The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, with their partner, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and sponsors The Strad and KUSC-FM, present the second Piatigorsky International Cello Festival in Los Angeles May 13-22. The 26 visiting international cellists, ten pianists, three conductors, nine chamber ensembles-in-residence and 37 fellows, together with classical music lovers from all over the world, converge on Los Angeles for this unprecedented 10-day, 38-event Festival of concerts, workshops, masterclasses, lectures, panel discussions, and exhibitions. In addition, select evening concerts will be streamed live and available through the Piatigorsky Festival website. About the Festival, Deborah Borda, CEO and President of the LA Phil, states: "The Los Angeles Philharmonic is pleased to continue its long and fruitful relationship with the USC Thornton School of Music - our orchestra would not be the same without our USC Thornton graduates, and our partnership in presenting the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival is an occasion for celebration of our shared ongoing local, regional, national, and international musical contributions."
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Pictured: CEO and President of LA Phil Deborah Borda
Photo Credit: Vern Evans
Highlights of the Festival include the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Baroque Conversations Concert on May 21, which serves as the series finale for LACO’s Baroque Conversations Series; cellists Colin Carr, Thomas Demenga, Jean-Guihen Queyras, andGiovanni Sollima join LACO, committed Partner of the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, for a program including works by CPE Bach, Boccherini, Leo, Platti, and Vivaldi. This will be preceded by a free pre-concert panel discussion featuring former students of Gregor Piatigoraky, moderated by KUSC Executive Director Gail Eichenthal. The Colburn Celebrity Recital at Walt Disney Concert Hall on May 17 features pieces composed and arranged for the mass cello ensemble which is comprised of over 100 cellists. This ensemble gives the world premiere of Threads and Traces by Grammy-nominated British composer Anna Clyne, 2016 recipient of the prestigious Hindemith Prize. Representing the wealth of contemporary classical music written for the cello, ten pieces written only in the last 50 years are featured on various concerts. Among these pieces are Anne Wilson’sLament, In Memory of Matthew Sheperd written following the tragedy that took place near Laramie, Wyoming, and Brett Dean’s Twelve Angry Men, which musically depicts the twelve jurors in the 1957 film of the same name by Sidney Lumet. The tradition of Gregor Piatigorsky, who was also an arranger and composer in addition to his accomplishments as a cellist, is carried out by Festival artist Giovanni Sollima, who performs an original Improvisation at the Gala Opening Concert on May 15. On May 19, audiences will hear Piatigorsky’s own composition, Paganini Variations performed by renowned cellist Zuill Bailey; Jeffrey Solow performs three Piatigorsky arrangements on May 20 at the Quintet+ Concert.
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Pictured: Artistic Director Ralph Kirshbaum
Photo Credit: Steve Cohn