MUSIC REVIEWS
Art of Élan: Contemporary Music with only Half the Calories
Tuesday’s (April 28) Art of Élan concert in the spacious San Diego Museum of Art’s James S. Copley Auditorium was devoted to new music, including a recently commissioned work by Chris Brubeck . . .
Read MoreStephen Paulus Holocaust Oratorio Given San Diego Debut under Patrick Walders
Saturday (April 25) San Diego State University Director of Choral Studies Patrick Walders conducted Stephen Paulus’ profound Holocaust oratorio “To Be Certain of the Dawn” with a 140-voice massed choir and full orchestra at College Avenue Baptist Church . . .
Read More‘La Resurrezione’ — Handel’s Brilliant Closet Opera
Ruben Valenzuela’s Bach Collegium San Diego gave a robust performance of ‘La Resurrezione’, a little known and quite early Handel work (from 1707) that revealed him to be an adventurous—dare we say avant-garde—experimenter of the 18th century . . .
Read MoreMusic to Launch Another 50 Years of Opera in San Diego
With the San Diego Symphony and San Diego Opera Chorus arrayed across the stage of the Jacobs Music Center’s Copley Symphony Hall performing Leonard Bernstein’s majestic anthem “Make Our Garden Grow” from his opera Candide, the symbolism was unmistakable–our opera company not only survived but celebrated its 50th anniversary season with a grand gala concert . . .
Read MoreHausmann Quartet Champions New Works
San Diego State University’s resident Hausmann Quartet offered a programming formula at Sunday’s (April 12) concert that I wish other string quartets would readily adopt: an equal division of brand new compositions and a familiar staple of the repertory . . .
Read MoreTrifonov a Paragon of Technical Prowess and Poetic Exposition
Exceeding the high expectations of Friday’s (April 10) bustling, capacity audience at La Jolla’s Sherwood Auditorium, 24-year-old Russian piano virtuoso Daniil Trifonov soared with a brilliant recital of Bach, Beethoven and Franz Liszt . . .
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