Performances Magazine | L.A. Master Chorale, January 2025
JASON MAX FERDINAND CONDUCTS! JANUARY 19, 2025
GRANT GERSHON, KIKI & DAVID GINDLER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
JENNY WONG, ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
REENA ESMAIL, SWAN FAMILY ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
P1 Program
Cast, performances, who’s who, director’s notes and donors
6 In the Wings
L.A. Phil's Mahler Grooves Festival at Walt Disney Concert Hall; Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal at UCLA's Hammer Museum; Pacific Symphony names new music director.
12 And the Grammy Goes To . . .
The Grammy Awards have deep meaning for L.A. artists in the classical, musical theater and jazz genres. Sometimes noted at the pop-rock-rap primetime ceremony, they have their own the same day.
17 Kids Allowed
At Shure Design Studio, designer Candace Shure ensures that even families with young children need not forfeit sophisticated interiors.
22 Instant Classic!
The Benjamin Hollywood on Melrose Avenue is a contemporary ode to classic American dishes and Hollywood hangouts.
32 Parting Thought
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NEW DIRECTION
THE PACIFIC Symphony has named Alexander Shelley its third music director; he succeeds Carl St.Clair, who led the orchestra for 35 years and becomes its music director laureate in the fall. Shelley has served as both music director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra and principal associate conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for 10 years; he has been artistic and music director of Florida’s Artis—Naples and Naples Philharmonic since 2023. He has led 40 world premieres; symphony cycles by Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms; and projects including the multimedia Life Reflected, celebrating Canadian female pioneers, and balletcommission program Encount3rs. Shelley leads the Pacific Symphony May 1 at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall; the program features works by Beethoven and Habibi and piano soloist George Li; it opens with Tan Dun’s Jubilation. The music director designate takes the podium for four classical subscription weeks next season and eight in 2026-27. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.755.5799, pacificsymphony.org
Here and opposite, Pacific Symphony music director designate Alexander Shelley
Genre-Bending
THE HAMMER MUSEUM at UCLA presents Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal, the first museum exhibition inspired by the life and legacy of the jazz musician and devotional leader (1937–2007). The show, Feb. 9-May 4, features ephemera from the Coltrane archive—including handwritten correspondence, unreleased audio recordings and rarely seen video footage—alongside sculpture, painting, photography and installations; it’s named for Coltrane’s 1977 book Monument Eternal, a reflection on her spiritual beliefs and genrebending music. Many of the works were created especially for the exhibition, which features 19 Black American artists whose lives and practices were impacted and influenced by Coltrane; among them are Steven Ellison (aka Flying Lotus), Star Feliz, Rashid Johnson, Jasper Marsalis, Cauleen Smith and Martine Syms. The exhibition is divided into three themes that reflect Coltrane’s creativity and artistry: Sonic Innovation, Spiritual Transcendence, and Architectural Intimacy. 10899 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 310.443.7000, hammer.ucla.edu
From top left: Alice Coltrane, ca. 1978; Rashid Johnson, Gotta Match, 2014; Jamal Cyrus, Horn Beam Effigy, 2022 (detail). Opposite clockwise from top: Adee Roberson, Tempo (Cosmogram #1), 2023; Jamal Cyrus, Untitled (Grand Verbalizer What Time Is It?), 2010; Gozié Ojini, 44.6 lbs, 2024
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: GINA CLYNE; MICHAEL O’BRIEN / INMAN GALLERY, HOUSTON; CHRIS HERITY
RECITALS OF NOTE
FOREVER OBSESSED WITH Gustav Mahler, Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel launches the Mahler Grooves Festival at Walt Disney Concert Hall. “Mahler’s Journey,” Feb. 20-23, features excerpts from his first and tenth symphonies; Blumine was removed from Symphony No. 1 after a few performances but rediscovered in the 1960s; baritone Simon Keenlyside is soloist for Des Knaben Wunderhorn. The Seventh Symphony, the “symphony of everything,” is the focus at “Song of the
Night” (Feb. 27–28, Mar. 1). “Gustav and Alma” (Mar. 6-9) explores the Mahlers’ relationship via Gustav’s Fifth Symphony and Alma’s Five Songs; Sasha Cooke is mezzosoprano soloist. A Mahlerthon takes place Mar. 2. Part 1, noon at Santa Monica High School, features the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA); Part 2, 5 p.m. at UCLA Philharmonia, presents UCLA, USC and Colburn orchestras and Los Angeles Master Chorale. Disney Hall, 111. S. Grand Ave., downtown, 323.850.2000, laphil.com
Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, soloist for “Gustav and Alma” at the L.A. Phil’s Mahler Grooves Festival
And the Grammy Goes to . .
.
“It’s an honor to be nominated” is not just a catchphrase. Grammy Awards recognition has deep meaning for Los Angeles musical artists. / by LIBBY SLATE /
WHEN YOU THINK of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, naturally what first comes to mind is Las Vegas.
Okay, maybe not. But on April 3, 2022, Vegas was the setting for the ensemble’s win at the 64th Grammy Awards: Best Choral Performance, for a recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, “Symphony of a Thousand.”
Master Chorale artistic director Grant Gershon accepted on behalf of all the winning participants: the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its music and artistic
director Gustavo Dudamel; the Master Chorale; and the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, National Children’s Chorus and Pacific Chorale and their respective artistic directors. The recording was culled from performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall downtown in 2019.
“When they called out the recording, I just couldn’t believe it!” Gershon relates. “I gave this little speech and thanked everybody because, especially in this category, this is the ultimate group award experience. It’s
Opposite: Grammy Award winners and nominees past and present; the Grammys are considered the highest honor of the recording industry.
wonderful to be able to feel like you’re accepting this award on behalf of so many different people.”
Presented by the National Academy of
Recording Arts & Sciences, commonly known as the Recording Academy, Grammys are considered the highest honor of the record-
ing industry. Noted for their splashy award ceremonies and televised in primetime, they honor the likes of Beyoncé (top winner so far, with 32),
Taylor Swift (14) and Kendrick Lamar (17).
But here are a few fun facts. Conductor Sir Georg Solti is the top male Grammy Award winner, with 31 statuettes. Classical composerconductor Pierre Boulez is tied with film composer John Williams at 26—one more than piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz’s 25.
Operatic soprano Leontyne Price’s 14 wins equal Swift’s. And when it comes to groups, chamber music ensemble Emerson String Quartet has won more Grammys than the Beatles (9 vs. 7).
Genres such as classical, musical theater and jazz, though sometimes noted or recognized on the pop-rock-rap-oriented primetime Grammys ceremony, have their own awards fest, known as the Premiere Ceremony, held the same day.
This year’s ceremony takes place at the Peacock Theater downtown Sunday, Feb. 2, at 12:30 p.m. PST. It can be viewed via livestream on live.grammy.com and on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel.
This year, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Master Chorale are
/CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
JAMIE PHAM
Los Angeles Master Chorale artistic director Grant Gershon
The Wallis and Los Angeles Ballet Present
Memoryhouse
Jan 30-Feb 1, 2025
“A past we must never forget, a moment in history etched in time, never to be forgotten.”
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Principal Sponsor of the world premiere: The David and Janet Polak Foundation
2024/2025 Season
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welcome
SCOTT ALTMAN, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Dear Friend of the Master Chorale,
Before we dive into the details of our first concert of 2025, I want to take a moment to honor the extraordinary legacy of our beloved Marshall Rutter, who passed away last month. Marshall was more than a co-founder of the Master Chorale; he was its heart and soul, a constant presence and a guiding light on our Board of Directors for six remarkable decades.
Marshall’s unwavering commitment to our institution, our artists and our patrons was unparalleled. Under his guidance, the Master Chorale flourished into one of the world’s foremost professional choirs. His tireless leadership extended beyond our walls to Chorus America, where he championed the transformative power of choral music, and helped spark the choral renaissance we enjoy today.
Marshall cared deeply about everyone involved in this art form—from the performers on stage to the listeners in the audience—always seeking to bring joy, inspiration and meaning through choral music. His memory will continue to inspire us for generations to come.
We will pay tribute to Marshall by dedicating our winter and spring concerts to his legacy.
And now, welcome to Lift Every Voice | Jason Max Ferdinand Conducts!
This evening’s concert is the first of four incredible productions programmed for the second half of our 2024/25 Season. In addition to Lift Every Voice, our Grammy award-winning artists will perform the iconic Carmina Burana featuring a world premiere from Swan Artist-in-Residence Reena Esmail; the remarkable North American premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s Dream Requiem; and our seasonending New Renaissance, a celebration of the Master Chorale’s past, present and future. It is a celebration
of music that honors this watershed moment in our history—our 60th Anniversary Season.
What better way to start the new year than with the innovative artist Jason Max Ferdinand. Widely regarded as a genius and a wunderkind in the choral field, Ferdinand is a decorated composer, author and educator. Tonight, you will also enjoy a world premiere of an original composition by Ferdinand, part of the Master Chorale’s 25 in 5. Through this ambitious initiative, the Chorale is commissioning 25 new works over the course of five seasons, with an emphasis on composers who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives. These works challenge expectations and enrich the choral art form by incorporating a mosaic of cultural influences.
We are also preparing our special 60th anniversary GALA 2025 when we will celebrate Marshall Rutter’s legacy and 60 years of Master Chorale music. Grammy Award-winning composer Billy Childs will also be our special guest artist at GALA 2025, and attendees will be immersed in Doug Aitken’s breathtaking multimedia installation LIGHTSCAPE. The event will also celebrate the influential artists-in-residence who, with the ensemble, have created some of modern choral music’s most important and memorable works. As a champion of living composers, we know Marshall would have loved this. We will also pay tribute to the past board chairs and presidents who have helped lead the Master Chorale throughout its history.
We hope you will join us in celebrating Marshall’s incredible life and legacy at GALA 2025 and for all the incredible things we have in store for this year. We are endlessly grateful for your patronage.
Scott Altman President & Chief Executive Officer
PHOTO CREDIT: AARON CONWAY
grant gershon
KIKI & DAVID GINDLER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Hailed for his adventurous and bold artistic leadership, Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director, celebrates his 24th season with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, which he transformed into the “bestby-far major chorus in America” (Los Angeles Times).
In 2022, Grant and the Chorale received the Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance, followed by Chorus America’s 2022 Korn Founders Award for his career-spanning leadership in the field of choral music.
In July of 2023, Grant and the Chorale made a triumphant return to the famed Salzburg Festival with Music to Accompany a Departure (Heinrich Schütz), directed by Peter Sellars. About the performances, the Süddeutsche Zeitung declared “Everything is warmth, radiance and emotion,” and the Augsburger Allgemein wrote “And what a choir! Flawless intonation . . . lightflooded transparency and an almost unearthly tonal richness.” In the 2023/24 season, the Chorale toured this groundbreaking production to Chicago, Toronto, and Stanford University, and will take it to Brussels and Paris in June of 2025.
Grant enjoys a close working relationship with many of the leading composers of our time, including his long-time collaborator, John Adams. Grant led the world premiere performances of Adams’s opera Girls of the Golden West with the San Francisco Opera, and his theater piece I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky for the Lincoln Center Festival. Adams wrote his two-piano masterpiece Hallelujah Junction specifically for Grant, who premiered it with fellow pianist Gloria Cheng. Grant also led the world premieres of two operas that have quickly become classics: Daniel Catán’s Il Postino (LA Opera) and Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath (Minnesota Opera). With the Chorale, he has led countless premieres of works by composers including Esa-Pekka Salonen,
Steve Reich, Tania Léon, Reena Esmail, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Louis Andriessen, among many others.
In addition to the Grammy Award-winning (Best Choral Performance) Mahler: Symphony No. 8 with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic, Grant’s discography with the Chorale includes recordings of music by Nico Muhly, Henryk Górecki, David Lang, and Steve Reich for Decca, Nonesuch, and Cantaloupe Records. He has also led the Chorale in performances for several major motion picture soundtracks, including, at the request of John Williams, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. On film he has conducted Gianni Schicchi and Il Postino with LA Opera for Sony Classical.
As resident conductor of LA Opera, Grant led the acclaimed West Coast premiere of Philip Glass’s Satyagraha. He made his company debut with a rapturously received run of La Traviata in 2009, and subsequently conducted productions of Il Postino, Madama Butterfly, Carmen, Florencia en el Amazonas, Wonderful Town, The Tales of Hoffmann, and The Pearl Fishers, among others. Grant has frequently led opera performances with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
In New York, Grant has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and at the historic Trinity Wall Street. He has been featured on the Great Performers series at Lincoln Center and the Making Music series at Zankel Hall. Other major appearances include performances at the Ravinia, Aspen, Edinburgh, Helsinki, Salzburg, and Vienna festivals; Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Barbican in London, and the Paris Philharmonie. He has had the honor of working closely with numerous legendary conductors including Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, James Conlon, Gustavo Dudamel, Zubin Mehta, Simon Rattle, and his mentor, Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Jason Max Ferdinand
CONDUCTOR
Jason Max Ferdinand, Professor— Conductor—Composer—Speaker, is an inspirational musician, leader, and teaching mentor whose gifts are sought after by choirs and orchestras in the USA and internationally. Since 2022 he has served as the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Maryland, College Park, having spent the preceding 14 years as professor at Oakwood University, where he conducted the renowned Aeolians of Oakwood University.
He is the founding artistic director of The Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, which, since its inception in 2021, has performed to enraptured sold-out audiences. He is a published author and composer with GIA Publications, featuring the books Teaching with Heart: Tools for Addressing Societal Challenges Through Music and The Jason Max Ferdinand Choral Series (Walton Music).
Ferdinand began his tenure at Oakwood University in 2008. Performing repertoire from the baroque to the 21st century, he led the Aeolians of Oakwood University in performances throughout the United States and in Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, the UK, Europe, and Russia. In 2012, the Aeolians visited Moscow as part of the Russia-US Bilateral Presidential Commission on development of cooperation between Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama. The same year, their performance at the 7th World Choir Games earned them three gold medals and the overall championship for the Spiritual category. In 2015 Ferdinand made his debut at Carnegie Hall conducting the Aeolians, the Altino Brothers Concert Chorale, and the Beyond Boundaries Symphony Orchestra. He directed the Aeolians as they accompanied soprano Kathleen Battle at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center in Birmingham, Alabama as part of her “Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey” Concert Series. He returned to the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center in 2016 to direct the Alabama Symphony Orchestra as they accompanied the Aeolians in a collaborated annual Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute. The 2017 Aeolians won the coveted Choir of the World Award, with Ferdinand being awarded the Most Outstanding Director. In 2018, his choir won three gold medals in the 10th World Choir Games and were overall champions in both the University Choir and Spiritual categories. In 2019, the Aeolians gave a landmark performance at
the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Convention with popular consent agreeing that “they broke the ACDA.” Their album The Aeolians was also released in 2019.
The unique circumstances of 2021 opened the opportunity to birth The Jason Max Ferdinand Singers in an online concert filmed for the VOCES8 Foundation’s LIVE from London festival. The ensemble began its unifying journey to breathe life into choral works of underrepresented composers and positively affect the cultural health of our world. The Jason Max Ferdinand Singers album Solace was released in 2021. In 2023 the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers performed at the ACDA National Conference in Cincinnati, which included a surprise appearance from Jacob Collier. This followed their appearance on Saturday Night Live with Coldplay and Jacob Collier.
Cultural maladies presented during the Covid pandemic inspired the compilation Teaching with Heart: Tools for Addressing Societal Challenges Through Music to provide support and encouragement for music educators. He continues to actively compose, and curates The Jason Max Ferdinand Choral Series for Walton Music. His greatest passion is watching the young composers and conductors he has mentored become conductors and composers in their own right. He loves to teach and was honored to be the 2017–18 Teacher of the Year at Oakwood University.
Ferdinand maintains a busy schedule as guest conductor and lecturer at schools, universities, churches, and choral festivals and conferences, in both the USA and internationally. He is energized when he gets the chance to make music with All-State and festival choirs. He has enjoyed collaborations with Jacob Collier, Donald Lawrence, Take 6, and others in recent years.
A native of Trinidad & Tobago, Ferdinand received his Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance from Oakwood College (now Oakwood University), his Master of Arts in Choral Conducting from Morgan State University, and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Maryland. He is thankful for his parents, Dr. T. Leslie and Mary Ferdinand, who are both retired educators. He is married to Meka, a registered nurse, and they are the parents of Caleb, Ava, and baby Jamē.
los angeles master chorale
The Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles Master Chorale is the “the finest-by-far major chorus in America” (Los Angeles Times) and a vibrant cultural treasure. Hailed for its powerful performances, technical precision, and artistic daring, the Chorale is led by Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director; Associate Artistic Director Jenny Wong; and President & CEO Scott Altman. Its Swan Family Artist-in-Residence is Reena Esmail.
Created by legendary conductor Roger Wagner in 1964, the Chorale is a founding resident company of The Music Center and choirin-residence at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The Chorale reaches over 175,000 people a year through performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall, its international touring of innovative works, and its collaborations with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and others.
The Chorale’s discography includes the LA Philharmonic’s Deutsche Grammophon recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 , for which the Chorale won a Best Choral Performance Grammy with the National Children’s Chorus, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus and Pacific Chorale. The Chorale released The Sacred Veil by Eric Whitacre in 2020. Under the direction of Grant Gershon, the Chorale has released eight commercial recordings, and is featured on the soundtracks of many major motion pictures, including Star Wars: The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.
The Chorale toured its productions of Lagrime di San Pietro , and Heinrich Schütz’s Music to Accompany a Departure , both directed by Peter Sellars, earning rave reviews across the globe, citing the Chorale’s performances as “painfully beautiful,” (Süddeutsche Zeitung) “transcendent” and “incomparably moving” (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times).
LISA EDWARDS PIANIST
Lisa Edwards is a widely sought after pianist, keyboard collaborator and teacher, based in Los Angeles. She is the pianist/ music assistant for Los Angeles Master Chorale, under the direction of Grant Gershon, the Kiki and David Gindler Artistic Director. As a project collaborator, Ms. Edwards is frequently involved with preparing productions with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Such projects include John Adams’ operas El Nino, Nixon in China, A Flowering Tree, and The Gospel According to the Other Mary, as well as Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Peri, Stravinsky’s Persephone, Oedipus Rex and Symphony of Psalms , Shostakovich’s Prologue
to Orango, and Bernstein’s Mass, among others. Performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Green Umbrella series include War of the Worlds by Annie Gosfteld and Lou Harrison’s opera Young Caesar. Other performances include, Steve Reich’s You Are (Variations) at Avery Fischer Hall, Stravinsky’s Les Noces at Walt Disney Concert Hall and Ian Krause’s Lorca , Child of the Moon at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts. In July 2023, she performed at the Salzburg Festival with Los Angeles Master Chorale in Sofia Gubaidulina’s Sonnengesang and Music to Accompany a Departure, the Chorale’s acclaimed staging of Heinrich Schutz’s Musikalische Exequien, directed by Peter Sellars. Ms. Edwards also plays at the esteemed Carmel Bach Festival. On disc, she can be heard on two Nonesuch recordings of Steve Reich’s music, You Are (Variations) and Daniel Variations , and Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil.
lift every voice
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2025 AT 7 PM
WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
GRANT GERSHON
Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director
JENNY WONG
Associate Artistic Director
REENA ESMAIL
Swan Family Artist-in-Residence
LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE
JASON MAX FERDINAND, conductor
LISA EDWARDS, piano
…to sing
Steal Away
Traditional Spiritual arr. Diedre Robinson
Lift Every Voice and Sing J. Rosamond Johnson (1873–1954) arr. Roland Carter
Psalm 57
…to express self
Betty Jackson King (1928–1994)
O Praise the Lord Adolphus Hailstork
Chloé Vaught, soprano*
Garineh Avakian, alto*
Todd Strange, tenor*
Jamal Moore, bass*
…to share joy
Just in Time ( world premiere , 25 in 5 commission )
Jason Max Ferdinand Hallelujah Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
…to share our stories
Zion’s Walls William Dawson (1899–1990)
Caroline McKenzie, soprano*
My Lord What A Mourning
The Battle of Jericho
Traditional Spiritual arr. William Dawson
Traditional Spiritual April Amante, soprano* arr. Moses Hogan (1957–2003)
INTERMISSION
…to bring hope
Soon I Will Be Done
Swing Down, Chariot
Traditional Spiritual arr. John Stoddart
Traditional Spiritual arr. Ken Burton
The Promised Land Ken Burton
Derrell Acon, spoken word*
…to experience the journey of life Keramos James Mulholland
World O World Jacob Collier
*24/25 jennifer diener soloists
This program is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Susan Erburu Reardon and George Reardon Commissioning Fund, and the Jennifer Diener Soloist Fund.
Acknowledgments
The Los Angeles Master Chorale acknowledges our presence on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Tongva people and their neighbors, whose ancestors ruled the region we now call Southern California for at least 9,000 years. We pay respects to the members and elders of these communities, past and present, who remain stewards, caretakers, and advocates of these lands, river systems, and ocean waters.
The Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2024/25 season is made possible by generous support from Terri and Jerry Kohl; the Perenchio Foundation; the Z. Wayne Griffin and Elinor Remick Warren Choral Classics Fund; the Joan and Jeff Beal Artistic Innovation Fund; the Jennifer Diener Soloist Fund; the Susan Erburu Reardon and George Reardon Commissioning Fund; Bryant, Judi, and Debra Danner; Kiki Ramos Gindler and David Gindler; Cheryl Petersen and Roger Lustberg; Tom Strickler; Courtland Palmer; Joni and Miles Benickes; James R. Mulally; Ron Myrick; the Andrea and Gregory Williams Collaborating Artists Fund; Margaret Sheehy Collins; the National Endowment for the Arts; and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture.
The Los Angeles Master Chorale’s Swan Family Artist-in-Residence is made possible by Kristan and Philip Swan.
AmaWaterways is the Official River Cruise Line of the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
MEDIA PARTNERS
Your use of a ticket acknowledges your willingness to appear in photographs taken in public areas of The Music Center and releases the Center and its lessees and others from liability resulting from use of such photographs. Use of any phones, cameras, or recording devices is prohibited during the performance.
Program and artists subject to change. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of House Management.
Members of the audience who leave during the performance will be escorted back into the concert hall at the sole discretion of House Management.
Allied by Birth: A Choral Journey
THOMAS MAY
When Jason Max Ferdinand designs a program, his aim is for the performers and audience alike to experience not just a concert but “a kind of journey” undertaken as a community. “We need to have hope, and hope is in humanity working together as we go through this journey of life. That was my original intent in putting this program together,” he says.
Ferdinand has emerged as a prominent choral thought leader through his activities as a conductor, composer, professor, and international speaker. All of these are rooted in a holistic approach to the choral art that is similarly reflected in the title of his 2021 book Teaching with Heart: Tools for Addressing Societal Challenges through Music
“All that inhabit this great earth . . . Are kindred and allied by birth”: These lines from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1878 poem “Keramos,” which we will hear sung near the end of the program, encapsulate what Ferdinand describes as the “overarching sentiment” of the selections he has curated.
If you look back at the program’s contents page, you will notice that Ferdinand has divided this choral journey into six thematic sections or stages, beginning with the impulse “to sing.” It was through their intrepid singing that the Fisk Jubilee Singers revealed the artistic value of African American spirituals to a wider public. This vocal ensemble was initially formed in the 1870s to help support one of the first historically Black colleges to spring up following the Civil War.
The Jubilee Singers helped popularize our first selection, Steal Away, which has been credited to the Choctaw Freedman Wallace Willis and his daughter, who became known as Aunt Minerva; we hear the ethereal arrangement by Diedre Robinson. Along with the longing it expresses for a spiritual journey, Steal Away—like a number of what W.E.B. Du Bois famously dubbed “sorrow
songs”—simultaneously served to encode practical messages to direct enslaved people embarking on the perilous journey toward freedom. In fact, the majority of the Fisk Jubilee Singers themselves had formerly been enslaved and thus had firsthand knowledge of this additional significance in their singing of spirituals.
Ferdinand took the title for this program from Lift Every Voice and Sing, for which John Rosamond Johnson set words by his poet brother James Weldon Johnson to music. The official anthem of the NAACP since 1917, this hymn became a rallying cry throughout the Civil Rights movement: “Let us march on till victory is won.”
The section “to express self” is comprised of a pair of Psalm settings. Ferdinand highlights the neglected composer, singer, conductor, and pianist Betty Jackson King with her a cappella response to Psalm 57 from 1972. In O Praise the Lord, Adolphus Hailstork uses vividly varied textures to set the familiar Psalm 117. Hailstork, who is now in his 80s and still active, has been a beacon to a new generation of Black composers. His formative experiences singing as boy soprano in Episcopal services and in the Howard University Choir fundamentally shaped his musical language.
Ferdinand’s own most recently composed composition begins the section “to share joy.” He was well advanced in his contribution to the LA Master Chorale’s 25 in 5 Commission initiative when he decided to start over with a piece responding to “the divisions within the United States.” As Ferdinand observes, they suggest that “the unity we once celebrated may be more fragile than we realized. In these challenging times, many are searching for a beacon of hope—a glimmer of love to bring solace to their souls.” Just in Time, to a text by Jason and Meka Ferdinand, “is intended to uplift our collective spirits” and “offers an opportunity to connect with the healing power of music, providing comfort and hope to those in need.”
Beethoven’s 1802 oratorio Christus am Ölberge (“Christ on the Mount of Olives”) is based on a scene from the Passion story set in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hallelujah, sung by a chorus of angels at its conclusion, is the best-known part of this rarely performed work. Ferdinand notes that Martin Luther King, Jr. especially prized the music of Beethoven, while his wife, Coretta Scott King, was a classically trained singer. “The energy of this chorus is riveting and provides a five-minute insight into the genius of Beethoven.”
In the section “to share our stories,” Ferdinand similarly draws attention to the genius of William Levi Dawson—“which was not as accepted in his own lifetime as it should have been.” Dawson’s arrangements of traditional African American spirituals transformed his source material “into different garb, something more akin to motets.” Moses Hogan carried on Dawson’s legacy of the concert spiritual through such achievements as his dramatically riveting arrangement of The Battle of Jericho
Featuring extensive interpolations from the keyboard, the innovative choral fantasy on Soon I Will Be Done by the Philadelphia-born singer/ songwriter/pianist/arranger John Stoddart begins the section “to bring hope.” Ferdinand has also chosen a pair of selections by his friend Ken Burton, a British composer, arranger, and conductor of Jamaican heritage. Especially well known for his contributions as a consultant and choral conductor to the Black Panther soundtrack, Burton is represented by his setting of Swing Down, Chariot (another spiritual attributed to Wallace Willis) as well as his original composition The Promised Land
Along with Lift Every Voice, Ferdinand considers The Promised Land one of the pillars of his program. It incorporates a tapestry of quotations
centered around Martin Luther King, Jr.’s visionary “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, delivered the day before his assassination in 1968. Burton also sets texts from Paul Laurence Dunbar, William Blake, and Thomas Day and John Bicknell. “The promised land is a place of refuge, a place of freedom, a place where we come together,” according to Ferdinand.
Making a fitting close to the program, the section “to experience the journey of life” juxtaposes a contemporary classic with music by the young generation. The prolific American choral composer James Q. Mulholland, who has taught for more than half a century at Butler University in Indiana, combines his passion for literature and music in Keramos. Based on a Longfellow poem also known as “The Potter’s Wheel,” Mulholland’s 1997 choral work considers the journey of life itself: “What now is bud will soon be leaf. What now is leaf will soon decay. The wind blows east, the wind blows west . . . ”
In 2013, the English singer/songwriter, multiinstrumentalist, and producer Jacob Collier, now 30, first experienced Ferdinand’s artistry when he heard the Aeolians of Oakwood University— then under the conductor’s leadership—in a London concert.
“It was a performance that changed the course of my life forever,” writes the multiple-Grammy Award-winning Collier, who at a young age had been taken under the wing of the late Quincy Jones. World O World is the piece he vowed on the spot to one day write for Ferdinand and his ensemble. They recorded World O World in Nashville for Collier’s 2024 album Djesse Vol. 4. The journey Ferdinand has curated for the LA Master Chorale reaches its end with the intensely felt close vocal harmonies setting the words: “Until we meet again . . . Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.”
Thomas May is the program annotator for the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
los angeles master chorale
SOPRANO
April Amante
Graycen Gardner
Kelci Hahn
Elissa Johnston
Caroline McKenzie
Alina Roitstein
Holly Sedillos
Sunmi Shin
Kathryn Shuman
Chloé Vaught
Suzanne Waters
Andrea Zomorodian
ALTO
Garineh Avakian
Anna Caplan
Janelle Destefano
Carmen Edano
Shabnam Kalbasi
Sharmila G. Lash
Alice Kirwan Murray
Lindsay Patterson
Abdou
Ilana Summers
Kimberly Switzer
Kristen Toedtman
Elyse Willis
TENOR
Casey Breves
Matthew Brown
Adam Faruqi
Michael Jones
Jon Lee Keenan
Dermot Kiernan
Charlie Kim
Shawn Kirchner
Joey Krumbein
Charles Lane
Evan Roberts
Todd Strange
BASS
Derrell Acon
Michael Bannett
John Buffett
Will Goldman
Abdiel Gonzalez
James Hayden
Jared Jones
Ben Han-Wei Lin
Brett McDermid
Jamal Moore
Adrien Redford
Mark Edward Smith
The Artists of the Los Angeles Master Chorale are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO, James Hayden, AGMA Delegate.
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For every new reservation on a 2024 or 2025 Europe or Mekong River cruise, AmaWaterways will donate $100 to the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Must mention promo code LAMC-100 at time of reservation. Terms & conditions apply.
Call your preferred travel advisor or visit www.AmaWaterways.com/MasterChorale
THE OFFICIAL RIVER CRUISE LINE OF THE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE
donor recognition 2024/25 season
The Los Angeles Master Chorale is honored to recognize the individuals and institutions that generously support our world-class professional choral ensemble and impactful education programs.
We sincerely thank the following individual donors, who have contributed $600 or more to the annual fund from October 1, 2023 through October 31, 2024. Special thanks to our multi-year donors, whose gifts ensure a healthy base for our future.
*In memoriam
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
The Leadership Circle ($100,000+) honors and celebrates the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s most distinguished donor community. Established in 2019 with a challenge grant from the Abbott L. Brown Foundation, the Leadership Circle enables transformative projects—from commissioning, recording, and artistic innovation, to ambitious community engagement programming and touring productions. Members receive exclusive recognition and event experiences throughout the year.
Jeff and Joan Beal
Marla Borowski
Dr. Kathy Cairo
Margaret Sheehy Collins
Bryant, Judi, and Debra Danner
Jennifer Diener
Hon. Michael W. Fitzgerald and Mr. Arturo Vargas
Patrick R. Fitzgerald
William and Patricia Flumenbaum
Kiki Ramos Gindler and David Gindler
Terri and Jerry Kohl
Diane Morton
James R. Mulally
Ron Myrick
Steven P. Neiffer and Eric Lassiter*
Courtland Palmer
Cheryl Petersen and Roger Lustberg
Susan Erburu Reardon and George Reardon
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE
Jennifer and Evan Rosenfeld
Laura Smolowe and Adam O’Byrne
Tom Strickler
Jason Subotky and Anne Akiko Meyers
Kristan and Philip A. Swan
Laney and Tom* Techentin
William M. Tully in loving memory of Jane W. Tully
The Artistic Director’s Circle brings together generous Los Angeles Master Chorale donors in support of the bold vision of Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director. As key stakeholders, members play a vital role in advancing our mission and programs through significant contributions of $50,000–$99,999. Enjoy special opportunities throughout the season to engage with artists, singers, and the music we love.
Joni* and Miles Benickes
Denise and Robert Hanisee Jenny S. Kim and Chip W. Baik
ENSEMBLE CIRCLE
Jerrie Paula Ortega-Brown and Abbott L. Brown
Kathleen Elowitt
Frank and Berta Gehry
Martha and Nora Groves
($25,000–$49,999)
Jennifer Hoang and Brian Krechman
Terry Knowles and Marshall Rutter*
Marjorie Lindbeck
The Lovelace Family in honor of Lillian Lovelace
Molly Munger and Stephen English
SPONSORS CIRCLE ($10,000–$24,999)
Thomas and Judith Beckmen
John and Louise Bryson
Lisa Field
Berkeley and Kristin Harrison
Judith Jenkins
Robin and Craig Justice
Thomas F. Kranz
Shawn Kravich
Anahita and Jim Lovelace
Jane and Edward J.* McAniff
Robert L. Mendow
Carolyn L. Miller
Christine M. Ofiesh
Dr. Clifford and Joyce Penner
Lisa Richardson
Melissa and Alex Romain
Rosemary Schroeder
Eva and Marc Stern
Marian and John* Niles
Casper Partovi and Jackie Petitto
Phyllis and Larry Rothrock*
Grace Sheldon-Williams and Greg Williams
Catherine and Howard* Stone
Priscilla and Curtis Tamkin
Ian and Barbara White-Thomson
Alyce de Roulet Williamson
$5,000–$9,999
Vince Bertoni and Damon Hein
Theodore and Kathy Calleton in memory of Edward J. McAniff
$3,000–$4,999
Diane and Noel Applebaum
Craig and Mary Deutsche
Greg and Jill Hoenes
$1,500–$2,999
Dr. Christina Benson, M.D. and Dr. Kenneth Wells, M.D.
Jerry Bluestein and Regine Wood
James Cronk
Kathleen and Terry* Dooley
Dr. William and Mrs. Mary Duxler
Irma Fitzgibbons in honor of Sonia Randazzo
$600–$1,499
Rob Bailis
Lorri and Steve Benson
Wade and JoAnn Bourne
Barbara Byrne
Ellen Kurth
Jim B. Clarke in honor of Martha Groves
John and Sue Clauss
Eleanor Congdon
Thomas Dwyer and Pamela Perkins-Dwyer
Dr. Annette L. Ermshar and Mr. Dan Monahan
Dr. Reena Esmail and Vijay Gupta
Gordon and Vacharee Fell
Michael Fishbein
Jeanie Fiskin
Kathie and Alan Freeman
Jane Galbraith
Keith Gayhart
Steve Gilbreath in memory of
Lauran Gilbreath
Suzanne Gilman
Evelyn Feintech
Lorna Fitzgerald
Louise Moriarty and Patrick Stack
Neeyah Lynn Rose
Stephens
Lawrence and Mireya Jones
Dr. Patricia A. Keating
Frank* and Mona Mapel
Estate of Robert W. Olsen
Robert and Sally Neely
Bea Nemlaha
Eric Olson and Carol Brode
John Perkins in memory of Ann Perkins
Claudette Rogers
Lorraine Saunders
Booker and Sarita White
Andrew Glassford and Andrew Graff
Paul and Missy Jennings
Elissa Johnston and Grant Gershon
David Kalifon
Thomas and Gloria Lang
Estate of Louise Lepley
June and Simon Li
Jennifer and Joey Li
Susan and Bob Long
Sandra Helen Goodenough
Paul and Janet Gordon
Ms. Diana Gould and Dr. Kirsten Grimstad
Elizabeth and
Jimmy Greenway
Alma Guzman
Beth Hansen in honor of Sonia Randazzo
Mira Hashmall
Liz Levitt Hirsch*
Ann and Christine Horton
Travis J. Howell in memory of James Howell
James Ingalls
Cynthia Ison
Tomoko Iwakawa
Frank Jarvis
Richard P. Jensen
Carrie Kirshman and Jerry Podczaski
G. Brad Klein, M.D. and Victoria Hansen
Christopher W. Knight
Nishan and Cindy Partamian
John Powell
Sue Stamberger
Jocelyn Towne and Simon Helberg
Craig Webb Rudolf H. Ziesenhenne
John Lundgren, M.D. and Susan Jay, Ph.D.
Rob and Christie Martin
Terry and Chip Marvin
Kathleen McCarthy
Mr. Robin Meadow and Ms. Margaret Stevens
Jeff Melvoin
Hannah Pastrano
Gary and Marina Raines
Ilean and Steve* Rogers
Kristina Segesvary
Nancy and Dick Spelke
J. Theodore Struck and Al Whitley*
Melanie and Bill Switzer
Elizabeth Turner
Betsey Tyler
Marilene Wang
Michele and David Wilson
Mr. Ken Kwapis and Ms. Marisa Silver
Dr. Lawrence and Jane Z. Cohen
Edie Lehmann Boddicker
Peggy Loukas
Susan Mackensen
Masako Maki
Barbara and Joel Marcus
Ernesto Martinez
Jerilyn and Peter McAniff
Dr. Nicholas K. Menzies and Dr. Melinda
Herrold-Menzies
Chip and Sharyn Moore
Michael and Marianne S. Newman in honor of
Ted and Jane McAniff
Heidi Novaes
Vic Pallos and Emilie Pallos
Daryl and Sandy Phillips
Marilyn J. Prewoznik
Harold and Penny Ray
Kathleen Reiss
Edwin T. Robinson
Penelope C. Roeder, Ph.D.
Mary Rourke
Daniel Angus Ryan
Margaret Sabbag with appreciation for Lorna Fitzgerald
Barbara and Heinrich Schelbert
Ray and Eleanor Siebert
Marc Seltzer and Chris Snyder
Laurie Samitaur Smith
Carol A. Smith
Tom and Susan Somerset
Barbara A. Teichert
Marjorie Thomson
Rick and Becky Thyne
Paul and Catherine Tosetti
Dr. Iwona Trybus
Christine Upton
David and Rebekah Yanni
Kat and Thomas Zimmerman
roger wagner society
Jeff and Joan Beal
Joni* and Miles Benickes
James Arthur Bond in honor of
Morten Lauridsen
Michael Breitner
Abbott Brown
Linda McNeal Brown
Raun and Jerry Burnham
Dr. Kathy Cairo
Robert Churella
Colburn Foundation
Margaret Sheehy Collins
Elizabeth Hofert Dailey*
Bryant, Judi, and
Debra Danner
William Davis*
Jennifer Diener
Dr. Ann Graham Ehringer*
Hon. Michael and Mr. Patrick Fitzgerald in honor of
James P. Fitzgerald
Claudia* and Mark Foster
Kathie and Alan Freeman
Janice Roosevelt Gerard
Kiki Ramos Gindler and David Gindler
Denise and Robert Hanisee
Geraldine Healy*
Violet Jabara Jacobs*
Curtis Ray Joiner, Jr.*
David Kalifon
Stephen A. Kanter*
Terry Knowles and Marshall Rutter*
Joyce* and Kent Kresa
Lesley Leighton
Louise Lepley*
Marjorie and Roger* Lindbeck
Patricia A. MacLaren
Drs. Marguerite and Robert* Marsh
Jane and
Edward J.* McAniff
Nancy and Robert Miller*
Named for Los Angeles Master Chorale’s founding music director, the Roger Wagner Society honors and recognizes individuals who have expressed their commitment to the art of choral music by making an endowment or planned gift benefitting the Master Chorale.
Through this support, Roger Wagner Society members ensure the long-term fiscal stability of the Master Chorale by creating a legacy that preserves a vital cultural resource for future generations.
The Master Chorale works with The Music Center Foundation as our partner in the secure investment and stewardship of your planned gift.
To learn more about becoming a member of the Roger Wagner Society, please contact Elizabeth Greenway, Chief Advancement Officer, at egreenway@lamasterchorale.org or 213-972-3114.
Diane Morton
Ron Myrick
Raymond R. Neevel*
Steven P. Neiffer and Eric Lassiter*
Joyce and Donald J.* Nores
Robert W. Olsen*
Courtland Palmer
Cheryl Petersen and Roger Lustberg
Hugh Ralston
Susan Erburu Reardon and George Reardon
Elizabeth Redmond*
Penelope C. Roeder, Ph.D.
Ronus Foundation
Phyllis and Larry Rothrock*
Carolyn and Scott Sanford
Barbara and Charles Schneider*
Dona* and David Schultz
Martha Ellen Scott*
Shirley and Ralph Shapiro in honor of Peter Mullin
Anne Shaw and Harrison Price*
Nancy and Richard Spelke
Sue Stamberger
George Sterne and Nicole Baker
Francine and Dal Alan* Swain
Kristan and Philip A. Swan
Dr. Jonathan Talberg
Laney and Tom* Techentin
William M. Tully in loving memory of Jane W. Tully
Madge van Adelsberg*
Margaret White
Robert Wood*
* In memoriam
FOUNDATION, GOVERNMENT, AND CORPORATE SUPPORT
$1,000,000+
LA Arts Recovery Fund
Perenchio Foundation
$100,000–$999,999
The Ahmanson Foundation
AmaWaterways
Colburn Foundation
Dan Murphy Foundation
FEMA & California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
The Music Center Foundation
$50,000–$99,999
Anonymous
Ann Peppers Foundation
The Blue Ribbon
California Arts Council
Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture
Moore Family Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
Edward A. & Ai O. Shay Family Foundation
$20,000–$49,999
Anonymous
California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, Nonprofit Cultural Institutions
Capital Group Corporate Charitable Giving
Chorus America Music Education Partnership
City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
The Green Foundation
LA County Arts and Culture
Creative Recovery LA
Walter J. and Holly O. Thomson Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee
$10,000–$19,999
Hope & Grand Events
Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP
Orange County Opera
The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation
The SahanDaywi Foundation
$1,000–$9,999
The Aaron Copland Fund for Music
The E. Nakamichi Foundation
Employees Community Fund of The Boeing Company California
Friars Charitable Foundation
William H. Hannon Foundation
The Michael and Lori Milken Family Foundation
The Music Man Foundation
Ornest Family Foundation in honor of Martha Groves
Lloyd E. Rigler-Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation
Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts
The Lon V. Smith Foundation
The John and Beverly Stauffer Foundation
Sidney Stern Memorial Trust
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Susan Erburu Reardon Chair
DIRECTORS
Bryant Danner
Jennifer Diener
Lorna Fitzgerald
Grant Gershon*
Kiki Ramos Gindler
William Goldman**
Martha Groves
Robert Hanisee
ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Scott Altman
President & Chief Executive Officer
Grant Gershon
Kiki & David Gindler
Artistic Director
Jenny Wong
Associate Artistic Director
Reena Esmail
Swan Family
Artist-in-Residence
Lisa Edwards
Pianist/Musical Assistant
PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS
Kevin Koelbl Vice President of Artistic Operations
Susie McDermid Director of Production
Anthony Crespo
Production & Personnel Manager
Chris Fox
Production Manager
Jeff Wallace
Technical Director
Adam Noel
Supertitle Operator
Brady Steel Orchestra Manager
Scott Altman* President & CEO
Kristin Techentin
Harrison
Jenn Hoang
Jenny Soonjin Kim
Shawn Kravich
Ron Myrick
Naseem Nixon
Casper Partovi
Lisa Richardson
Tom Strickler Vice Chair
Miles Benickes Treasurer Courtland Palmer Secretary
Laura Smolowe
Phil Swan
William Tully
Tracy Van Fleet**
Andrea D. Williams
HONORARY
Morten J. Lauridsen
Lillian Pierson Lovelace***
ADMINISTRATION
Mark Fugina Orchestra Music Librarian
ADVANCEMENT
Elizabeth Greenway Vice President of Advancement
Pamela Perkins-Dwyer Director of Major Gifts
Andrea Barkan-Kennedy Director of Institutional Giving
Elizabeth Dello Russo
Associate Director of Annual Giving
Lulu Maxfield
Advancement Manager
Kiyono McDaniel
Annual Fund Manager
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION
José Meza
Associate Director of Education
Sarah Gonzalez Director, Youth Chorus LA
Ana Paula Farano
Education Intern
Michael Cassady
Teaching Artist
Saunder Choi
Teaching Artist
Ayana Haviv
Teaching Artist
Alice Kirwan Murray
Teaching Artist
David O
Teaching Artist
Brett Paesel
Teaching Artist
Brian Sonia-Wallace
Teaching Artist
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Steven Neiffer
Vice President of Finance/ Chief Financial Officer
Pablo Corá
Controller
Allie Fukushima
Compensation & Accounting Specialist
Esther Palacios Office Manager
Myrna Diaz
Executive Assistant & Board Liaison
Roey Yitzhary
Staff Accountant
MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Lisa Bellamore
Crescent Communications
EMERITUS
Edward J. McAniff***
Albert J. McNeil***
Clifford A. Miller***
Marshall A. Rutter***
Laney Techentin
* Ex-officio
** Chorale Representative ***In Memoriam
Laura Ferreiro
Interim Marketing Manager
Eli Frances
Interim Digital
Content Manager
CONSULTANTS
Studio Fuse, Inc.
Design Firm
David Lieberman Artist
Booking Representation
Dream Warrior Group
Web Design
Jackson Lewis Counsel
Singer Lewak Public Accountant
WALT DISNEY
CONCERT HALL
Greg Flusty
House Manager
Serge Quintanar
Master Carpenter
Charlie Miledi
Property Master
Marcus Conroy
Master Electrician
Kevin F. Wapner
Master Audio/Video
Mike Wilson
Conservator of the Organ
Kids Allowed
Designer Candace Shure ensures that even families with young children need not forfeit sophisticated interiors. / by ROGER GRODY /
MOST HOMEOWNERS ASSUME that the services of an interior designer are out of their reach, an indulgence akin to buying a yacht or Ferrari. Despite having some celebrity clients, Shure Design Studio is more a resource for families seeking to optimize their residential environ-
ments with comfort and authenticity. Principal designer Candace Shure founded her studio at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. “I had friends and family who were stuck at home staring at their walls, desperately wanting some guidance on refreshing their spaces,” she recalls.
“I jumped at the opportunity to do something creative while being stuck at home myself with my family.”
Growing up in Hemet in Riverside County, Shure has an appreciation for family and close-knit communities, a sensibility apparent in her work. “But the diversity of cultures
Playful and stylish toddler’s room
Whimsical, personalized space for a child, top, and detail.
and vibrant energy of Los Angeles have shaped my style in a way that balances my roots with a more eclectic, urban influence,” she notes.
“I would describe my signature style as ‘layered artful minimalism,’ but I really take direction from my clients,” says Shure. “They’re my muses—I shape my work to make sense for what they want their spaces to feel and look like.”
Shure considers designers Ron Woodson and Jaime Rummerfield her mentors. “They taught me about layering vintage items into projects to give character and depth, about proportion and scale, about being respectful and how to run a business centered in enjoying what you love.
“My typical clients are young families and professionals who want
spaces that feel comfortable and sophisticated without being pretentious,” explains Shure. “Most of them have small children. I feel like I can really speak to that season of life and what’s practical for their homes."
Shure believes the design process should be both enjoyable and collaborative. “I want clients to feel empowered in their design decisions and in our working relationship,” says the designer. She employs a style questionnaire and collects images to identify their tastes.
Art consulting is one of Shure’s specialties, and she maintains relationships with galleries in L.A. and around the country.
“When clients are interested in curating a collection for their space, we work as liaison to make recom-
mendations and help guide them," she explains. Last year, the designer opened a gallery and retail space adjoining her studio in Glassell Park.
“I wanted to create a place that felt elevated, moody and a little unexpected," she says. She hopes it is a place where one can find an objet d’art that proves to be the perfect final touch for a space—or an exciting jumping-off point.
For the redesign of a Spanish Revival home in Atwater Village, Shure says, “We incorporated found objects and other interesting pieces that felt collected over time, not selected from a catalogue page.”
In Altadena, a couple in the
entertainment industry commissioned Shure to transform their two-year-old daughter’s room.
“We wanted to create a joyful space for her,” Shure recalls. “The clients fell hard for the wallpaper. It became the focus of the room.”
The designer used that wallcovering by Green Planet to inspire the color palette and accessories including a custom-colored midcentury lighting fixture by Annette Rawe Mobilés in Germany.
Shure Design Studio 3342 Verdugo Rd., Suite C, L.A. By appointment only. 213.266.7670, shuredesignstudio.com
MICHAEL CLIFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY
In Atwater Village: sophisticated living space, top, and nursery.
LA’s PREMIER WINTER JAZZ FESTIVAL RETURNS!
Pacific Jazz Orchestra with Eva Noblezada
$55 - $158
Lakecia Benjamin, saxophone & Phoenix
JAZZ CLUB
$59 - $79
Christian McBride, bass & Ursa Major
JAZZ CLUB
$59 - $79
Jason Moran, piano Plays Duke Ellington with CSUN Jazz “A” Band
$39 - $89
Kurt Elling Celebrates Weather Report
with Special Guest Peter Erskine Featuring Yellowjackets
$44 - $109
Chucho Valdés: Irakere 50 with Special Guest Arturo Sandoval
$44 - $109
INSTANT CLASSIC
The Benjamin Hollywood on Melrose Avenue
/ by JENN TANAKA /
It’s a cool evening on Melrose Avenue. The wind blows gently, dusting up clusters of dried leaves on the sidewalk. The sound on the pavement layers with the cacophony on the street. Just inside the Benjamin Hollywood, a bouncer in a black suit asks if your party has a reservation. You don’t.
Nathan Oliver’s Be Bright Martini at the Benjamin Hollywood
BERNADETTE PETERS AND LEA SALONGA STAR IN CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S PRODUCTION OF STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S OLD FRIENDS | PHOTO BY DANNY KAAN.
Clockwise from top: deviled eggs; twice-baked potato with caviar; roasted heirloom chicken with salsa verde; Australian wagyu New York steak with cognac cream sauce; Benjamin Burger and fries; whole roasted branzino with red chimichurri.
Fortunately, there are seats at the bar— exactly where you want to be for your first visit to the Benjamin.
The wood-paneled restaurant is in a 1920s Art Deco building. The 15-seat oak bar is the focal point. Surrounding it and the dining room, and evoking Hollywood’s golden age, are elevated banquettes upholstered in velvety mohair. There’s a patio out back.
The menu celebrates classic American bar fare.
Burger and chips with dip sound boring?
Here, they're critically coveted, executed with panache and precision by chef Johnny Cirelle, formerly of Spago, Bestia, and Bavel. The chips are thinly sliced pommes gaufrettes, Kennebec potatoes triple fried for sublime crispiness; caramelized onion dip recall grandparents’ holiday parties. Deviled eggs also delight, bar-friendly finger food that doubles as conversation starter. (When did you last eat a deviled egg at a restaurant? Me: In 2010, at John Fraser’s Michelin-starred Dovetail in New York.)
CELESTIALS: MOBLEY + VIVALDI
JAN 11 | 7:30 PM | The Wallis
JAN 12 | 4 PM | The Huntington
Margaret Batjer LEADER
Reginald Mobley COUNTERTENOR
David Washburn + Paul Merkelo TRUMPETS
IMPRESSIONISTS:
PINTSCHER + DEBUSSY + DeYOUNG
FEB 15 | 7:30 PM | Alex Theatre
FEB 16 | 4 PM | The Wallis
Matthias Pintscher CONDUCTOR
Michelle DeYoung MEZZO
2024/25 SEASON
Reginald Mobley COUNTERTENOR
BOURGEOISIE:
MOZART + HAYDN + HANDEL
MAR 15 | 7:30 PM | Alex Theatre
Jeannette Sorrell CONDUCTOR
Awadagin Pratt PIANO
Michelle DeYoung MEZZO
Awadagin Pratt PIANO
The dining room at the Benjamin Hollywood
Makes you wonder why more places don’t serve food like this.
Even the more elaborate fare—chicken liver pate with blackberry agrodolce, vanilla, thyme and grilled sourdough, a whole roasted brazino with red chimichurri— seems unpretentious.
Cocktails by Nathan Oliver (Church & State, Wolf) focus on classics with an L.A. twist: nine martinis, a yuzu spritz, a non-alcoholic lemongrass Collins. Wines are mostly from France and Italy.
TICKETS LACO.ORG
The Benjamin Hollywood feels both intimate and exclusive, sophisticated in its simplicity.
The restaurant is co-owned by Jared Meisler, Kate Burr, and Ben Shenassafar.
Presumably, it’s named
for Shenassafar, also known as Ben Hundreds, who, as co-founder of The Hundreds, helped define modern L.A. streetwear. The company, known for its screen-printed T-shirts and sweatshirts, recently marked its 20th anniversary.
Melrose Avenue is synonymous with Hollywood style; fashion propelled its reputation. In the 1990s, paparazzi crowded Melrose for photos of Paris Hilton and other celebrities.
The neighborhood has evolved but the Benjamin, which opened in 2023, channels it like a time capsule, highlighting the best of the past for the enjoyment of the present.
featured on two nominated albums in classical categories, both also recorded live at Disney Hall, though only the L.A. Phil is a nominee, for Best Orchestral Performance for Revolución Diamantina. That album features works by composer Gabriela Ortiz and is also up for Best Classical Compendium, Best Contemporary Classical Composition and Best Engineered Album.
Girls of the Golden West, composed and conducted by John Adams and set in the California Gold Rush, is up for Best Opera Recording and Best Engineered Album.
Dmitriy Lipay— engineer on both of those albums with his son Alexander—is also nominated as Classical Producer of the Year.
This year’s nominations for Dudamel and L.A. Phil follow their 2024 win for Best Orchestral Performance—for Dante, a ballet score by Thomas Adès that also features the Master Chorale.
The L.A. Phil’s Fandango recently won two Latin Grammys, presented in Miami by the Latin Recording Academy, for Best Classical Album
in his chorale office, of the Choral Performance award. “In recent years, that particular category has really opened up. It’s very international, and there are more and more boutique professional ensembles that have sprung up. Given the and Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
“Obviously, it’s a validation,” says Gershon, who keeps his Grammy
Alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin has two nominations for Phoenix Reimagined (Live)
competition, it’s gratifying to be selected by your peers and people in the music industry.”
Winning the award has led to collaborations outside the classical world.
And, Gershon notes, “For a nonprofit, it’s particularly important—we wouldn’t exist without the generous people who help sustain the organization.
“For them to know, and for starting conversations with potential donors, the fact that we are, now and forever more, the Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles Master Chorale—you cannot buy that kind of street cred.”
Being nominated for two consecutive years holds its own kind of benefits for alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin; she has two nominations for her live-in-studio recording Phoenix Reimagined (Live): Best Jazz Performance and Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
Benjamin was nominated last year in the same categories, plus Best Instrumental Composition, for her studio album Phoenix
“The first time I was nominated it was a shock,” says Benjamin, who performs Feb. 5-6 at the Soraya in Northridge. “To have multiple nomi-
Symphony
nations was surreal. This time, while it’s still exciting and shocking, these nominations mean even more to me.
“After such a great year in 2023, to produce another amazing year and get other nominations involved a lot of hard work,” she says.
“My projects have been collaborations— you’re growing and learning with others. Being nominated is an inspiration to keep making art. You are seen.”
A producer on her albums, Benjamin believes it’s the quality of the compositions as well as the performance level and unifying storyline that elicit Grammy nominations.
In choosing one take over another in the recording process, she says, “It always comes back to how it feels for me. How does each take make me feel? Are we playing well?
“It’s all about bringing the energy that we are
having in that studio to the recording, and helping people to feel that.”
Being nominated for the hope-themed album Impossible Dream means inspiration of a different sort to Aaron Lazar, a Broadway musical star (The Light in the Piazza, A Little Night Music) who now lives in Los Angeles.
Lazar has appeared in such productions as Merrily We Roll Along at the Wallis and The Secret Garden at the Ahmanson. He performs Jan. 31-Feb. 1
in a Pasadena Playhouseproduced concert version of Follies at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Diagnosed three years ago with the progressive neurodegenerative disease ALS, Lazar has made it his goal to inspire others to handle and heal from their particular challenges, as he fights to heal from the nearly always terminal disorder; there have been some ALS reversals.
He had gravitated to “The Impossible Dream”
GEORGE ARNALDO
Aaron Lazar and Kristin Chenoweth recording “The Impossible Dream”
from Man of La Mancha as his personal anthem; his recording, nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, features duets with singers primarily from Broadway.
A group rendition of the title song includes dozens of Broadway performers, among them Kristin Chenoweth, LinManuel Miranda, Kelli O’Hara, Josh Groban and Norm Lewis.
“We all have adversity in our lives,” says Lazar, a first-time nominee.
“Whatever adversity you might be facing, the album is a testament to the power of courage and hope and resilience in the face of that adversity.
“It’s a musical representation of my mission, which is to share with the world that we all have the power within us to make the impossible possible. I firmly believe that.
“The Grammy nomination is recognition that people are listening to the music,” he adds. “That’s the most important thing. We made something that’s inspiring people, that’s helping to expand their ideas of what’s possible.”
Inspiring, validating, gratifying.... It truly is an honor to be Grammy nominated.
reprogrammed !
Performances Magazine unveils a digital program platform for shows and concerts
DROP DOWN MENU Table of app contents.
REGISTER
Stay arts-engaged, access past programs.
THE ESSENTIALS Acts, scenes, synopses, repertory and notes.
CONTRIBUTORS
Donors and sponsors who make it all possible—you!
NO RUSTLING PAGES, no killing trees . . . The new Performances program platform, accessed on any digital device, is among the more enduring innovations to have come out of the pandemic. The platform provides the programs for 20 Southern California performing-arts organizations, from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Ahmanson Theatre to San Diego Opera, where the app made its debut.
The touchless platform provides cast and player bios, donor and season updates and numerous other
arts-centric features. Audiences receive a link and a code word that instantly activate the app; QR codes are posted, too.
Screens go dark when curtains go up and return when house lights come back on. Updates—such as repertory changes, understudy substitutions and significant new donations—can be made right up to showtime, no inserts necessary. Other features include video and audio streams, translations and expanded biographies.
For those who consider printed
Find whatever it is you want to know—easily.
SIGN IN
Link to your performing-arts companies and venues. SEARCH
THE PLAYERS
Bios and background for cast, crew and creators.
WHAT’S ON
What’s coming at a glance and ticket information.
programs to be keepsakes, a limited number, as well as commemorative issues for special events, continue to be produced. Collectibles!
Meanwhile, there is less deforestation, consumption of petroleum inks and programs headed for landfills. For the ecologically minded, the platform gets a standing ovation.
When theaters and concert halls reopened after their long intermission, the digital Performances was but one more reason for audience excitement. Activate your link and enjoy the shows. —CALEB WACHS
Boldy Restaged as one Magical Show
Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling ended her epic sevenvolume series of novels with a tantalizing teaser: an epilogue titled “Nineteen Years Later,” in which Harry and his friends Hermione and Ron, now grown, are preparing to send their children off to school at Hogwarts. That brief chapter inspired the spectacular stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, now embarking on its first national tour. Jack Thorne’s Tony Award-winning play, based on an original story by Rowling, Thorne, and director John Tiffany, takes audiences on an unforgettable adventure in which two generations travel through time to save the wizarding world.
The newly expanded Potter universe seamlessly blends movement, magic, and good old-fashioned storytelling, centering on Albus Potter (the middle child of Harry and his wife, Ginny) and Scorpius Malfoy (son of Harry’s rival Draco Malfoy). “I’ve always had the sense that Hogwarts was a world that belonged on stage,”
says Tiffany, a Tony winner for his direction.
“I could see suitcases floating and cloaks whirling; arches and columns that could become trees in the forbidden forest. What’s amazing about the fantasy world of Harry Potter is that it allows you to explore the human experience in a magnified and dramatic way.”
Indeed, as they crafted a magicfilled narrative with Rowling’s input and encouragement, Thorne and Tiffany never lost sight of the story’s humanity. “There were two things I was interested in conveying,” the playwright says. “The first was what it’s like to go to Hogwarts when you don’t fit in, because I was a person who struggled in school. I’m drawn
to outsiders, and so are John and Jo [Rowling]. The other was the notion of what it means to be put in a place you’re uncomfortable with. What would happen if one of Harry’s kids ended up in a house [at Hogwarts] where he thought he didn’t belong, and then discovered through friendship that he did?”
The touring production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child includes all the breathtaking effects and stunning staging that helped make the play an international hit, attracting enthusiastic theatergoers of all ages. “The magic is there,” promises Tiffany, “and we’re excited to bring the show to as many people as possible. We feel a responsibility to do justice not just to Harry Potter but to theater as an art form. We want this play to be like nothing anyone has ever experienced.”
