About the Los Angeles Master Chorale
Los Angeles Master Chorale
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The Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC) is recognized as one of the city’s cultural treasures and one of the world’s premier choruses. The Los Angeles Times proclaims, “Under Gershon, the Master Chorale seems to be able to master anything.” The respected arts blog CultureSpotLA, echoing that sentiment, further adds, “The Master Chorale is not just any ensemble – it is the nation’s, and maybe the world’s, most innovative choral group, thriving under its vibrant music director, Grant Gershon.”
The 2010|11 season, its 47th, marks its eighth as the resident chorus of the landmark Walt Disney Concert Hall. A founding resident company of the Music Center, the Chorale has played a leading role in the ongoing resurgence of interest in choral music. The New York Times calls the choir “inspired,” The New York Observer declares it “a superb vocal ensemble,” and the Los Angeles Times proclaims it “matchelssly polished.” Cited as a national leader for its innovative and dynamic programming and its commitment to commissioning new works, the Chorale has been awarded the ASCAP/Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming three times – in 1995, 2003 and 2010.
Under the inspired leadership and unique artistic sensibilities of Music Director Grant Gershon, who was appointed to the post in July 2001 and in 2010|11 celebrates his 10th Anniversary season with the choir, LAMC has expanded its audience base considerably and continues to earn superlative accolades. The Los Angeles Times describes the Chorale’s performances under Gershon’s baton as “masterly,” “ethereal” and “alluring.” Billboard says the Chorale’s “singing and direction are first-rate,” while Gramophone calls the chorus “sonically exhilarating.” LA Downtown News notes, “Choral groups don't often get much hype, but the Los Angeles Master Chorale is an exception . . . (it) has soared under Grant Gershon's direction.”
In recognition of Gershon’s considerable achievements and keen musical sensibilities, the Chorale’s entire 2010|11 season celebrates his decade at the helm of the renowned choir. The ten-concert season features some of the most compelling musical highlights of his tenure – a veritable “playlist” of his favorite high points that includes new interpretations of standard repertoire accented, in Gershon’s trademark tradition, by a mix of contemporary works that break down cultural and musical barriers. He conducts Rachmaninoff’s masterful All-Night Vigil (September 26, 2010), an all-French program, reflecting the years Gershon spent working in Paris, which includes brilliant and sensuous works by Duruflé, Josquin, Janequin and Ravel (November 7, 2011), the Mozart arrangement of Handel’s Messiah (December 12, 2010). An all-British program explores the roots of choral music from the 15th Century forward – the art form that intoxicated Gershon as a high school student growing up in Alhambra – with selections by Byrd, Britten, Vaughan Williams and Tavener (January 30, 2011), and a concert spotlighting selections from Ellington’s evocative Sacred Concerts, features Gershon co-conducting with James Newton (May 22, 2011).
Acclaimed violinist Jennifer Koh joins Gershon and the Chorale for the world premiere of Mugunghwa: Rose of Sharon by Mark Grey, named in 2005 one of the “Faces to Watch” by the Los Angeles Times. With text based on the extraordinary verses of Korean poet Im Hoon Jae, the work was commissioned by the Chorale and is the fourth piece to be premiered by through its “LA Is the World” initiative, launched in 2007. Also on the program is a stunning piece for three choirs entitled Me-Na-Rii by Hyo-won Woo, who is the composer-in-residence of the world-renowned Incheon City Chorale and is recognized as one of the most brilliant young Korean composers on the scene today. The Chorale also performs a variety of Korean folksongs, including a choral arrangement of the classic Korean song Arirang.
Seasonal offerings include two performances of the Chorale’s eminently popular Messiah Sing-Along (December 5 and 19, 2010) and Holiday Wonders, with its engaging repertory of favorite Christmas carols and family-friendly ticket prices (December 11, 2010).
Extending its reach to young people in the community, the Los Angeles Master Chorale also offers a number of quality education programs. Gershon conducts the 22nd Annual Los Angeles Master Chorale High School Choir Festival, one of the largest high school choir festivals in the nation, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (April 15, 2011). Serving as a vital force in training the next generation of singers and music lovers, the comprehensive yearlong in-school program culminates with a performance conducted by Gershon of 1,000 high school students from more than two-dozen Southland high schools.
“Voices Within,” another of the Chorale’s highly successful outreach programs, which recently earned the coveted Chorus America Education Outreach Award, is an in-depth, semester-long, in-school residency program for fifth and sixth grade students that helps children who have little or no musical background to “find their voices.” With the assistance of a teaching artist, lyricist, and composer who work with teams of students in the classroom, children write music and lyrics to create original songs. The Los Angeles Times states, “While other organizations focus on performing and listening, the Los Angeles Master Chorale helps kids create and collaborate.” In 2008, “Voices Within” earned the coveted Chorus America Education Outreach Award.
The Los Angeles Master Chorale, described as “a major cultural asset to Los Angeles” by the Los Angeles Times, was founded in 1964. One of the Music Center’s two original resident performing arts companies, it gave its first performance at the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in January 1965, where it subsequently performed for 38 seasons until moving to the landmark Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2003. It is the first organization in the nation to offer a complete season of great choral masterworks, and, over the years, has hosted such distinguished guest conductors as Robert Shaw, Helmuth Rilling, Margaret Hillis Robert Page and Richard Westenberg.
Gershon succeeded Music Director Emeritus Paul Salamunovich, who guided the Master Chorale from 1991 through the 200001 season and was named Music Director Emeritus in June 2001. Prior to Salamunovich’s appointment, Scottish conductor John Currie led the Chorale from 1985 to 1990, and, before that, the late Roger Wagner, the Chorale’s founder, headed the choir for two decades, from 1964 to 1984.
In addition to presenting its own concert series at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Chorale has appeared at the Ojai Festival, on the Great Performers series at New York’s Lincoln Center, and at Overture Center in Madison, Wisconsin. The Chorale also performed more than 280 concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic both at Disney Hall and at the Hollywood Bowl with such stellar conductors as Gustavo Dudamel, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Zubin Mehta, Andre Previn, Pierre Boulez, Michael Tilson-Thomas and Roger Norrington, among many others, and is featured on several recordings with the orchestra.
The Chorale, which has commissioned 25 and premiered 64 new works, of which 41 were world premieres, has recorded three CDs under Gershon’s baton, including the internationally acclaimed You Are (Variations) and Daniel Variations, both by by Steve Reich, on Nonesuch Records, and an RCM recording featuring Esa-Pekka Salonen’s first choral work, Two Songs to Poems of Ann Jäderlund, and Philip Glass’ Itaipú. In June 2010, Gershon will conduct the choir in recording sessions at Disney Hall for his fourth CD with the choir, which will be an all-Nico Muhly album to be released by Decca Music Group later this season. Previously, the Chorale released three CDs under the baton of Music Director Emeritus Paul Salamunovich, including the Grammy-nominated Lauridsen-Lux Aeterna, Christmas, and a recording of Dominick Argento’s Te Deum and Maurice Duruflé’s Messe “Cum Jubilo.”
In addition, Gershon conducted the Chorale on the soundtracks of Charlie Wilson’s War, Lady In The Water, Click and License to Wed. Soundtracks with Music Director Emeritus Salamunovich include A.I. Artificial Intelligence, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Sum of All Fears, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Waterworld.
Since moving to Disney Hall, the Chorale has enjoyed a substantial increase in audience size, as well as a growing base of individual and institutional donors. Its 201011 operating budget is $3.75 million. The Chorale’s endowment is currently valued at $4.14 million. The Los Angeles Master Chorale has more than 1,000 subscribers, serves over 40,000 audience members of all ages, and provides education outreach to approximately 6,000 children each year.
5/23/10(b)