JUNE 8, 2010 LAGUNA BEACH, CA

LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL COMING IN FEBRUARY 2011
ADVENTUROUS STRING QUARTET BROOKLYN RIDER NAMED GUEST ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
PERSIAN MUSIC MASTER KAYHAN KAHLOR IS SPECIAL GUEST

Laguna Beach Music Festival announced: Feb 7-13
Adventurous string quartet Brooklyn Rider to guest direct

Laguna Beach Live! and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County have announced the initial line-up for the ninth annual Laguna Beach Music Festival, February 7-13, 2011.

Guest artistic director for the 2011 Festival is Brooklyn Rider. As the resident string quartet of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, Brooklyn Rider has gained prominence in classical chamber music as well as other musical worlds often remote from chamber music. The quartet’s ability to find confluences among diverse musical traditions has yielded acclaim from a wide spectrum of sources: they have captivated NPR broadcasters (“classically trained to within an inch of their lives”) and traditional music critics (“four strong, feisty voices”) and online indie music bloggers (“violins, viola and cello sharp as knives”).

Brooklyn Rider has worked extensively with Kayhan Kalhor, arguably the best-known artist working the Persian classical tradition in the United States and director of Masters of Persian Music ensemble. Together Brooklyn Rider and Kayhan Kalhor released the very popular “Silent City” on Harmonia Mundi’s respected world music label. Brooklyn Rider has also collaborated frequently with Silk Road Ensemble veteran Kojiro Umezaki, who is master of the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) and a faculty member at UC Irvine.

Both Kayhan Kalhor and Kojiro Umezaki will join Brooklyn Rider at the 2011 Laguna Beach Music Festival, making it a festival spiked with the many flavors these artists bring to the table. Classical quartet repertoire, contemporary musical composition, world music traditions and visual arts collaboration each will have a place in this many-faceted event. As always, the Festival will match prominent and promising artists, creating unique mentoring opportunities.

This year the Festival moves to its new home at Laguna Playhouse; Festival mainstage concerts are scheduled for February 10, 12 & 13, 2011. Informal concerts and other music-based activities will take place throughout the week at Hotel Laguna and in galleries, private homes and public spaces. A highlight of Festival concerts will be the world premiere of a new work by Brooklyn Rider violinist Colin Jacobsen for the quartet and Kayhan Kalhor.

The Festival is supported by the lodging establishments and City of Laguna Beach, the Laguna Beach Community Foundation, and corporate and individual donors.

Tickets go on sale in July 2010; at that time a complete schedule will be made available. For more information visit the Festival online at www.LagunaBeachMusicFestival.com or call Laguna Beach Live! at 949.715.9713

January 14, 2010

USC composer Donald Crockett featured in upcoming music festival, Laguna Beach CA

USC Thornton School of Music Chair of Composition Donald Crockett adds another commission to his impressive vita with "Night Scenes," created for the LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL (Jan 18-24, 2010). Already known for work with high-profile entities such as the LA Philharmonic and Kronos Quartet, Crockett was the perfect composer to handle the Festival's 2010 commission. And at a special Festival evening at the Studio at Sage Hill School (Newport Coast CA), USC faculty, students, alums and friends are invited to hear Crockett discuss his new work along with The Claremont Trio (for whom the piece was written). Details below.

The Festival takes as its theme "The Art of Music in Film," with participation by film composers Paul Chihara, James Newton Howard and others, and this marriage of film and music comes full circle with “Night Scenes." In “Night Scenes” Crockett has created film music for an imaginary film. With movement subtitles like The Blue Guitar, Midnight Train and Night Hawks, "Night Scenes" evokes scenes from imaginary movies or very possibly scenes from the lives of the movie-goers themselves -- not the least of which is the evocation of the famous Hopper painting, Night Hawks. The piece will be premiered in concert on Saturday, January 23 at the Laguna Beach Artists' Theatre. For concert tickets visit www.lagunabeachmusicfestival.com <http://www.lagunabeachmusicfestival.com

MEET-THE-ARTIST: DONALD CROCKETT
Wednesday, January 20 at 7:30pm
The Studio at Sage Hill School
20402 Newport Coast Drive
Newport Beach, CA
Free admission
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January 13, 2010

SURF + MUSIC, BUT NOT WHAT YOU THINK

Surf + music: no surprise. But surf + chamber music, with violins, cellos, piano? Not so likely.

Until next week, when surf art meets chamber music at the 8th annual LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL (January 18-24) in Laguna Beach Ca, with participation by legendary surf filmmaker Greg MacGillivray and visual artist Ken Auster, whose iconic images have been silkscreened across the torsos of surfers for a generation.

Greg MacGillivray shot his first surf film, The Performers (1965), as a hobby and was soon hooked. Next came “A Cool Wave of Color” (1966) and “Free and Easy” (1968) and by “Five Summer Stories” (1972) he was a surf film god. Now recognized as a brilliant documentarian working in the IMAX large-film format, MacGillivray is currently working on a major motion picture about surfing.

Ken Auster grew up in Long Beach CA, surfing and soon expressing his love of surfing in illustration, poster design and silkscreen, creating unforgettable images that are now sought-after prints and treasured vintage pieces. In the 1990s, Auster moved from surf designs to fine art, flashing forward to prominence as a “plein air” (on location) painter of oils in the Impressionist style.

Both Laguna Beach residents, MacGillivray and Auster are among more than two dozen musicians, composers, visual artist and filmmakers participating in the LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL.  Under the artistic director of composer Paul Chihara, whose inspired scores have enlivened Hollywood films for three decades, the Festival’s theme is “The Art of Music in Film” and the various concerts, discussions, workshops, etc., take a look at how music impacts film and how film impacts music.

For the Festival, MacGillivray has created a new 13-minute film from scenes in his Academy Award-nominated documentary “The Living Sea” – an eco-epic and a must-see for serious surfers and lovers of the oceans. Three acclaimed composer, including Chihara, have developed three separate scores for the new short film. “Reflections on The Living Sea,” will be premiered with each new score played live during the Festival.

Painter Ken Auster is one of six visual artists selected by the Festival to create a sculptural work of art based on a violin. Each artist was given a violin and asked to respond to it in some way, and the results are as impressive and diverse as the artists who created them. Auster’s artwork, called “Cat and the Fiddle,” is a cheeky take on the nursery rhyme, engaging yet ephemeral, cuddly, yet oddly unsettling, in a cheerful kind of way.

Auster’s “artful violin” and the six other artist-transformed violins are on view in Laguna Beach galleries through January 24 and are available for purchase via online auction at www.BiddingForGood.com/lbmf. (The auction ends January 25; proceeds benefit the Festival’s education programs.)

Tickets are on sale now for all Festival activities, including the three concerts featuring MacGillivray’s “Reflections on The Living Sea” (January 21, 23 and 24) at www.lagunabeachmusicfestival.com or call 949-715-9713. Join the Festival on facebook at www.facebook.com/lagunabeachmusicfestival or follow the Festival newsfeed at www.pitchengine.com/newsfeed.php?id=14289

December 31.2009 –

 

December 21, 2009

A UNIQUE PROGRAM WILL BRING JOY IN THE NEW YEAR

          If the crazy days that have become synonymous with the Holidays have you feeling overwhelmed, and you’re dreading the doldrums that set in after New Year’s, you can focus on a bright spot in early 2010 which will bring only joy, relaxation, and interest to your life:  the Eighth Annual LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL will take place from January 18th – 24th.   The theme of this year’s event is fascinating, and relevant to anyone who has ever enjoyed a movie ~ Exploring Music in Film.  Artistic Director is the prize-winning composer of hundreds of pieces for film, Paul Chihara, and the Festival will feature not only Laguna’s own Greg MacGillivray of IMAX fame, but many outstanding and world-class musicians.  Apart from three concerts with premieres, new compositions and a exclusively edited film, there will be many special events during the Festival, several of them free, along with community outreach programs.

Perhaps the most intriguing of the outreach programs of this Festival was begun last year, joining music with art through the creation of pieces of art based on musical instruments.  The Laguna Beach Music Festival invited several artists to create works of art from instruments, and the cello was chosen as the medium.  This outreach to a vibrant art community such as ours produced inspired designs, and generated excitement in town when one could bid on an art object inspired in music.  Many of you will remember cello’s “walking down the street” during last year’s Festival, as decorated instruments were moved through town to be displayed for auction in different venues.

This year the medium for the project is the Violin.  Six established and very talented artists who work locally, or are represented by local galleries, have been commissioned to create new and wonderful art starting with a simple violin.  These are not “working instruments”, not priceless Stradivarius, but rather ones that otherwise would have had a sad end.  Through this project, their beauty re-emerges, is redefined, and they have a second life…and each will be as unique as the artist who produces it.

KEN AUSTER, SARAH JAMES CAMPBELL, JERRY WAYNE DOWNS, JAMES GALINDO, HOWARD HITCHCOCK, and ERIN METZDORF are the Artists collaborating with the Festival.  Each of the violins will be displayed in Art Galleries throughout Laguna Beach, and anyone will be able to participate in the online auction.  The Violins will soon be unveiled to the press through photographs, and you will hear more about the artists’ creative process.  So…save some of the money you budgeted for Christmas ~ perhaps a New Year’s gift for that Special Someone will be more interesting and unique to mark this holiday season.  And besides:  all profits generated from the auction of the violins will benefit the Education Programs of Laguna Beach Live!.  Now there’s something to think about!

October 8, 2009

THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY AND LAGUNA BEACH LIVE!
ANNOUNCE ITS EIGHTH ANNUAL LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL
January 18-24, 2010

EXPLORING MUSIC IN FILM: FROM CLASSICAL INSPIRATONS TO MODERN MASTERS WITH NEW MUSIC FROM SYMPHONIC TO ELECTRONIC

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Laguna Beach Live! present its eighth annual Laguna Beach Music Festival from Monday, January 18 through Sunday, January 24, 2010. This world-class Festival, established in 2003, brings music at its most exciting—up close and personal—to the charming seaside community of Laguna Beach.

The extraordinary impact of music in film and its creative process, from classical inspirations to modern masters, is the subject of the Laguna Beach Music Festival.  Paul Chihara, the Festival’s Artistic Director, was named the Composer of the Year by the New York Classical Recording Foundation in 2008 and is a prize winning and two- time Emmy nominated composer of concert works and scores for over 100 motion pictures and television series. Chihara has been commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Boston Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the American Composers Orchestra, and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. He is currently Chair of Visual Media at UCLA.

Joining Chihara will be prominent and promising artists who will explore both new works and old favorites during the week of performances and educational experiences. The Featured Ensemble is the Claremont Trio, the first winners of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award and the only piano trio ever to win the Young Concert Artists International Auditions. They are widely regarded as the premier piano trio of their generation.

The unique centerpiece of the Festival is the creative involvement of Greg MacGillivray, a two-time Academy-award-nominated American IMAX film director and cinematographer. MacGillivray will produce an exclusive short film, never seen before, from select sections from his Academy Award nominated film, “The Living Sea.” "The Living Sea" celebrates the world ocean -- its beauty, diversity and importance to life on earth and is one of the highest grossing IMAX films of all times. Three highly regarded composers---- Paul Chihara, Sharon Farber and Pamela Madsen---have been commissioned to write original scores for the new film to be played live by Festival Musicians during the weekend concerts. Audiences will have the exciting opportunity to learn how the composer creates the “right” music for a film, what its role is, how the director, composer and musical artist interact, and how film music differs from concert music.

Also performing is violinist Maria Bachmann who has won numerous competition victories that include First Prizes at the Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna, the Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York and the Pro Musicis Foundation Award.These distinctions were followed by acclaimed debuts with the St. Louis Symphony under Leonard Slatkin, the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center with Robert Spano and the Pacific Symphony with Marin Alsop conducting in Los Angeles.

Another Festival artist is flutist Claire Chase, First Prize Winner of the 2008 Concert Artists Guild Competition. A passionate performer, leader and innovator, she creatively links traditional, contemporary and experimental music with program choices that range from Bach and Brahms to Boulez, Saariaho, Zorn and beyond.

Pianist Jon Klibonoff will also be part of the Festival. He has established a versatile career as orchestra soloist, recitalist and chamber musician throughout the United States and abroad. His many awards include the Silver Medal of the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, the Affiliate Artists Xerox Pianists Award, the Pro Musicis Foundation Award, First Prize in the Kosciuszko Chopin Competition, and a Solo Recitalists Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

In keeping with the Festival’s mission of increasing appreciation of new music, Donald Crockett has been commissioned to write a piece for the Claremont Trio that will be premiered at the Saturday, January 23rd concert. Crockett was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2006, and has also received the Goddard Lieberson Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a commission from the Barlow Endowment, an Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council, an Aaron Copland Award and the first Sylvia Goldstein Award from the Copland House, a Kennedy Center Friedheim Award, as well as many other grants and commissions.

Music in Film continues to gain recognition and appreciation. Once only recognized by the Academy, Emmy and Grammy awards and a few others, the category has qualified for a Pulitzer Prize since 2005 and is gaining more prominence. The Festival week begins with the opportunity to meet Dr. Chihara and the Claremont Trio, Maria Bachmann and Jon Klibonoff in an intimate concert setting with a presentation and brief performances of works by Mendelssohn and John Williams. This popular salon is held in historic Hotel Laguna with wine and hors d’oeuvres compliments of Claes Restaurant. 
During the week there are several educational events open to the public, master classes, a gourmet dinner at Claes Restaurant at the Hotel Laguna, and three inspired concerts over the weekend.
Monday Salon at Hotel Laguna
Monday, January 18, 2010
Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 1
John Williams: Devil’s Dance from The Witches of Eastwick

Festival Concerts at Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre:
Thursday, January 21, 2010, 8pm
Reflections on The Living Sea, film by MacGillivray, commissioned work by Pamela Madsen
Corigliano: Chaconne from The Red Violin Concerto 
Reich: Vermont Counterpoint
Korngold: Fantasy on Robin Hood
Broughton: Silverado (World Premiere)
Ravel: Piano Trio

Saturday, January 23, 2010, 8pm
Donald Crocket: Night Scenes, commissioned by Festival for Claremont Trio [World premiere]
Philip Glass: Violin Sonata [West Coast premiere]
Takemitsu: Toward the Sea III
Reflections on The Living Sea, film by MacGillivray, commissioned work by Paul Chihara
James Newton Howard: The Village
Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 2

Sunday, January 24, 2010, 3pm            
Prestini: Vision into Art
Bourland: American Baroque
Reflections on The Living Sea, film by MacGillivray, commissioned work by Sharon Farber
Bolcom: Hommage a Joe Venuti
John Williams: Suite from Schindler’s List 
Prokofiev: Scherzo from Flute Sonata
Beethoven: Ghost Trio

Concert ticket prices are $35 for center orchestra; $30 for rear and far sides, and $15 for students 21 and under (with ID). For more information or to request a full schedule of events, call the Philharmonic Society at (949) 553-2422, or visit www.LagunaBeachMusicFestival.com.
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2009 Laguna Beach Music Festival
Draws Twice As Many Attendees This Year

            An enthusiastic standing ovation for world-renowned cellist Lynn Harrell concluded this year’s Laguna Beach Music Festival Sunday afternoon.  It could as well have been an ovation for the organizers, sponsors and donors of a week of world-class music that was both affordable and accessible.

Headlined by cellist Lynn Harrell, described as one of the premier cellist of our age, the Festival also included Los Angeles Philharmonic cellist Daniel Rothmuller,  pianist Victor Santiago Asunción, operatic soprano Frances Young, the Colburn Conservatory String Quartet, the UCI Piano Trio and outstanding cello students from UCI, Chapman and Cal State Fullerton.  Compositions from J.S. Bach to Leonard Bernstein and Brazilian Villa-Lobos were featured in the diverse programs.

 According to Lucinda Prewitt, president of Laguna Beach Live!, the Festival sold twice as many tickets this year as last.  “Word-of-mouth, highly positive reviews and support by local media helped create a ‘buzz,’” Prewitt said.   “By Sunday, we had 70 walk-ins, bringing us to near capacity.”   An estimated 1600 Laguna Beach residents and tourists attended the more than 20 Festival-related events, a number of which were free to the public. 

The Festival, a cooperative effort of Laguna Beach Live!, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, and Laguna Chamber Music Society, was launched Monday, January 19, with a reception and performance at Hotel Laguna, and concluded Sunday with a concert at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theater.  

“Our objective is to reach as broad an audience as possible, from young children to up-and-coming Orange County music students and music lovers,” according to Lauren Packard, co-chair of the Festival.   Venues included Hotel Laguna, a sponsor; The Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre for three main performances; and area schools.

 Before Harrell’s final virtuoso solo performance, of a J.S. Bach Cello Suite, he and fellow musicians participated in an extensive outreach program, a key mission of the Festival and Laguna Beach Live!   Participating musicians spoke to Thurston Middle School, Top of the World Elementary, the PTA, a group of Elderhostel Festival participants and presented a master class at University of California, Irvine.  Harrell also generously performed at the opening of the new Laguna Beach Senior Center.   The public was invited to five free open rehearsals, and tickets for the three main performances at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre were as low as $15. 

In addition to Harrell, audiences were thrilled by pianist Victor Santiago Asunción.   Asunción, who has accompanied Harrell at various concerts for 10 years, shone in solos of compositions by Ravel and Berg, which also netted ovations from full houses.  The Ravel piece, Gaspard de la Nuit, was particularly well-received, described in the program notes as the greatest technical challenge in the standard repertory. 

 Operatic soprano Francis Young sang a number of Leonard Bernstein’s Broadway songs, as well as Cole Porter’s So in Love and Gershwin’s Summertime.  Her program began with an Elégie by Massenet and concluded with a challenging piece by Brazilian Villa-Lobos.   A cello octet, headed by Harrell and Daniel Rothmuller, accompanied Young on the Villa-Lobos.   The octet was completed by cello students from Chapman, Cal State Fullerton and UCI, Anne-Marie Alexander, Hannah Kim, Eric Lamb, Elizabeth Vysin, Chen Ling Wu and Esther Yim.  UCI piano student Shoko Fukumaru accompanied Young during her popular tunes.

 The UCI Piano Trio, clarinetist Colin Murphy, cellist Yoo Jin Oh and Fukumaru performed Beethoven’s “Gassenhauer.”

A surprise hit with audiences was a quartet of student musicians selected to perform as the Colburn Conservatory String Quartet.  The students, violinists Nigel Armstrong and Ryan Lee, violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez and cellist Paul Wiancko, paired with Harrell for a number of compositions, including those by Beethoven and Boccherini. 

Music by Berg, Brahms, Debussy, Schubert and Stravinsky was also included in the three main performances.

Plans have already been announced for the eighth annual Laguna Beach Music Festival, “Exploring the Art of Music in Film.”  The week of workshops and performances will take place January 18 – 24, 2010.  Those interested in becoming sponsors or serving on a committee may contact Laguna Beach Live! at 949-715-9713.
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Music Festival Is a Week of Discovery
World-renowned cellist leads workshops and concerts.

One of the world’s most famous cellists is the featured artist of the Laguna Beach Music Festival, January 18-25, 2009. Mr. Lynn Harrell, who has taught at schools such as Juilliard and soloed with orchestras across the world, will be conducting the week long blend of performances, educational classes and special events. He will be joined by a number of prominent musicians in a variety of offerings.
The week begins with Mr. Harrell, accompanied by Dr. Victor Asuncion on piano, presenting “The Cello Goes to the Opera. In the tradition of 19th century European salon, guests will hear favorite opera arias come to life in an intimate setting, the only way operas once were heard outside of the opera house.  Dr. Asuncion is rapidly making his mark in classical music as a pianist of innate musical sensitivity and superb technique.  As a recitalist and concerto soloist, he has appeared in major concert halls in several countries including Canada, Japan, Mexico and the Philippines. The evening is sponsored by Claes of Hotel Laguna and includes wine and hors d’oeuvres for a ticket price of $50 and proceeds benefit the school outreach programs.

The public will have the rare opportunity to watch Mr. Harrell work with gifted young artists---a string quartet from Colburn Conservancy of Music and a clarinet trio from University of California at Irvine--- in free interactive workshops at Hotel Laguna. Other musicians include soprano Frances Young, lecturer at UCI in voice, and special guest artist, Mr. Daniel Rothmuller, Associate Principal Cellist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Rothmuller will be presenting master classes at local universities as well as participating in the Festival’s Elderhostel program and the Saturday evening concert.

The Festival Musicians will present a number of free outreach programs to our local schools, including PTA Coffee Break, Top of the World Elementary School, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School.  Laguna Seniors will have the special opportunity to hear Mr. Harrell in a special “Farewell to Legion Hall” recital on January 23.

The concerts with Mr. Harrell and other Festival Musicians are: Thursday, January 22, 8 pm at the Artists’ Theatre with works by Debussy, Stravinsky, Beethoven and Boccerini; Saturday, January 24, 8 pm with works by Massenet, Bernstein, Villa-Lobos and Beethoven; and Sunday, January 25, 3 pm with works by Bach, Brahms, Berg and Schubert .    Concert ticket prices are $35 for center orchestra; $30 for rear and far sides, and $15 for students (with ID). For tickets, more information or to request a full schedule of events, call the Philharmonic Society at (949) 553-2422, or visit www.LagunaBeachMusicFestival.com. Tickets also available at Laguna Playhouse (949) 497-2787, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd. , Laguna Beach.

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Festival Concerts at Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre:
Thursday, January 22, 2009, 8pm
THE ROMANTIC CELLO
Lynn Harrell, cello
Victor Asunción, piano
String quartet from Colburn Conservatory of Music
DEBUSSY: Sonata for cello & piano (1915)
STRAVINSKY: Suite Italienne for cello & piano (after Pulcinella)
BEETHOVEN: String Quartet in G major, Opus 18, No. 2
BOCCERINI: String Quintet in E major, Opus 11, No. 5

Saturday, January 24, 2009, 8pm
THE CELLO IN BRAZIL, BROADWAY & BEYOND
Lynn Harrell, cello
Victor Asunción, piano
UCI Piano Trio
Frances Young, soprano
Cello octet comprised of LA-area professional cellists
and cello performance students.
MASSENET: Elegie for piano, cello and soprano, Opus 10
BERNSTEIN: Broadway Songs
VILLA-LOBOS: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 for cello octet & soprano
BEETHOVEN: Piano trio No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 11 “Gassenhauer”
BEETHOVEN: Seven variations on Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuehlen, from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.

Sunday, January 25, 2009, 3pm            
THE CAPTIVATING CELLO & FRIENDS
Lynn Harrell, cello
Victor Asunción, piano
String quartet from Colburn School of Music
BACH: Sonata for Viola da Gamba in D major, BWV 1028
BRAHMS: Cello sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Opus 38
ALBAN BERG: Piano sonata, Op. 1
SCHUBERT: Quintet in C major, D. 956
BACH: Suite #3 in G major for unaccompanied cello, BWV 1009

Concert ticket prices are $35 for center orchestra; $30 for rear and far sides, and $15 for students (with ID). Tickets are available at the Philharmonic Society (949) 553-2422 and Laguna Playhouse (949) 497-2787, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd. or online at www.LagunaBeachMusicFestival.com.

Special events at Hotel Laguna:
Monday, January 19, 6:30-8:00 pm
THE CELLO GOES TO THE OPERA

Hear favorite opera arias come to life in an intimate setting reminiscent of 19th century European salon traditions. Lynn Harrell, accompanied by Victor Asunción
$50 includes hors d'oeuvres and wine. Sponsored by Claes Restaurant.

Thursday, January 22, 5:30 pm sharp
FESTIVAL FEAST: FINE WINE, DINE & MUSIC
Enjoy a gourmet dinner with wine pairings at Claes Restaurant and VIP seating at the opening concert, The Romantic Cello.
$165 includes dinner, concert, and shuttle. Sponsored by Claes Restaurant

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Artful Cellos in Laguna Beach
Creative cellos on view now will be auctioned off.

The Laguna Beach Music Festival, now in its seventh year, brings music at its most exciting -- up close and personal -- to the community of Laguna Beach. This year, January 18-25, 2009, world renowned cellist Lynn Harrell is the Mentor Musician in a week long blend of performances and educational events exploring artistic excellence and innovation in music.
Seeking an innovative way to promote the Festival, Board members asked six artists to decorate real cellos to be displayed in town and then auctioned online, with proceeds supporting the education outreach programs of the Festival. These eye catching works of art, all very different from one another,  will introduce Laguna visitors and residents to the Festival and expose Music Festival patrons to Laguna’s vibrant art world.

Dee Challis’s jewel encrusted silver cello can be seen at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd. Patrizia Didiomete’s brightly colored six foot tall “female cello” is on view at JoAnn Artman Gallery, 326 N. Coast Hwy, where Patti’s large paintings can also be seen. Roark Gourley is displaying his “Pollock Cello” in the window of his Studio Gallery at 1298 S. Coast Hwy.  and he has made sure that it can still be played. Jacquie Moffett chose a southwestern theme for her “Pueblo Swirls” cello and it is on display at the Laguna Beach Visitor's Bureau/Sotheby's, 381 Forest Ave. Leah Vasquez has created a “Garden of Music Delights” with a mossy surface and an inner garden that is on display at Laguna Nursery, 1370 S. Coast Hwy. Philip Womack’s contemporary cello is “a product of being enamored with the concurrence of memory and the present, the persistence of images, and the subsequent awareness of Now” and can be found at DeBilzan Gallery, 224 Forest Ave.

Celebration of the Cello is the theme of the 2009 Festival , which features a visionary cellist who has played the Vatican for a Pope —world-class Lynn Harrell. A consummate soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, conductor and teacher, his work throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia has placed him in the highest echelon of today’s performing artists.

Mr. Harrell will be  joined by Dr. Victor Santiago Asunción, piano, Daniel Rothmuller, Associate Principal Cellist with LA Philharmonic, Ms. Frances Young, soprano, Colburn Conservatory of Music String Quartet and Clarinet Trio from University of California at Irvine.

The week features a special Meet the Artists salon, several educational events open to the public, master classes, a gourmet dinner at Claes Restaurant at the Hotel Laguna, and three concerts held at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre on Thursday, January 22,  8pm, Saturday, January 24, 8pm, and Sunday, January 25, 3pm.  Schedule and tickets are available online at www.lagunabeachmusicfestival.com. Call 949.715.9713 to have a brochure mailed. The Festival is a project of Laguna Beach Live!, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, and the Laguna Chamber Music Society.

World-class Cellist Coming to Laguna Beach
New Blending Art and Music Program presents creative cellos

The Laguna Beach Music Festival, now in its seventh year, brings music at its most exciting -- up close and personal -- to the community of Laguna Beach. This year, January 18-24, 2009, world renowned cellist Lynn Harrell is the Mentor Musician in a week long blend of performances and educational events exploring artistic excellence and innovation in music.
This creative approach to enhancing the cultural scene of Laguna will be further expanded in the 2009 Cello Art pilot program.

The Blending Art and Music project hopes to further expose Music Festival patrons to Laguna’s vibrant art world and to introduce Laguna visitors and residents to the Festival through eye-catching creative decorations of real cellos.
Several highly regarded artists will embellish cellos in their own creative ways. The cellos will be on display in Laguna December 26, 2008 - January 26, 2009 and then will be auctioned off online. Proceeds from the sale of the cellos will benefit the numerous outreach educational programs of the Festival. The participating artists are Dee Challis; Patrizia DiDiomete;  Rourk Gourley;  Jacquie Moffat; Leah Vasquez; and Philip Womack

The 2009 Festival celebrates the Cello by showcasing a visionary cellist who has played the Vatican for a Pope —world-class Lynn Harrell. A consummate soloist, chamber musicians, recitalist, conductor and teacher, his work throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia has placed him in the highest echelon of today’s performing artists. Mr. Harrell will be  joined by Dr. Victor Santiago Asunción, piano, Daniel Rothmuller, Associate Principal Cellist with LA Philharmonic, Ms. Frances Young, soprano, Colburn Conservatory of Music String Quartet and Clarinet Trio from University of California at Irvine.

The week features a special Meet the Artists salon, several educational events open to the public, master classes, a gourmet dinner at Claes Restaurant at the Hotel Laguna, and three concerts held at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre on Thursday, January 22,  8pm, Saturday, January 24, 8pm, and Sunday, January 25, 3pm.  Schedule and tickets are available online at www.lagunabeachmusicfestival.com. Call 949.715.9713 to have a brochure mailed. The Festival is a project of Laguna Beach Live!, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, and the Laguna Chamber Music Society.

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THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY AND LAGUNA BEACH LIVE!
ANNOUNCES ITS SEVENTH ANNUAL LAGUNA BEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL FEATURING CELLIST LYNN HARRELL AS FEATURED ARTIST
January 18-25, 2009

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Laguna Beach Live! present its seventh annual Laguna Beach Music Festival from Sunday, January 18 through Sunday, January 25, 2009. This world-class Festival, established in 2003, brings music at its most exciting—up close and personal—to the charming seaside community of Laguna Beach. American classical cellist Lynn Harrell is selected as this year’s featured artist. Mr. Harrell will be working with gifted young musicians in a weeklong personal teaching environment. The public has the rare opportunity to observe these stars of tomorrow in workshops and master classes as they hone their musical technique and expression, and to enjoy special performances by the master and pupils in intimate settings.  Special guests include pianist Dr. Victor Asunción, soprano Frances Young, and the Quartet from The Colburn School of Music.

Recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Piatigorsky Award, the Ford Foundation Concert Artists’ Award, and the first Avery Fisher Prize (jointly with Murray Perahia), Lynn Harrell’s presence is felt throughout the musical world. A consummate soloist, chamber musician, recitalist, conductor and teacher, his work throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia has placed him in the highest echelon of today’s performing artists.

Dr. Victor Asunción was born and raised in the Philippines and is rapidly making his mark in classical music as a pianist of innate musical sensitivity and superb technique. He has appeared in major concert halls in several countries including Canada, Japan, Mexico and the Philippines. He played his orchestral debut at the age of 18 with the Manila Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Sergio Esmilla and his New York recital debut in Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall in 1999. Dr. Asuncion was appointed Assistant Professor of Piano and Chamber Music at the University of Memphis in 2003, and Coordinator of Piano and Collaborative Arts in 2004. 

A graduate of UC Irvine, soprano Frances Young is described by the Los Angeles Times as “A soprano of gossamer sheer purity.”  Frances was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for study at London’s Guildhall School of Music and the Britten/Pears School in Aldeburgh, England. She was awarded International Young Singer of the Year at the Llangollen Musical Eisteddfod, Wales, and has won first prize in the Los Angeles NATS vocal competition.

Dedicated to artistic excellence and innovation, the Festival presents traditional and contemporary classical music in an accessible and intimate style. The week features a special Meet the Artists salon, several educational events open to the public, master classes, an opening night gourmet dinner at Claes Restaurant at the Hotel Laguna, and concludes with three concerts held at the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre on Thursday, January 22,  8pm, Saturday, January 24, 8pm, and Sunday, January 25, 3pm.  

Festival Concerts at Laguna Beach artists’ theatre:
Thursday, January 22, 2009, 8pm
Lynn Harrell, cello
Victor Asuncion, piano
Quartet from The Colburn School of Music
The Romantic Cello

Saturday, January 24, 2009, 8pm
Lynn Harrell, cello
Victor Asuncion, piano
Frances Young, soprano
Quartet from The Colburn School of Music
The Cello in Brazil, Broadway & Beyond

Sunday, January 25, 2009, 3pm            
Lynn Harrell, cello
Victor Asuncion, piano
Frances Young, soprano
Quartet from The Colburn School of Music
The Captivating Cello & Friends

Concert ticket prices are $35 for center orchestra; $30 for rear and far sides, and $15 for students (with ID). For more information or to request a full schedule of events, call the Philharmonic Society at (949) 553-2422, or visit www.LagunaBeachMusicFestival.com.

 

SPECIAL PACKAGES:

Look for special lodging rates for Festival attendees and a 20% discount on tickets to any of the Festival special events and concerts.

visit Laguna Beach Visitors' Bureau for details.

Enjoy Picturesque Laguna Beach.Located on the beautiful California Riviera in South Orange County, California, Laguna Beach is a picturesque seaside city with a village atmosphere. Known as The Art Colony, Laguna is home to a number of fine art galleries, a variety of stylish shops and great dining and accommodations that offer something for everyone.

Festival Headquarters are at the historic Hotel Laguna: the essence of early California, combined with the charm and elegance of Europe’s finest historical establishments.