Opus 3 Artists
• Yefim Bronfman in 3 Recitals
Pianist Yefim Bronfman makes three SoCal performances this week, beginning on Wednesday evening with a recital at Walt Disney Concert Hall; on Friday he’s in La Jolla as part of the Piano Series of the La Jolla Music Society, and Sunday he’ll be at the Soka Performing Arts Center in Aliso Viejo. Each of the different programs show his range: at WDCH he’s including Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Sisar and Prokofiev’s “Stalingrad” Sonata along with Romantic era selections from Schubert, Schumann and Chopin. The La Jolla performance includes a Beethoven piano sonata, and the Soka program has Tchaikovsky’s Grand Sonata in G Major. “Bronfman is well known as a powerhouse pianist with a tone of crystalline clarity. When he turns the volume down, each note stands out like a perfectly shaped pearl. When he doesn’t, look out. You might get hit by flying chords.” - LA Times
• Verdi Chorus Star-Crossed Concerts
The Verdi Chorus offers its Spring Concerts this weekend, with the theme of “Star-Crossed” – with guest performers soprano Jamie Chamberlin Granner and tenor Nathan Granner (who are married) as well as bass-baritone Colin Ramsey. Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum will lead the chorus, soloists, and pianist Laraine Ann Madden in excerpts from Idomeneo, Don Giovanni, Lucia di Lammermoor, Romeo and Juliet(appropriately), and The Merry Widow. The couple has a great history with the chorus – in 2017, Nathan proposed to Jamie at a concert, (after singing the Mad Scene from Lucia di Lammermoor) singing the duet in which the characters pledge their love. The performances are Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 4pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica.
• FREE: Harpist Alexander Boldachev
Harpist Alexander Boldachev gives a free performance of faculty and student compositions at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music this Wednesday the 24th at 8pm. This wraps up his residency, and gives the composers an opportunity to hear their works played by an award winning harpist. The performance will also be available via livestream. Boldachev is both a performer and composer, and founded the Zurich Harp Festival, as well as initiating the celebration of World Harp Day.
