Carl St. Clair and Pacific Symphony | Photo courtesy of Pacific Symphony
SoCal Sunday Night returns with a new series featuring Carl St. Clair and Pacific Symphony. Tune in Sundays at 7pm and KUSC’s Rich Capparela brings you the latest concerts recorded live at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. See the schedule below.
Sunday, July 10, 7pm
Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto
Bomsori Kim, “internationally recognized as one of the most dynamic and exciting violinists of today” (NDR), joins Pacific Symphony with Tchaikovsky’s delightful and ever-popular violin concerto. Following is Brahms’ Second Symphony, a work touched by dark despair but countered by the beautiful light of serenity.
Program:
Anja Bihlmaier, conductor
Bomsori Kim, violin
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 (Violinist Bomsori Kim)
Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major
Sunday, July 17, 7pm
Beethoven & Rachmaninoff
Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony is his vivid recollection of country life, familiar to many through the film Fantasia. Then, experience one of the repertoire’s most powerful, most demanding and most popular works — Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, featured in the 1996 hit movie Shine.
Program:
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Alessio Bax, piano
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3
Sunday, July 24, 7pm
Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony
Hailed by The London Times as a “violinist in a class of his own,” James Ehnes joins legendary conductor Edo de Waart with Prokofiev’s Spanish-inspired second violin concerto; a work that perfectly blends drama with technical virtuosity. On the second half, revel in the majestic power of the William J. Gillespie Concert Organ in Saint-Saëns‘ most popular symphony featuring a melody that was later adapted for film and the 1977 hit song “If I Had Words.”
Program:
Edo de Waart, guest conductor
James Ehnes, violin
Christoph Bull, organ
Michael Ippolito: Nocturne for Orchestra (Pacific Symphony Premiere)
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op.63
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, “Organ Symphony”
Sunday, July 31, 7pm
Verdi’s Otello
Love, betrayal and jealousy – all trademarks of great tragic opera – Otello embraces these themes to the fullest. Written decades after going into retirement, Verdi’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s tale takes you on a journey through a passionate romance destroyed by one of opera’s most loathsome villains.
Program:
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Robert Neu, stage director
Carl Tanner, tenor
Kelebogile Besong, soprano
Pacific Chorale—Robert Istad, artistic director
VERDI: Otello
Sunday, August 7, 7pm
Yang Plays Rachmaniinoff
Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 is a work that leads you from gorgeous melodies to unforgettable themes, all without pause. Earlier in the evening, piano phenom Joyce Yang dazzles with Rachmaninoff’s tour-de-force of the keyboard, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
Program:
José Luis Gomez, Conductor
Joyce Yang, Piano
Inocente Carreño: Margariteña
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Schumann: Symphony No. 4 (1851 version)
Sunday, August 14, 7pm
The Mozart Project
Tonight’s concert, led by Carl St. Clair, features excerpts from several works by Mozart, culminating in the post-intermission performance of the composer’s Requiem. The orchestra will be joined by Pacific Chorale, Robert Istad, Artistic Director, as well as four vocal soloists: Celena Shafer, soprano, Milena Kitic, mezzo-soprano, John Pickle, tenor, Michael Dean, baritone. And, during the first half of the concert, guiding us through the tortured mind of Mozart’s rival Salieri (via excerpts from Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus) will be Marco Barricelli, the actor who portrayed Salieri for South Coast Repertory’s 2016 production of Amadeus.
Program:
Carl St.Clair, conductor
David Ivers, Artistic Director, South Coast Repertory
James Sullivan, stage director
Pacific Chorale—Robert Istad, artistic director
Mozart: Overture to Don Giovanni
Mozart: Selections from the movie, Amadeus
Mozart: Requiem in D Minor
Sunday, August 21, 7pm
Beethoven’s Piano Concertos
Carl St. Clair and the orchestra are joined by pianist Alexander Romanovsky for music by Beethoven. It is part of a three-concert series featuring all five of Beethoven’s concertos for piano.
Program:
Carl St.Clair, Conductor
Alexander Romanovsky, Piano
Dennis Kim, Violin
Beethoven: Egmont Overture
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4
Beethoven: Romance No. 1 (G Major)
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5
Sunday, August 28, 7pm
Mozart & Mahler
Awe is the only adjective to describe twin piano phenoms, Christina Naughton and Michelle Naughton; watch as they take Mozart’s rarely performed Concerto for Two Pianos to the stage. And Mahler’s popular Symphony No. 4 evokes memories of youthful innocence and rustic German countryside.
Program:
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Celena Shafer, soprano
Christina Naughton, piano
Michelle Naughton, piano
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 10 for Two Pianos
Mahler: Symphony No.4 (with Soprano Cecilia Violetta Lopez)
Below, see the previous SoCal Sunday Night schedule featuring Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Sunday, April 10, 7pm
Dudamel Conducts Strauss
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
Golda Schultz, soprano
SCHOENBERG: Transfigured Night
STRAUSS: Four Last Songs
STRAUSS: Death and Transfiguration
Sunday, April 17, 7pm
Mahler, Montgomery, and Mackey with Dudamel
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
Thomas Hooten, trumpet
Camilla Tilling, soprano
Jessie MONTGOMERY: Strum
Steven MACKEY Shivaree: Fantasy for Trumpet and Orchestra (world premiere, LA Phil commission)
MAHLER: Symphony No. 4
Sunday, April 24, 7pm
Tchaikovsky and Saariaho with Mälkki
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Susanna Mälkki, conductor
Beatrice Rana, piano
Kaija SAARIAHO: Vista (U.S. premiere, LA Phil commission)
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1
TCHAIKOVSKY: October (Autumn Song) from The Seasons, Op. 37a
SCRIABIN: The Poem of Ecstasy
Sunday, May 1, 7pm
Mozart and Ravel
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Matthias Pintscher, conductor
Sunwook Kim, piano
RAVEL: Menuet antique
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 21, K. 467
BRAHMS: Six Pieces for Piano, Op. 118, No. 2: Intermezzo in A major, Andante teneramente
RAVEL: Le tombeau de Couperin
RAVEL: Boléro
Sunday, May 8, 7pm
Beethoven and Julia Adolphe
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Xian Zhang, conductor
Martin Chalifour, violin
Nokuthula NGWENYAMA: Primal Message
Julia ADOLPHE: Woven Loom, Silver Spindle (world premiere, LA Phil commission)
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7
Sunday, May 15, 7pm
Symphonic Duke Ellington: New World A-Comin’ with Gerald Clayton
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Thomas Wilkins, conductor
Gerald Clayton, piano
ELLINGTON: Night Creature
ELLINGTON: New World A-Comin’
ELLINGTON: Don’t You Know I Care (Or Don’t You Care to Know)
ELLINGTON: Black, Brown & Beige
ELLINGTON: The River Suite
Sunday, May 22, 7pm
Beethoven and Mendelssohn
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Elim Chan, conductor
Igor Levit, piano
Elizabeth OGONEK: Cloudline (U.S. premiere, LA Phil commission)
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3
Rodion SHCHEDRIN: Humoresque
MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
Sunday, May 29, 7pm
Salonen Leads Bartók, Bjarnason, and Sibelius
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
BARTÓK: Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta
Daníel BJARNASON: Piano Concerto (world premiere, LA Phil commission)
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 7
Sunday, June 5, 7pm
Shostakovich and Prokofiev with Karina Canellakis
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Karina Canellakis, conductor
Sergio Tiempo, piano
Anna THORVALDSDOTTIR: Metacosmos
PROKOFIEV: Piano Concerto No. 1
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 10
Sunday, June 12, 7pm
Hilary Hahn Plays Barber
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Paavo Järvi, conductor
Hilary Hahn, violin
Arvo PÄRT: Silhouette
BARBER: Violin Concerto
DVOŘÁK: Symphony No. 7
Sunday, June 19, 7pm
Mahler’s Seventh with Bychkov
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Semyon Bychkov, conductor
MAHLER: Symphony No. 7
Sunday, June 26, 7pm
Dudamel Conducts Beethoven’s 9th
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
Jeanine De Bique, soprano
Taylor Raven, mezzo-soprano
Issachah Savage, tenor
José Antonio López, bass
Los Angeles Master Chorale
Grant Gershon, Artistic Director
Gonzalo GARRIDO-LECCA: To be announced… (world premiere, LA Phil commission)
Francisco CORTÉS-ÁLVAREZ: To be announced… (world premiere, LA Phil commission)
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9
Sunday, July 3, 7pm
Still and Negrón with Dudamel
POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Festival
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano
Angélica NEGRÓN: To be announced… (world premiere, LA Phil commission)
STILL: Symphony No. 1, “Afro-American”