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WELCOME
WELCOME FROM THE OPENING NIGHT COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS
We could not be more thrilled to welcome you to Opening Night at the Hollywood Bowl—a celebration 100 years in the making. A century ago, Southern California music lovers gathered together under the stars to inaugurate the first summer-long orchestral music festival in the country. Today, we keep the tradition they started alive and well, at what has grown to become one of the world’s most iconic concert venues.
We are delighted to share this momentous occasion with an audience of generous supporters of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who make everything we do on stage and in the community possible. And the talent on display this evening speaks to the incredible community of musicians and artists who love the Bowl just like we do: Gustavo Dudamel, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gwen Stefani, Branford Marsalis, Eric Revis, Matthew Howard, María Dueñas, Roberto Bolle, Tiler Peck, Let It Happen, the UCLA and USC marching bands, and, of course, extraordinary players from YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles).
Dudamel’s signature initiative and the centerpiece of the LA Phil’s Learning and Community Engagement programs, YOLA provides 1,500 musicians ages five through 18 with free instruments, intensive music instruction, academic support, and performance opportunities across Los Angeles and around the world.
Your attendance at Opening Night helps make this work—and so much more— possible for the LA Phil and the Hollywood Bowl. We hope you enjoy this special evening, as we embark on our second century of unforgettable nights under the stars at the Hollywood Bowl!
Sincerely,
Opening Night Gala Co-Chairs
Gregory A. Adams Andrea Chao-Kharma
R. Martin ChavezLisa Field
WELCOME TO THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL!
Chad Smith Thank you for joining us as we launch the celebration of the Hollywood Bowl’s 100th season. Tonight’s incredible program pays homage to the storied history of the Bowl, with nods to the broad range of artists who have built this LA icon’s legacy. But tonight is also about looking forward: to both the next century of music on this stage and the next generation of music leaders who participate in the LA Phil’s learning programs including YOLA, which this event will help to support.
The creation of the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford amphitheaters is indebted to visionary women: Artie Mason Carter and Christine Wetherill Stevenson, respectively. Carter tirelessly fundraised— even selling her diamond ring—to finance the first Bowl stage, which from its humble origins would go on to host the likes of Igor Stravinsky, Roland Hayes, Jascha Heifetz, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and even The Beatles. Carter envisioned the Bowl as a musical gathering place for all audiences, saying, “People must first learn to sing together, and then they will learn to work together.”
That sentiment is still at the heart of our mission at the LA Phil and Hollywood Bowl. The LA Phil is proud of its long partnership with Los Angeles County, and the Bowl is not just our summer home, it is a stage for all of Los Angeles. Thank you again for being here tonight. We hope you enjoy the show.
