UCLA Live presents as part of its 2007/08 season a fresh slate of bold and prestigious classical concerts that bring a supreme cross section of the world’s finest musicians to the acoustically excellent Royce Hall. Director, David Sefton believes that UCLA Live’s 2007-2008 Classical Music Series is the finest recital series in Los Angeles, without competition. Upcoming performances include the United States tour debut of Russia’s premier male a cappella choir, three renowned chamber and early music ensembles, an internationally hailed American symphony, a Grammy-winning solo percussionist, and the return of superstars of the cello and voice in intimate recitals.
A variety of international groups are among the season’s highlights, including the Los Angeles kick-off for the celebrated Russian Patriarchate Choir’s first-ever United States tour. Under the direction of Anatoly Grindenko, the group’s visceral sound has led to a renaissance for Russia’s rich heritage of sacred vocal music. The Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin, which emerged out of the East German socialist regime to become one of Europe’s greatest musical success stories, returns to Royce Hall following a critically acclaimed, 2005 performance.
A prime venue for the exacting sound of solo artists, small ensembles and orchestras, Royce Hall hosts the preeminent dramatic soprano Deborah Voigt for the first time; and welcomes back superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma with British pianist Kathryn Stott, the Grammy-winning, profoundly deaf, Scottish solo percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, as well as powerful soprano Jessye Norman, a 2006 Grammy Awards’ Lifetime Achievement recipient. Pianist Murray Perahia will also conduct and accompany Britain’s esteemed chamber ensemble Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, and Jeffrey Kahane will lead a farewell to the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s stellar Mozart Festival. In a not-to-be-missed evening, the acclaimed Seattle Symphony in its Royce Hall debut under the baton of renowned music director Gerard Schwarz is joined by fiery violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.
All performances will be held at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. Series and Choose-Your-Own subscriptions consist of multiple events sold at a discount when applicable, and are on sale now. Single tickets are on sale as of July 23 (July 16 for current subscribers and donors). To purchase tickets visit www.UCLALive.org or call 310-825-2101 .
UCLA LIVE’S 07/08 ORCHESTRAL, CHORAL, CHAMBER AND RECITAL CONCERTS
U.S. TOUR DEBUT
Monday, Oct. 22, 2007, at 8 p.m., Royce Hall
Russian Patriarchate Choir—Anatoly Grindenko, director
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the rich, sacred vocal music of the Russian Orthodox Church has experienced an astounding renaissance, led in part by Anatoly Grindenko and his Russian Patriarchate Choir with its expressive and visceral sound. In its anticipated Royce Hall debut, this 13-member, all-male a cappella choir will perform works ranging from medieval chants and Russian folk songs to 16th-19th century church music.
Saturday, Nov. 17, at 8 p.m., Royce Hall
Yo-Yo Ma, cellist; with Kathryn Stott, pianist
With boundless inquisitiveness, energy and panache, superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma has navigated musical territories from Bach’s graceful cello suites and Appalachia’s Celtic fiddle traditions to the lusty Argentinean tango and the intoxicating cultures of the Silk Road. Ma returns to UCLA Live in a recital with longtime friend and collaborator, renowned British pianist Kathryn Stott, best known for her extraordinary contributions to Ma’s Grammy-winning CD, “Soul of the Tango” and its successor “Obrigado Brazil.”
Schubert–Arpeggione in A minor, D. 821
Shostakovich–Sonata in D minor, Op. 40
Piazzolla–“Le Grand Tango”
Gismonti–“Bodas de Prata & Quatro Cantos”
Franck–Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano
Thursday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m., Royce Hall
Dame Evelyn Glennie
Known for her dazzling showmanship and musical adventurousness, Scotland-born, Grammy-winning solo percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie returns to UCLA Live for the first time in ten years. Despite her profound deafness, Glennie has become one of today’s most innovative musicians, constantly redefining percussion and expanding the repertoire with more than 140 commissions. In addition to working with major classical orchestras, she has performed with Kodo, Bela Fleck, Bjork, Bobby McFerrin, Sting, Emanuel Ax and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008, at 8 p.m., Royce Hall
Deborah Voigt—“An American Songbook”
Widely regarded as the preeminent dramatic soprano of her generation, the mighty Deborah Voigt is one of today’s most sought-after singers, dazzling audiences with the raw power and lustrous sheen of her extraordinary voice. Named Musical America’s 2003 Vocalist of the Year, Voigt is one of the world’s reigning interpreters of Strauss and Wagner, and has garnered wild acclaim for her performances of Italian repertoire and Broadway classics. Voigt comes to Royce Hall in a crowd-pleasing program of Broadway tunes and popular standards.
Sunday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m., Royce Hall
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s Mozart Festival—“Mozart Farewell”
Jeffrey Kahane, conductor and pianist
Experience the final chapter of LACO’s Mozart Festival, a journey through all 23 of Mozart’s original piano concertos to celebrate the great composer’s 250th birthday. This special farewell concert is conducted and performed by Jeffrey Kahane from the keyboard as Mozart intended.
Mozart—Piano Concertos:
No. 14 in E-flat major
No. 8 in C major
No. 20 in D minor
No. 27 in B-flat major
Saturday, March 29 at 8 p.m., Royce Hall
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Murray Perahia, conductor and pianist
Murray Perahia leads one of Britain’s most esteemed chamber ensembles in a beguiling program featuring two of Mendelssohn’s most beloved works. The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields is renowned for its brilliant recordings, especially those with Sir Neville Marriner including the award-winning soundtrack for “Amadeus,” and the Bach Keyboard Concerti with Perahia. As principal guest conductor and piano soloist, Perahia first led the ensemble on an acclaimed U.S. tour in 2003.
Mendelssohn–Overture to Hebrides, Op. 26 (“Fingal’s Cave”)
Mozart–Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K.491
Britten–Prelude and Fugues
Mendelssohn–Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 (“Italian”)
Friday, April 11 at 8 p.m., Royce Hall
Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin
It began as a courageous display of musical sovereignty against the East German socialist regime, and now, 20 years later, the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin is recognized as one of Europe’s, if not the world’s, greatest musical success stories. Described by Early Music America as “the best period orchestra in the world,” the ensemble was brought to the limelight after the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990, and has since received the Cannes Festival Award, the French Diapason d’or, the Dutch Edison Award, the British Gramophone Award, the Telemann Prize and a 2002 Grammy Award nomination. The Akademie returns to Royce Hall following a critically acclaimed 2005 performance.
Vivaldi–Concerto for strings G minor
Philipp Heinrich Erlebach–Ouverture
Johann Gottlieb Graun–Concerto for Viola (gamba)
Benedetto Marcello–Concerto for Oboe (with ornaments by J.S. Bach)
J.S. Bach–Violin concerto D minor
Supported by the E. Nakamichi Foundation
Saturday, April 12 at 8 p.m., Royce Hall
Seattle Symphony with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, violinist; Gerard Schwarz, conductor
Fiery violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg joins the Seattle Symphony, one of the country’s leading orchestras, in its Royce Hall debut under the baton of renowned music director Gerard Schwarz. Founded in 1903, the Grammy-nominated Symphony is among the oldest and largest cultural institutions in the Pacific Northwest and is acclaimed for its innovation, daring programming and recording excellence on more than 80 CDs.
Wagner–Three Excerpts from Act III of “Die Meistersinger von Nernberg”
(Introduction, “Dance of the Apprentices” and “Procession of the Meistersingers”)
Bruch–Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26
Strauss–“Don Juan” and Suite from “Der Rosenkavalier”
Thursday, May 8 at 8 p.m., Royce Hall
Jessye Norman—“The American Song and the French Melody”
Mark Markham, pianist Soprano Jessye Norman builds upon her rich legacy as she brings joy, passion and her opulent sound to innovative recital performances and operatic portrayals worldwide. A 2006 Grammy Awards’ Lifetime Achievement recipient, Norman returns to Royce Hall after a breathtaking 2005 sold-out performance, to explore the French and American songbooks with works by Ravel, Poulenc, French-American composer Richard Danielpour and George Gershwin.
Tickets: Series and Choose-Your-Own subscriptions consist of multiple events sold at a discount when applicable, and are on sale now. Single tickets are on sale as of July 23 (July 16 for current subscribers and donors). Tickets may be purchased online at www.UCLALive.org, via phone at 310-825-2101 , in person at the UCLA Central Ticket Office at the southwest corner of the James West Alumni Center, and at all Ticketmaster outlets.
