Jolla Music Society’s 2021-22 Season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Joy Frieman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Bebe and Marvin Zigman.
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ABOUT The Queen’s Cartoonists have arrived for riotous renditions of music from the Golden Age of animation, cult cartoon classics, and modern animation, along with singing, comedy, and instrumental pandemonium. Featuring the music of Raymond Scott, Carl Stalling, Danny Elfman, Alf Clausen, John Williams, and countless others, this special holiday performance runs the gamut from lightning fast swing arrangements to synced video projects, vocal numbers, and comedy.
This performance marks The Queen’s Cartoonists’ La Jolla Music Society debut. JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
MY BLUEGRASS HEART BÉLA FLECK, SAM BUSH, JERRY DOUGLAS, STUART DUNCAN, EDGAR MEYER, & BRYAN SUTTON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2021 · 8 PM BALBOA THEATRE
MEMBERS Béla Fleck, banjo Sam Bush, mandolin Jerry Douglas, lap steel guitar Stuart Duncan, fiddle Edgar Meyer, bass Bryan Sutton, guitar PROGRAM Featuring music from Béla Fleck’s new album My Bluegrass Heart. Works to be announced from stage. 20-MNUTE INTERMISSION La Jolla Music Society’s 2021-22 Season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Joy Frieman, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, Bebe and Marvin Zigman.
ABOUT As his fans know, each appearance of banjo wizard Béla Fleck is entirely different from the last. Across all sorts of bands, venues, and genres (not to mention 15 GRAMMY® Awards), Fleck’s limitless vision for the banjo has never ceased to amaze. This tour is a momentous one, however, as Fleck will be returning to his roots and leading his first all-bluegrass tour in quite a long time. As always, Fleck is all-in on the task at hand, bringing together a sort of cross-generational banjo festival highlighting the best of the best. Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer last performed for La Jolla Music Society in the Jazz Series on October 16, 2019. This performance marks the La Jolla Music Society debuts of Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, and Bryan Sutton. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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Gala 2022
WINTERFEST
with
Lang Lang, piano Friday, March 18, 2022
Susan Hoehn, Gala Chair 5:00 PM Reception & Dinner at the Westgate Hotel 8:00 PM Performance at the Balboa Theatre
For gala tickets and information, please call 858.526.3425 or NSlavik@LJMS.org
Proceeds from this event will support La Jolla Music Society's Education and Artistic Programs.
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Lang Lang
Pianist discusses the Goldberg Variations he will perform at La Jolla Music Society's WinterFest Gala on Friday, March 18 How did you establish your approach to the Goldberg Variations? Variations?
I’ve been studying this work for more than 20 years, and recording it has been a lifelong dream. I played the Goldbergs for Christoph Eschenbach when I was only 17. A few years later I played some excerpts for Nikolaus Harnoncourt – including the Aria and Variations 13 and 25 – on his own harpsichord. He and I talked about the solitary life of a musician and about creating different atmospheres in music. He said to me, “You play very well, but it doesn’t sound solitary enough. You need to find a greater sense of stillness within yourself.” He played a couple of passages for me, and that opened my eyes to completely new dimensions in and approaches to Bach’s music.
How did you know when the right moment had come?
It’s the same with almost all recording projects: you have to feel that you’ve become part of the piece, and that you’ve made it your own. As part of my preparations I really wanted to compare notes with period-instrument musicians. I met up with the wonderful harpsichordist and pianist Andreas Staier, for example, and he gave me his perspective on the Variations. We discussed pedal use, rubato, ornamentation, dynamics and Baroque performance style. Then while I was in Arnstadt I had the chance to hear and play the Baroque organ that Bach himself played. Hearing the sound of that instrument and understanding the way it was played gave me unbelievable joy – I could feel the rhythm and pulse of the Baroque style. By exploring the wider context of a work, you can narrow down your own interpretation.
Did any particular difficulties arise while you were working on the Goldberg Variations? Variations? The biggest challenge is making each variation special in itself. Some musicians believe that each piece stands alone, but in fact they have to be linked together. That means you need an overview – you have to be producer as well as performer. This isn’t just the most exceptional and creative
work in the keyboard repertoire, it’s also the most multidimensional. It makes us think both horizontally and vertically, delving deep into different dimensions; it allows us to draw on everything we have within ourselves, but also makes us realise what’s missing and what we still have to learn.
How did you approach your interpretation?
There’s a Chinese proverb that comes to mind here: “When you’re painting a dragon, the last step is the most important: painting the eyes.” Bach and Mozart are often the first composers we come across as pianists, and we learn from them and reach a certain level. But then you see how the great masters paint the eyes – and they all do it differently. With Maestro Staier it was primarily about painting the body, understanding its structure. At the end of the day, you have to find your own way of painting the eyes.
What are the most critical elements for you when it comes to performing this work? I have to play at a tempo that brings me inner peace, allows me to find a sense of stillness within myself, rather than rushing through it faster and faster. You have to play with your intellect as well as your feelings. What’s the final brushstroke I make to give the eyes a particular colour? Among all the information you’ve gathered, all the knowledge you’ve accumulated, all the hours you’ve devoted to studying and all the performances you’ve listened to, you have to rediscover yourself. It was like a kind of jigsaw puzzle. In the end, though, you do find yourself. That’s when your feelings and your breath become one.
How is playing Baroque canons different from playing music from the Romantic era?
When I play piano music from the Romantic repertoire, which is something I do on a regular basis, I’m really familiar with the rules, or what we call rules: tradition, style, the moments when you have to inject emotion... It all feels natural, as if I’m just speaking with my own voice. To begin with, that wasn’t the case with the Goldberg Variations. I’ve been grappling with these canons and their distinctive characteristics for years. I spent a lot of time working on them with Nikolaus Harnoncourt – exploring their sound quality, character L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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and freedom of style. He explained to me how to play the individual voices on a harpsichord, a cello or a woodwind instrument. That gave me a new way of looking at voiceleading – how the different lines progress within the canons. Later on, I discussed the work in great depth with Andreas Staier and learned even more about it from him. He gave me the confidence not just to rely on the rules, but to believe in myself, to put my trust in my own knowledge and abilities as a modern pianist.
You’ve decided to release a live recording of a recital you gave at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig as well as the studio recording. Why is that?
The atmosphere in the church was awe-inspiring, and what made it even more special was to sit and play the Goldberg Variations, which for me is the greatest work in the repertoire, so close to where Bach is buried. Towards the end of the 30th Variation, I had time to let my gaze wander and I looked over at his tomb. It was an unbelievably emotional moment. I’ve never felt as close to a composer as I did during that recital. When I began work in the studio two weeks later I hadn’t heard the live recording. Then when I did hear it, I realised just how different it was from my studio performance. Releasing both recordings gives me the opportunity to demonstrate different approaches to the work and to reveal the myriad possibilities it presents to the performer.
Can you tell us more about the differences between the recordings?
The live version is very spontaneous, whereas in the studio version my playing is different – very considered and reflective. In a concert situation you experience the 100-minute work as a whole. In the studio you can focus on individual details and nuances, and of course that can affect the musical experience quite substantially. By the time you get into the studio you need to know exactly what you’re doing – a lot of what goes on there has been very long thought through. And the sound quality is perfect,
Thank you to Deutsche Grammophon & Universal Music Group for providing this interview
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something that’s not achievable when you’re playing live. There again, what I love about performing live is the fact that, up to a point, you can take risks and be a lot more spontaneous. That’s something you can’t reproduce in the studio. When I’d heard both recordings and compared them, I realised I couldn’t pick one over the other. The two have a lot in common, but there are also a whole array of personal differences, as regards ornamentation, for example, or tempo, and also the space between the individual variations. Perhaps I need the spontaneity that comes with live performance as much as I do the considered, reflective approach...
How do you look back on the experience of recording the Goldberg Variations? Variations?
Making the recording was a huge learning curve for me. I’ve never spent so much time on one piece. You get nearer to it, sink deeper into it, find some distance and then go back to it again. I worked on the music every day, noting down new ideas all the time in four different scores. On the last day before going into the studio I had to make the final decisions about which of those ideas I wanted to have on the recording.
That sounds very intensive, as if you had to confront yourself as well as the music. Do you think you’ve grown as a person while working on your interpretation of the Variations Variations??
That’s really interesting, because this was actually the first recording I’d made since getting married. I hadn’t planned it that way, but that’s how it worked out. I’m now 38, and while that’s not old, I think the time was right for a new stage in my artistic development. I’ve moved into new terrain with the Goldberg Variations and really immersed myself fully in this project. My goal as an artist is to keep becoming more self-aware and more knowledgeable, as well as to keep offering inspiration to others. It’s an ongoing process, but this project has taken me a little further along the path.
C O M M U N I TY MUSIC CENTER
For over 20 years, La Jolla Music Society's award-winning Community Music Center has provided a safe and equitable environment for children to study and create music. The after-school program, located in Logan Heights, offers free instruments and bilingual instruction four days per week to over 100 students each year. Not only do students experience the joy of making music, they develop self-confidence, self-management, and relationship skills. To learn more about the Community Music Center and to support our Education & Community Programming, please visit LJMS.org/education or contact: Allison Boles, Education & Community Programming Director 858.526.3438 or ABoles@LJMS.org
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CONCERTS @ THE JAI
BRIA SKONBERG, trumpet
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Hot Jazz | Blues | Smoky Vocals
Described as “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal), Bria Skonberg has made her mark on the jazz scene with her smoky vocals, fiery trumpet playing and compelling compositions. In her rising career, she “has become the shining hope of hot jazz” (The New York Times).
“
Bria Skonberg plays trumpet like a red hot devil and sings like a dream. – The Wall Street Journal
DREAMER’S CIRCUS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Nordic Folk | Traditional | Classical Influences
Dreamers’ Circus returns to The Conrad to share their love of folk and traditional Nordic music with you, this February. Contemporary and innovative in their approach, they draw inspiration from the deep traditions of folk music in the region and reshape them into something bright, shiny, and new. Their art embraces music from Denmark and Sweden as well as Iceland, Finland, and the far reaches of the windswept Faroe Islands.
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GOITSE
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Gaelic Irish | Traditional Folk | Rhythmic | Powerful
Get ready for a cracking good time in The JAI. The whitehot award-winning Irish quintet, Goitse, pronounced “Go-wit-cha”, brings a vibrant mix of Irish classic jigs and tunes with their own original compositions for an irrepressible Irish musical experience that opens your mind and moves your feet.
GUNHILD CARLING
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Swing | Vaudeville | Jazz Standards
Sweden's Queen of Swing, Gunhild Carling is an internationally acclaimed superstar. Whether she's singing favorite jazz standards, or playing one of many instruments, Gunhild's sublime showmanship shines through. She is a jazz artist of the old breed, showing heavy influence from Bix Beiderbecke, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday. She combines extraordinary skills on trumpet and trombone with vaudeville stunts, like playing three trumpets at once.
ROBERTO FONSECA
YESUN THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Afro-Cuban | Genre-Bending
Havana-born and based pianist Roberto Fonseca honors his deep Afro-Cuban roots while embracing modern music and showcasing what the future of Cuban music can be, thus becoming "one of the most exciting musicians in the new Cuban scene” (BBC Music). Fonseca, who has toured the world’s best venues with Buena Vista Social Club, is known for ripping up the rule book, entwining folkloric sounds with everything from jazz and classical music to rap, funk, reggaeton and electronica. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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THE ConRAD KIDS series
JAZZY ASH & THE LEAPING LIZARDS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2021 9:30 AM & 11:30 AM THE JAI
Join Jazzy Ash & The Leaping Lizards for a musical adventure influenced by the music from her mother's hometown of New Orleans and her father's Trinidadian culture! Come enjoy your favorite Jazzy Ash songs and hear live ukulele, guitar, banjo, accordion, fiddle, bass, trombone, saxophone, washboard, and drums! As an acclaimed songwriter and music educator, Jazzy Ash’s music celebrates the magic of movement, with a lot of sugar and sass thrown in, New Orleans-style!
123 ANDRÉS
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2022 9:30 AM & 11:30 AM THE JAI 123 Andrés (pronounced uno, dos, tres Andrés) are Latin GRAMMY® Award–winning teaching artists who get kids and families excited about learning and moving together in Spanish and English! Families sing, dance, and sound out with Andrés and Christina as they compose an eclectic mix of sounds from all corners of Latin America. The husband-wife duo fuse folk-based rhythms like Vallenato and Champeta with upbeat pop, creating a winning combination for listeners of any age, featuring first-class musicianship and rich instrumentation.
THE OKEE DOKEE BROTHERS SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2022 · 3 PM THE BAKER-BAUM CONCERT HALL
This American bluegrass/American roots GRAMMY award winning duo has put their passion for the outdoors at the heart of their children’s music. A five-time Parent’s Choice Award winner, they have garnered praise from the likes of NPR’s All Things Considered and USA Today, and have been called “two of family music’s best songwriters.”
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BIOGRAPHIES
Avi Avital, mandolin
Acknowledged by The New York Times for his "exquisitely sensitive playing" and “stunning agility,” GRAMMY®-nominated mandolinist Avi Avital is one of the world’s most exciting and adventurous musicians. He is deeply committed to building a fresh legacy for the mandolin through virtuosic performance in a range of genres and commissioning new works for the instrument. Avital is internationally regarded for his performances at venues including Carnegie Hall (Weill Hall), Lincoln Center, Berlin Philharmonie, Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, and the Wigmore Hall.
Sam Bush, mandolin
There was only one prize-winning teenager to say thanks, but no thanks to Roy Acuff. Only one progressive hippie allying with like-minded conspirators, rolling out the New Grass revolution, and then leaving the genre’s torch-bearing band behind as it reached its commercial peak. There is only one consensus pick of peers and predecessors, of the traditionalists, the rebels, and the next-gen devotees. There is only one Sam Bush. Bush has taken home three straight IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year awards, 1990-92, (and a fourth in 2007). In 2009, the Americana Music Association awarded Bush the Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist.
Jonathan Cohen, music director & conductor
Jonathan Cohen has forged a remarkable career as a conductor, cellist, and keyboardist. Well known for his passion and commitment to chamber music, Jonathan is equally at home in such diverse areas as Baroque opera and the Classical symphonic repertoire. He is Artistic Director of Arcangelo, Music Director of Les Violons du Roy, Artistic Director of the Tetbury Music Festival, and Artistic Partner of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 2010 Jonathan founded Arcangelo, an ensemble that strives to present special musical projects of the highest quality.
Jerry Douglas, lap steel guitar
Dobro master and 14-time GRAMMY® winner Jerry Douglas is to the resonator guitar what Jimi Hendrix was to the electric guitar, elevating, transforming, and reinventing the instrument in countless ways. Additionally, Douglas is a freewheeling, forward-thinking recording and touring artist whose output incorporates elements of country, bluegrass, rock, jazz, blues, and Celtic into his distinctive musical vision. Called “Dobro’s matchless contemporary master” by The New York Times, three-time CMA Musician of the Year award recipient Jerry Douglas is one of the most innovative recording artists in music.
Stuart Duncan, fiddle
Whether folks know him by name or not, Stuart Duncan could easily be called America's favorite fiddler. His tasteful touch has been enjoyed by millions of Country, Americana and Bluegrass music fans for over 40 years via the recording studio and on tour. His popularity continues to grow as does his cache of music industry awards. Duncan has been named IBMA Fiddler of the Year eight times.
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BIOGRAPHIES
Béla Fleck, banjo
There are many who say Béla Fleck is the premier banjo player in the world. Others claim that he has virtually reinvented the image and the sound of the banjo through a remarkable performing and recording career that has taken him all over the musical map. Throughout his career, Fleck has collaborated with a diverse array of artists from Chick Corea, Bruce Hornsby, and Branford Marsalis to John Medeski, Andy Statman, the Alash Group, and Dave Matthews. The recipient of multiple GRAMMY® Awards going back to 1998, Béla Flecks' total count is 14 GRAMMY®s won, and 30 nominations. He has been nominated in more different categories than any instrumentalist in GRAMMY® history.
Michael Gerdes, lecturer
Michael Gerdes is the Director of Orchestras at San Diego State University where he conducts the San Diego State Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and Opera Orchestra. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Selected by The San Diego Union Tribune as one of three "Faces to Watch" in Classical Music during his first year as Director of Orchestras, Gerdes is focused on creating a thriving orchestral community at San Diego State University.
Leonidas Kavakos, violin
Leonidas Kavakos is recognized across the world as a violinist and artist of rare quality, acclaimed for his matchless technique, his captivating artistry, and his superb musicianship, as well as for the integrity of his playing. By the age of 21, Kavakos had already won three major competitions: the Sibelius Competition in 1985, and the Paganini and Naumburg competitions in 1988. He was awarded the 2014 Gramophone Artist of the Year and the 2017 Leonie Sonning Prize – Denmark’s highest musical honor. Born and brought up in a musical family in Athens, Kavakos curates an annual violin and chamber-music masterclass in Athens, which attracts violinists and ensembles from all over the world and reflects his deep commitment to the passing on of musical knowledge and traditions.
Les Violons Du Roy
Les Violons du Roy (“The King’s Violins”) takes its name from the celebrated court orchestra of the French kings. It was founded in Québec City in 1984 by Bernard Labadie, now styled “founding conductor,” and continues under music director Jonathan Cohen to explore the nearly boundless repertoire of music for chamber orchestra in performances matched as closely as possible to the period of each work’s composition. Its minimum fifteen-member complement plays modern instruments, albeit with period bows for Baroque and Classical music, and its interpretations are deeply informed by the latest research on seventeenth- and eighteenth-century performance practice. The repertoire of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries receives similar attention and figures regularly on the orchestra’s programs.
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BIOGRAPHIES
Alexander Malofeev, piano
“The latest phenomenon of the Russian piano school” (Corriere della Sera), “Alexander Malofeev manifests the piano mastery of the new millennium in itself” (Il Giornale). Now aged nineteen, the young “Russian genius” (Corriere della Sera) came to international prominence when, in 2014, he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians at age thirteen. “Contrary to what could be expected of a youngster ..., he demonstrated not only high technical accuracy but also an incredible maturity. Crystal clear sounds and perfect balance revealed his exceptional ability” (Amadeus).
Edgar Meyer, bass
In demand as both a performer and a composer, Edgar Meyer has formed a role in the music world unlike any other. Hailed by The New Yorker as “…the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument,” Meyer’s unparalleled technique and musicianship in combination with his gift for composition have brought him to the fore, where he is appreciated by a vast, varied audience. His uniqueness in the field was recognized by a MacArthur Award in 2002.
MILOŠ, classical guitar
Having grown up in Montenegro, MILOŠ took up a coveted place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music at age 14. Fast forward to 2010: MILOŠ signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon and before long he was performing sell-out concerts as a soloist with international orchestras and in recitals. One of the highlights of that period was his solo guitar recital at the Royal Albert Hall to a full house, which was the first of its kind and much-lauded by the critics. MILOŠ is committed to commissioning new works for the guitar and had cemented his role as a pioneer and innovator of contemporary guitar repertoire for the ages.
Hilaree Nelson, mountaineer & adventurer
For Hilaree Nelson, skiing is the gateway to possibility. She started skiing at age 3 and was later introduced to big mountain skiing and climbing. Nelson has climbed and skied volcanoes in the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, in Mongolia, India, Lebanon, and first descents of the tight couloirs of Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. Nelson’s mountain adventures led Outside Magazine to name her one of the most adventurous women in the world of sport. As the recipient of a National Geographic Explorer’s Grant, Nelson led a team of alpinists to attempt a first ascent on a remote peak in northern Myanmar in 2014.
The Queen’s Cartoonists
The Queen’s Cartoonists play music from classic cartoons and contemporary animation, synchronized to video projections of the original films. The band is on a musical mission of equal parts performance, preservation, and education. Since their inception in 2015, The Queen’s Cartoonists have brought their unique sound to performing arts centers in over 20 states and have opened for the New York Philharmonic. The band has been featured in numerous major publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, Mashable, and on NPR. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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BIOGRAPHIES
San Diego Youth Symphony
For 75 years, San Diego Youth Symphony (SDYS) has served as a catalyst for investing in the future of thousands of young San Diegans through the study and performance of music. Through SDYS’ flagship ensemble program in historic Balboa Park, its neighborhood engagement collaborations across San Diego County, and its early childhood music curriculum, SDYS is San Diego’s most comprehensive provider of cradle-to-college music education programming and a national leader in innovative community outreach, serving thousands of young musicians and their families every year. We respect every young person who takes part in our programs and celebrate their accomplishments as musicians, as community members, and as future leaders.
Bryan Sutton, guitar
Bryan Sutton is the most accomplished and awarded acoustic guitarist of his generation, an innovator who bridges the bluegrass flatpicking traditions of the 20th century with the dynamic roots music scene of the 21st. His rise from buzzed-about young sideman to firstcall Nashville session musician to membership in one of history’s greatest bluegrass bands has been grounded in quiet professionalism and ever-expanding musicianship. Sutton is a GRAMMY® Award-winner and a nine-time International Bluegrass Music Association Guitar Player of the Year.
Takács Quartet
The Takács Quartet, now entering its forty-sixth season, is renowned for the vitality of its interpretations. Based in Boulder at the University of Colorado, Edward Dusinberre, Harumi Rhodes (violins), Richard O’Neill (viola) and András Fejér (cello) perform eighty concerts a year worldwide. The Takács Quartet was formed in 1975 at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest by Gabor Takács-Nagy, Károly Schranz, Gabor Ormai and András Fejér, while all four were students. The Quartet has won three Gramophone Awards, a GRAMMY® Award, Disc of the Year at the inaugural BBC Music Magazine Awards, and Ensemble Album of the Year at the Classical Brits.
Yuja Wang, piano
Critical superlatives and audience ovations have continuously followed Yuja Wang’s dazzling career. The Beijing-born pianist received advanced training in Canada and at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music under Gary Graffman. Her international breakthrough came in 2007 when she replaced Martha Argerich as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She later signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon and has since established her place among the world’s leading artists, with a succession of critically acclaimed performances and recordings. Photo Credits: Cover: Y. Wang © Kirk Edwards, L. Kavakos © Marco Borggreve; Pg. 17: T. Schultz © David Pollar; Pg. 18: Takacs Quartet © Amanda Tipton; Pg.21: A. Avital © Christoph Kistlin; Pg. 25: A. Malofeev © Liudmila Malofeeva; Pg. 28: Y. Wang courtesy of artist, L Kavakos © Marco Borggreve; Pg. 32: A. Avital © Zohar Ron, MILOS © Lars Borges; Pg. 35: H. Nelson © Nick Kalisz; Pg. 36: The Queen’s Cartoonists © Lauren Desberg; Pg. 37: Bela Fleck My Bluegrass Heart Band © Alan Messer; Pg. 38: L. Lang © Olaf Heine; Pg. 40: L. Lang © Olaf Heine; Pg. 42: B. Skonberg © Dario Acosta, Dreamers’ Circus © Goran Petersson; Pg. 43: Goitse courtesy of artist, G. Carling © Jazz Art Sweden, R. Fonseca © Alejandro Azcuy; Pg. 44: Jazzy Ash courtesy of artist, 123 Andres © David Rugeles, The Okee Dokee Brothers courtesy of artist; Pg. 45: A. Avital © Christoph Kistlin, S. Bush courtesy of artist, J. Cohen courtesy of artist, J. Douglas courtesy of artist, S. Duncan courtesy of artist; Pg. 46: B. Fleck © Alan Messer, M. Gerdes courtesy of artist, L. Kavakos © Marco Borggreve, Les Violons du Roy © Atwood Photographie; Pg. 47: A. Malofeev © Evgeny Evtyukhov, E. Meyer courtesy of artist, MILOS © Lars Borges, H. Nelson © Nick Kalisz, The Queen’s Cartoonists courtesy of artist; Pg. 48: B. Sutton courtesy of artist, Takacs Quartet © Amanda Tipton, Y. Wang © Kirk Edwards; Pg. 49: T. McLaughlin courtesy of artist, B. Skonberg © Dario Acosta, Arod Quartet © Julien Benhamou, Alonzo King LINES Ballet © RJ Muna, J. Bell © Benjamin Ealovega; Back Cover: E. Ax © Lisa Marie Mazzucco.
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THANK YOU! The wonderful array of musical activity that La Jolla Music Society offers would not be possible without support from its family of donors. Your contributions to La Jolla Music Society help bridge the gap between income from ticket sales and the total cost to present the finest musicians and the best chamber music repertoire in San Diego. Your generosity also supports our programs in the local schools and throughout the community.
On the following pages La Jolla Music Society pays tribute to you, the leading players who make it possible to share the magic of the performing arts with our community. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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ANNUAL SUPPORT La Jolla Music Society depends on contributed income for more than 60% of its annual budget. We are grateful to all of our contributors who share our enthusiams and passion for the arts. Every donor is a valued partner and they make it possible for one of San Diego’s premier music organization to present year-round. It is our honor to recognize the following donors.
FOUNDER Brenda Baker & Stephen Baum
($250,000 and above)
Raffaella & John Belanich The Conrad Prebys Foundation
ANGEL Joy Frieman
($100,000 - $249,999)
Joan & Irwin Jacobs Dorothea Laub Debra Turner The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture Clara Wu Tsai & Joseph Tsai
BENEFACTOR Mary Ann Beyster ($50,000-$99,999)
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Ric & Eleanor Charlton Peter Cooper & Erik Matwijkow Silvija & Brian Devine Stephen Gamp | Banc of California Jeanne Herberger, Ph.D. Peggy & Peter Preuss Sheryl & Bob Scarano Marge & Neal Schmale Doctor Bob & June Shillman Bebe & Marvin Zigman
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ANNUAL SUPPORT
GUARANTOR
($25,000 - $49,999)
Anonymous Gordon Brodfuehrer Wendy Brody Mary Ellen Clark Peter Cooper & Erik Matwijkow Julie & Bert Cornelison Jennifer & Kurt Eve Lehn & Richard Goetz John Hesselink Susan & Bill Hoehn Vivian Lim & Joseph Wong Sue & John Major Arlene & Lou Navias Arman Oruc & Dagmar Smek Steven & Sylvia Ré Jeanette Stevens Gayle & Philip Tauber UC San Diego Vail Memorial Fund Anna & Edward Yeung Sue & Peter Wagener
SUSTAINER
($15,000 - $24,999)
Anonymous (2) Sharon L. Cohen The Hon. Diana Lady Dougan Ann Parode Dynes & Robert Dynes Sue & Chris Fan Debby & Wain Fishburn Pam & Hal Fuson Angelina & Fredrick Kleinbub Robin & Hank Nordhoff Betty-Jo Petersen Stacy & Don Rosenberg
Leigh P. Ryan Clifford Schireson & John Venekamp Maureen & Thomas Shiftan Margie & John H. Warner, Jr. Abby & Ray Weiss Lise Wilson & Steve Strauss
SUPPORTER
($10,000 - $14,999)
Anonymous Judith Bachner & Dr. Eric L. Lasley Tom & Stephanie Baker Bjorn Bjerede & Jo Kiernan Bob & Ginny Black Una Davis & Jack McGrory Barbara Enberg Elliot & Diane Feuerstein Teresa & Merle Fischlowtiz Lisa Braun Glazer & Jeff Glazer Brenda & Michael Goldbaum Ingrid Hibben & Victor La Magna Jeanne Jones Keith & Helen Kim Carol Lam & Mark Burnett Rafeal & Marina Pastor Catherine Rivier Noni & Drew Senyei Haeyoung Kong Tang Dolly & Victor Woo Carolyn Yorston-Wellcome
AMBASSADOR ($5,000 - $9,999)
Anonymous (3) Carson Barnett & Tom Dubensky Joan Jordan Bernstein Jim Beyster
Dr. James C. & Karen A. Brailean Stuart & Isabel Brown Lisa & David Casey Martha & Ed Dennis Debbe Deverill Nina & Robert Doede Margot & Dennis Doucette Jill Esterbrooks & James Robbins Monica Fimbres Marina & Gordon Fines Richard & Beverley Fink Beverly Frederick & Alan Springer Ingrid & Ted Friedmann Elaine Galinson & Herbert Solomon Sarah & Michael Garrison Buzz & Peg Gitelson Michael Grossman & Margaret Stevens Grossman Teresa & Harry Hixson Gail & Doug Hutcheson Theresa Jarvis & Ric Erdman Kathleen & Ken Lundgren Margaret McKeown & Peter Cowhey Virginia & David Meyer Marilyn & Stephen Miles Elaine & Doug Muchmore William Pitts & Mary Sophos Susan Shirk & Samuel Popkin Gloria & Rod Stone Joyce & Ted Strauss Patty Rome Susan & Richard Ulevitch Yvonne Vaucher Gianangelo & Mera Vergani Jo & Howard Weiner Mary & Joseph Witztum
THE CONRAD Since its opening on April 5, 2019, The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center has become the new heart of cultural, arts education, and community event activity in La Jolla. The Conrad is the permanent home of La Jolla Music Society and hosts world-class performances presented by LJMS as well as other San Diego arts presenters. Additionally, The Conrad is available for a wide range of conferences, corporate meetings, weddings, fundraisers, and private events. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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ANNUAL SUPPORT
AFICIONADO
ASSOCIATE
FRIEND
Anonymous Jeffrey Barnouw Barry & Emily Berkov Carolyn Bertussi Benjamin Brand Sedgwick & Gloria Browne R. Nelson & Janice Byrne Katherine & Dane Chapin David Cooper & Joanne Hutchinson Linda & Richard Dicker Mr. & Mrs. Michael Durkin Ruth & Ed Evans Jack Fisher Lynn Gorguze & The Hon. Scott Peters Beverly Grant Reena & Sam Horowitz Linda Howard Elisa & Rick Jaime Susan & David Kabakoff Sylvia & Jamie Liwerant Anita & Mike Mahaffey Dennis McConnell & Kimberly Kassner Gail & Ed Miller Howard & Barbara Milstein Alexandra Morton Muchnic Foundation Jeanne & Rick Norling Sally & Howard Oxley Carolyn & Ed Parrish Erin & Peter Preuss, Jr. Allison & Robert Price Jathan Segur | California Bank & Trust Gerald & Susan Slavet Mark & Nicollette Sterk Jean Sullivan & David Nassif Claire Reiss Eva & Doug Richman Emily & Tim Scott Pat Shank Ronald Wakefield Mary Walshok Lisa Widmier Armi & Al Williams Faye Wilson
Dede & Mike Alpert George & Laurie Brady Cathy & Chris Carroll Adriana Cetto Grace & David Cherashore Anthony Chong & Annette Nguyen Jim & Patty Clark Randy Clark & Tom Maddox June Chocheles Rosalind Dietrich James & Renée Dunford Nicole Forrest Beverly Fremont Barbara & Kent Freundt Beverly Friemon Laura & Tom Gable Catharina M. Hamilton Arlene Harris & Martin Cooper Alissa & Henry Heinerscheid Ida Houby & Bill Miller Lulu Hsu Marilyn James Sandra Jordan Edward Koczak Jeanne Larson Theodora Lewis Grace H. Lin Eileen A. Mason Dan McLeod & Sumi Adachi Dr. Sandra Miner Virginia Oliver Marty & David Pendarvis Jill Porter Carol Randolph John Renner Gwyn Carter Rice Jeanne Saier Pam Shriver William Smith & Carol Harter Mariam Summ Elizabeth Taft Jean Thomas Norma Jo Thomas Paige & Bob Vanosky Lori & Bill Walton Karin Winner
Anonymous (2) Dr. Andrew S. Allen Arlene Antin & Leonard Ozerkis Nancy Corbin Assaf Julie & Edgar Berner Sonya Celeste-Harris & Richard Harris Jian & Samson Chan John Conway Ann Craig Caroline DeMar Richard Forsyth Clare Friedman Elisabeth Friedman Carrie Greenstein Sofia Grigoriou Nancy D. Grover Bryna Haber Phil & Kathy Henry Emmet & Holly Holden Nancy Hong Michelle Horowitz Louise Kasch Evelyn & Bill Lamden Toni Langlinais Bill & Sallie Larsen Lewis Leicher Elizabeth Lucas Betty & James Martin Kenneth Martin Ted McKinney Wendy & Bruce Nelson Susan Newell Marguerite O. Pitts William Purves & Don Schmidt Ronald Simon Randall Smith Trevor Ré Cassidy Robins Mary Rodriguez Barbara Rosen & Bob Fahey Marsha & Bob Venn David Washburn Suhaila White Olivia & Marty Winkler Susan & Gavin Zau
($2,500 - $4,999)
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($1,000 - $2,499)
JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
($500 - $999)
ANNUAL SUPPORT
ENTHUSIAST ($250 - $499)
Anonymous Lynell Antrim Mary Lonsdale Baker Stefana Brintzenhoff Kathleen Charla Geoffrey Clow Dr. Marjorie Coburn Lori & Aaron Contorer Hugh Coughlin Roccio & Mike Flynn Ferdinand Marcus Gasang Dr. & Mrs. Jimmie Greenslate Helga Halsey Victoria Hamilton Bo Hedfors David Hodgens & Linda Olson Richard Hsieh Ed & Linda Janon Julia & George L. Katz Gladys & Bert Kohn Gordon Knight Barry Lebowitz Linda & Michael Mann Patricia McNew Maggie & Paul Meyer Anne Minteer Ross Moser Nasrin A. Owsia Aghdas Pezeshki Nicolas Reveles Cynthia Rosenthal Morton & Marjorie Shaevitz Leland & Annemarie Sprinkle Edward Stickgold & Steven Cande Eli & Lisa Strickland Dr. & Mrs. Robert Wallace David Ward Christopher & Patricia Weil Nowell Wisch David & Debra Youssefi Bart Ziegler
HONORARIA & MEMORIAL In Memory of Rita Atkinson: Ferdinand Marcus Gasang Dolly & Victor Woo
In Honor of Mary Lonsdale Baker: Anne Rodda
In Memory of Henry Gasang: Martha & Ed Dennis
In Memory of OJ Heestand: Donald Allison Gail Condor Judy Nielson Anne Rodda Donna Tuke David Weinberg
In Honor of Arman Oruc: Barbara and Geoff Wahl
In Honor of Sheryl Scarano: Maxine Snyder Nancy and Alan Spector
In Honor of Todd Schultz: Christopher Beach & Wesley Fata Teresa & Harry Hixson Susan & Richard Ulevitch
This list is current as of September 30, 2021. We regret any errors. Please contact Ferdinand Gasang, Director of Development, at FGasang@LJMS.org or 858.526.3426 to make a correction. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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MEDALLION SOCIETY CROWN JEWEL
SAPPHIRE
Brenda Baker and Steve Baum
John Hesselink Keith and Helen Kim
DIAMOND Raffaella and John Belanich Joy Frieman Joan and Irwin Jacobs
RUBY Silvija and Brian Devine
EMERALD Arlene and Louis Navias
GARNET Julie and Bert Cornelison Peggy and Peter Preuss
TOPAZ Anonymous Joan Jordan Bernstein Mary Ann Beyster Virginia and Robert Black Dr. James C. and Karen A. Brailean Barbara Enberg Pam and Hal Fuson Buzz and Peg Gitelson Drs. Lisa Braun-Glazer and Jeff Glazer Brenda and Michael Goldbaum Margaret and Michael Grossman Theresa Jarvis Angelina and Fred Kleinbub Kathleen and Ken Lundgren
Elaine and Doug Muchmore Hank and Patricia Nickol Rafael and Marina Pastor Patty Rome Don and Stacy Rosenberg Leigh P. Ryan Sheryl and Bob Scarano Neal and Marge Schmale Jeanette Stevens Gloria and Rodney Stone Gianangelo and Mera Vergani Sue and Peter Wagener Joseph Wong and Vivian Lim Dolly and Victor Woo Carolyn Yorston-Wellcome Bebe and Marvin Zigman Listing as of September 30, 2021
The Medallion Society was established to provide long-term financial stability for La Jolla Music Society. We are honored to have this special group of friends who have made multi-year commitments of at least three years to La Jolla Music Society, ensuring that the artistic quality and vision we bring to the community continues to grow.
DANCE SOCIETY GRAND JETÉ
POINTE
Jeanette Stevens Marvin and Bebe Zigman
Carolyn Bertussi
La Jolla Music Society is the largest present of major American and great international dance companies in San Diego. In order for LJMS to be able to fulfill San Diego’s clear desire for dance and ballet performances by the very best artists around the world, the Dance Society was created. We are grateful for each patron for their passion and support of our dance programs.
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PLANNED GIVING LEGACY SOCIETY Anonymous (2) June L. Bengston* Joan Jordan Bernstein Bjorn Bjerede and Jo Kiernan Dr. James C. and Karen A. Brailean Gordon Brodfuehrer Barbara Buskin* Trevor Callan Geoff and Shem Clow Anne and Robert Conn George and Cari Damoose Teresa and Merle Fischlowitz Ted and Ingrid Friedmann Joy and Ed* Frieman Sally Fuller Maxwell H. and Muriel S. Gluck* Dr. Trude Hollander* Eric Lasley Theodora Lewis Joani Nelson Maria and Dr. Philippe Prokocimer Bill Purves Darren and Bree Reinig Jay W. Richen* Leigh P. Ryan Jack* and Joan Salb
Johanna Schiavoni Pat Shank Drs. Joseph and Gloria Shurman Karen and Christopher Sickels Jeanette Stevens Elizabeth and Joseph* Taft Norma Jo Thomas Dr. Yvonne E. Vaucher Lucy and Ruprecht von Buttlar Ronald Wakefield John B. and Cathy Weil Carolyn Yorston-Wellcome and H. Barden Wellcome* Karl and Joan Zeisler Josephine Zolin
*In Memoriam Listing as of September 30, 2021
REMEMBERING LJMS IN YOUR WILL It is easy to make a bequest to La Jolla Music Society, and no amount is too small to make a difference. Here is a sample of language that can be incorporated into your will: “I hereby give ___% of my estate (or specific assets) to La Jolla Music Society, Tax ID 27-3147181, 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla, CA 92037, for its artistic programs (or education, general operating, or where needed most).
The Legacy Society recognizes those generous individuals who have chosen to provide for La Jolla Music Society’s future. Members have remembered La Jolla Music Society in their estate plans in many ways — through their wills, retirement gifts, life income plans, and many other creative planned giving arrangements. We thank them for their vision and hope you will join this very special group of friends. If you have included LJMS in your estate plans, please let us know so we may recognize you. L J M S. O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9 . 3 7 2 8
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FOUNDATIONS Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation
David C. Copley F o u n d at i o n
The Blachford-Cooper Foundation The Catalyst Foundation: The Hon. Diana Lady Dougan The Clark Family Trust Enberg Family Charitable Foundation The Epstein Family Foundation: Phyllis Epstein The Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund: The Carroll Family Fund Drs. Edward & Martha Dennis Fund Sue & Chris Fan Don & Stacy Rosenberg Shillman Charitable Trust Richard and Beverly Fink Family Foundation Inspiration Fund at the San Diego Foundation: Frank & Victoria Hobbs The Jewish Community Foundation: Jendy Dennis Endowment Fund Diane & Elliot Feuerstein Fund Galinson Family Fund Lawrence & Bryna Haber Fund Joan & Irwin Jacobs Fund Warren & Karen Kessler Fund Theodora F. Lewis Fund Liwerant Family Fund The Allison & Robert Price Family Foundation Fund John & Cathy Weil Fund
The Stephen Warren Miles and Marilyn Miles Foundation Rancho Santa Fe Foundation: The Fenley Family Fund The Susan & John Major Fund The Oliphant Fund The Pastor Family Fund The San Diego Foundation: The Beyster Family Foundation Fund The M.A. Beyster Fund II The Karen A. & James C. Brailean Fund The Valerie & Harry Cooper Fund The Hom Family Fund The Scarano Family Fund The Shiftan Family Fund Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving: Ted McKinney & Frank Palmerino Fund The Shillman Foundation Simner Foundation The Haeyoung Kong Tang Foundation The John M. and Sally B. Thornton Foundation Vail Memorial Fund Thomas and Nell Waltz Family Foundation The John H. Warner Jr. and Helga M. Warner Foundation
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY La Jolla Music Society reaches over 11,000 students and community members annually. LJMS works with students from more than 60 schools and universities, providing concert tickets, performance demonstrations, and master classes. Thanks to the generous support of our patrons and donors, all of our outreach activities are free to the people we serve.
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CORPORATE & FOUNDATION SPONSORS
VAIL MEMORIAL FUND
CORPORATE PARTNERS
SAN DIEGO
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PUBLIC SUPPORT La Jolla Music Society thanks all of our generous patrons and supporters – including government funding – who support our artistic, education and community engagement programs.
Support of our 2021-22 Season is provided by:
Thank you to The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture for promoting, encouraging and increasing support for the region's artistic and cultural assets, integrating arts and culture into community life and showcasing San Diego as an international tourist destination.
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JOIN OUR FAMILY
For more than 50 years, La Jolla Music Society has nurtured a love of music by keeping one vision in mind: To present diverse programs of great music performed by the best musicians in the world. Today, that vision has reached beyond the intimate beauty of the chamber music ensemble and into new and diverse offerings such as orchestras, jazz ensembles, dance companies, renowned speakers, and robust education programs. This impressive growth has been carefully conducted by an active and highly committed volunteer board of directors and dedicated staff. But most importantly, La Jolla Music Society’s progress has been sustained by the generosity of the community and ticket buyers.
...with a gift today! LJMS.org/donate To make a donation by phone or if you have are interested in sponsoring an artistic or education program, please contact Ferdinand Gasang, Director of Development, at 858.526.3426 or FGasang@LJMS.org.
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The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
RESILIENCE FUND Protect arts programming. Ensure a future filled with live performances.
Donate Today LJMS.org or call 858.459.3728
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#PARTY AT THE CONRAD
TENFOLDSTYLE is a long standing supporter of THE LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY & A proud
partner
of
THE CONRAD PREBYS
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
ONE OF A KIND PARTIES #TENFOLDSTYLE
www.TENFOLDSTYLE.com
An Experience in Great Taste (858) 638‐1400 www.BTScenes.com
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UN‘OPERA ITALIANA CON CHEF STEFANO, MILANO
Voted Bronze For Best Overall Restaurant In La Jolla
BRUNCH PIZZA LUNCH SEAFOOD DINNER FRESH PASTA Large Patios . Wine Bar . Catering . Private Events . Cooking Classes A PROUD COMMUNITY PARTNER OF THE CONRAD
7731 FAY AVENUE . LA JOLLA . 858 412 3108 . PIAZZA1909.COM
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GIRARD GOURMET from beach to boardroom
PROUD SUPPORTERS OF LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY AT THE CONRAD
7837 Girard Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037 | 858.454.3321
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You appreciate excellence...
We create it.
FLORAL FANTASIES REALIZED BLOOMERS OF LA JOLLA • 7520 EADS AVENUE • LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA 92037 • (858) 454-3913
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Working together in harmony! Thanks for being our trusted partner, La Jolla Music Society.
We are proud to sponsor Summerfest as we work to create a healthy and vibrant community in the Village.
7825 Fay Ave | La Jolla, CA 92037 | lajollasportsclub.com
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QUALITY SERVICE EXPERIENCE INNOVATION Chairs to China
Linens to Lighting
Tables to Tents
bright.com • 858.496.9700
Proud Supporter of the La Jolla Music Society Los Angeles • West Los Angeles • Santa Barbara • Orange County • San Diego Palm Springs • San Francisco • Sonoma • Saint Helena • Healdsburg • Phoenix
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GOURMET
experiences From the award-winning Westgate Room restaurant, to the legendary Sunday Brunch in the regal Le Fontainebleau Room, let us transport you to a universe of exceptional gastronomy. The Westgate is already unforgettable. Make it truly memorable with a meal to remember. ••• Theatre Night Special ~ Enjoy complimentary 3-hour parking with a minimum purchase of $59 at Westgate Room. ••• westgatehotel.com | 1055 Second Ave. | San Diego, CA 92101
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A SYMPHONY O F TA S T E George’s at the Cove is a Proud Community Partner in support of
THE CONRAD The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
experience g e o rg e s a t t h e co v e . co m •
858.454.4244 •
1 2 5 0 P ro s p e c t S t re e t , L a J o l l a , C A 9 2 0 3 7
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WE ARE CALIFORNIA’S
BUSINESS BANC. Proud Partner and the Official Bank of
LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY Every day, business owners, entrepreneurs, executives and community leaders are being empowered by Banc of California to reach their dreams and strengthen our economy. With more than $10 billion in assets and over 30 banking locations throughout the state, we are large enough to meet your banking needs, yet small enough to serve you well.
Learn more about how we’re empowering California through its diverse businesses, entrepreneurs and communities at
bancofcal.com
TOGETHER WE WIN
TM
© 2019 Banc of California, N.A. All rights reserved.
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Breathtaking Views, Uniquely California Cuisine For Every Occasion
ARValentien.com | 858.777.6635
LPT_LJMS_ARV_2018.indd 1
9/18/2018 2:20:21 PM
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COMING UP... JANUARY EMANUEL AX
FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022 · 8 PM Piano Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
ZOLTÁN FEJÉRVÁRI
SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2022 · 3 PM Discovery Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
ALONZO KING LINES BALLET
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022 · 8 PM Dance Series Civic Theatre
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 · 8 PM Jazz Series Balboa Theatre
CONNECT TO THE CONRAD — JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 · 8 PM Jazz Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
SOUNDS OF ZAMAR
NAT GEO LIVE! NIZAR IBRAHIM
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022 · 7 PM Speaker Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
123 ANDRÉS
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2022 9:30 AM & 11:30 AM
SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2022 · 8 PM
The ConRAD Kids Series The JAI
Global Roots Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
GOITSE
FEBRUARY
COUNTERPOINT CONRAD TAO & CALEB TEICHER FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2022 · 8 PM ProtoStar Innovative Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
DREAMERS’ CIRCUS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI The JAI
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 · 6:30 PM & 8:30 PM Concerts @ The JAI The JAI
DOVER QUARTET WITH ESCHER STRING QUARTET
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022 · 8 PM Revelle Chamber Music Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
XAVIER FOLEY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2022 · 3 PM Discovery Series The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
EMANUEL AX
86 L A
JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY · 2021-22 SEASON
L J M S . O R G · 8 5 8 . 4 5 9. 37 2 8