TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011, AT 8 PM
Media Sponsor: KUSC
WHAT:
Composer Philip Glass returns to the Hollywood Bowl with the Philip Glass Ensemble and conductor Michael Riesman leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Children’s Chorus in the world premiere of the LA Phil-commissioned arrangement of the score for Godfrey Reggio’s film Powaqqatsi: Life in Transformation, Tuesday, August 30, at 8 pm. The presentation builds on the tremendous success of the 2009 Hollywood Bowl screening of Reggio’s film Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance with soundtrack by Glass. While Reggio’s ground-breaking first effort focused on modern life, Powaqqatsi focuses on the conflict between traditional ways and industrialization in developing countries. As with the first film, Powaqqatsi is strongly related to its Glass soundtrack, which this time uses children’s voices in harmony with the film’s messages and images. As a part of the performance the Islamic Call to Prayer will be delivered by singer Ben Youcef.
Baltimore-born Philip Glass is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the Juilliard School. He began incorporating Eastern techniques learned while transcribing Ravi Shankar’s Indian music into Western notation to his own music in the 1960s. By 1974, he had a number of significant and innovative projects, creating a large collection of new music for his performing group, the Philip Glass Ensemble. Glass’ Symphony No. 9, an LA Phil-co-commission with Carnegie Hall and Linz Orchestra, was complete in 2011 and will be premiered in Linz, Austria, in January 2012, with the U.S. premiere in New York, at Carnegie Hall later that month, and the West Coast premiere by the LA Phil in April of 2012.
The Philip Glass Ensemble’s (PGE) first performance was held in May 1969, at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Since that time the members of the PGE have become known as the premier performers of the music of Philip Glass and continue to be an inspiration for new work. Over the past three decades, the group has performed on four continents in some of the most prestigious music festivals and concert venues throughout the world.
Michael Riesman is a composer, conductor, keyboardist and record producer, and is the Music Director of the Philip Glass Ensemble. He has conducted many recordings of works by Glass, and almost every Glass film soundtrack, including Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi. Riesman released an album, Formal Abandon, on the Rizzoli label, which originated from a commission by choreographer Lucinda Childs. His film scores include Enormous Changes at the Last Minute, Pleasantville (1976), and Christian Blackwood's Signed: Lino Brocka. He has been Composer in Residence at the Marlboro Music Festival and at the Tanglewood Festival, where he conducted performances of his own works.
The LOS ANGELES CHILDREN’S CHORUS (LACC), under Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson, is recognized throughout the country for its exceptional artistic quality and technical ability. Founded in Pasadena in 1986, LACC performs frequently with leading music ensembles, including the LA Phil, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Calder Quartet, and the Pasadena Symphony. LACC also assists LA Opera by training and providing children for its opera productions that require children’s chorus or child soloists. LACC’s roster includes more than 350 children from 60 communities across Los Angeles in six choirs and one class for young singers, First Experiences in Singing.
Complete Program:
GLASS Powaqqatsi: Life in Transformation (with film)
WHO: LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
MICHAEL RIESMAN, conductor
PHILIP GLASS ENSEMBLE
BEN YOUCEF, singer
REID BRUTON, bass
LOS ANGELES CHILDREN’S CHORUS
ANNE TOMLINSON, artistic director
WHEN: TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011, 8 PM
WHERE:
HOLLYWOOD BOWL
2301 North Highland Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90068
HOW TO PURCHASE:
Ticket price ranges from $1 - $100 (prices are subject to change). Tickets are currently on sale at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office (12PM – 6PM, Tuesday – Sunday); via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000, or through Ticketmaster. Groups of 10 or more may call 323.850.2050 for information about special rates, subject to availability.
Sophie Jefferies, 213.972.3422, sjefferies@laphil.org; Lisa White, 213.972.3408, lwhite@laphil.org