In October, the Los Angeles Philharmonic performs two free Neighborhood Concerts. The first concert, conducted by Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, takes place at Wilshire United Methodist Church, located at 4350 Wilshire Blvd. (at Plymouth) on Saturday, October 13 at 8 p.m. The evening’s program includes Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story” and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The second, led by Assistant Conductor Yasuo Shinozaki, is scheduled for Friday, October 26 at 7 p.m. at John Muir Middle School, located at 1111 North Kenneth Rd in Burbank. The program is scheduled to include The “Toy” Symphony by Leopold Mozart and Symphony No. 1 (“Classical”) by Prokofiev. KUSC Radio’s Alan Chapman hosts.

Both performances are free and open to the public. For the Wilshire Church performance, the public is encouraged to call 323/931-1085 or 310/534-8688 in advance to arrange their free tickets. Priority seating will be given to ticket holders who arrive early. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. for ticket holders. Seating for those without tickets will begin at 7:45 p.m. Secure parking is available at the Los Angeles Scottish Rite Temple (across Wilshire from the church) for a $5 fee. For information or directions, call 323/931-1085.

For information regarding the performance at John Muir Middle School in Burbank, call 818/558-5320.

The Philharmonic’s Director of Community Affairs Leni Boorstin commented, “It is always gratifying to bring the gift of music free to Angelenos through our Neighborhood concerts. Now, we are all the more aware of the power of music to bring people together, in times of joy and sorrow.” Neighborhood concerts are an opportunity for residents in areas surrounding Los Angeles to experience the Los Angeles Philharmonic free of charge. Neighborhood Concerts are made possible, in part, by a generous grant from Target/Mervyn’s California, with additional funding provided by the William Randolph Hearst Foundations and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. These programs are also supported by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and the California Arts Council, a State agency.

For general information about the Los Angeles Philharmonic or future concerts, please call 323/850-2000 or visit laphil.com.

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN, the tenth conductor to head the Los Angeles Philharmonic, began his tenure as Music Director in October, 1992. Salonen made his American debut conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic in November 1984, and he has conducted the Orchestra every season since. Among the many highlights of Salonen’s activities with the Philharmonic have been world premieres of new works by composers John Adams, Bernard Rands, Rodion Shchedrin, Steven Stucky, and Salonen himself, well-received Ligeti and Stravinsky Festivals, appearances at the Ojai Festival, seven critically acclaimed international tours since 1992, and his extensive discography with the Orchestra for Sony Classical. Salonen was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1958. He made his conducting debut with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1979, and he has been one of the world’s most sought-after conductors since his debut in London with the Philharmonia Orchestra in September 1983. He served as principal guest conductor of the Philharmonia of London from 1985 to 1994 and as principal conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 1995.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

Saturday, October 13, 8:00 PM

Wilshire United Methodist Church, 4350 Wilshire Blvd. (at Plymouth) in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN, conductor

Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story”

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

Friday, October 26, 7:00 PM

John Muir Middle School, 1111 North Kenneth Rd. in Burbank

LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

YASUO SHINOZAKI, conductor

ALAN CHAPMAN, host

Program to include:

Leopold Mozart: “Toy” Symphony

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1

Both performances are free and open to the public.

For the Wilshire Church performance, the public is encouraged to call 323/931-1085 or 310/534-8688 in advance to arrange their free tickets. For information or directions, call 323/931-1085.

For information regarding the performance at John Muir Middle School in Burbank, call 818/558-5320.