Program Also Features Schubert's Symphony No. 9;

October 20 is One of Philharmonic's Casual Friday Evenings

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2006 AT 8 PM,

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2006 AT 8 PM (Casual Friday),

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21 and 22, 2006 AT 2 PM

Celebrated violinist Joshua Bell begins a Los Angeles Philharmonic On Location residency performing Mendelssohn's E-Minor Violin Concerto with the orchestra in four concerts conducted by Herbert Blomstedt on Thursday and Friday, October 19 and 20, at 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, October 21 and 22, at 2 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Blomstedt also leads the Philharmonic in Schubert's Symphony No. 9, "Great," a work finished in 1826 but not performed until 1839, eleven years after the composer's death, when Mendelssohn conducted a truncated version in Leipzig. The Friday, October 20 concert is part of the Philharmonic's Casual Fridays series, at which audience and orchestra members alike come attired in comfortable clothes, and subscribers are invited to meet the musicians at a post-concert reception.

Musicologist Eric Bromberger discusses the concert program at "Upbeat Live," a free event open to all ticket holders held in BP Hall one hour before each performance.

On Location, in its fourth year as the Philharmonic's annual artist residency program, features some of the world's most distinguished artists participating in a special project including orchestral appearances as well as Green Umbrella new music performances, chamber music concerts and other activities. In addition to Bell, On Location artists for the 2006/07 season are composer Thomas Adès, pianist Emanuel Ax, and soprano Dawn Upshaw. According to Philharmonic President Deborah Borda, "Because our On Location residencies have had such a tremendous impact on our orchestra, audiences, and visiting artists, we feature four - rather than two - distinguished performers this season. Through these residencies, they each have a focused opportunity to explore their unique talent and insert their personal stamp on our season's programming."

Bell's On Location performances, which take place this fall and next spring, begin with concerts with the Philharmonic, and an appearance with the Colburn Orchestra under conductor Yehuda Gilad on the Sounds About Town series on Saturday, October 28 at 2 p.m. Bell then joins members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Wednesday, November 1 at 8 p.m. for Mendelssohn's Octet on a chamber music program. Next are three concerts with guest conductor Jonathan Nott leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Thursday and Friday, November 2 and 3 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, November 5 at 2 p.m. featuring Bell performing Brahms' Violin Concerto; also included on these programs are Henze's Erlkönig and Schubert's Symphony No. 6. The residency concludes on Tuesday, March 20, 2007, at 8 p.m. when Bell is the featured soloist and conductor in Vivaldi's Four Seasons with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.

Maestro HERBERT BLOMSTEDT recently concluded his position of Music Director of the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig after seven seasons. His collaboration with the orchestra produced a number of important and highly praised recordings, and he expanded the programming with numerous Scandinavian works and compositions from the early Classical and Baroque periods. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1927, Blomstedt moved with his family to Sweden in 1929. He studied conducting with the legendary Igor Markevitch, Jean Morel, and Leonard Bernstein. He received the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize in 1953 and made his conducting debut the following year with the Stockholm Philharmonic. That same year, he was appointed music director of the Norrköping (Sweden) Symphony. In 1955 he took first prize at the Salzburg conducting competition. Blomstedt has held positions as Music Director of the Oslo Philharmonic, the Danish Radio Symphony, and the Swedish Radio Symphony, and Chief Conductor of Hamburg's North German Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1975, the musicians of the Dresden Staatskapelle invited him to become Music Director, and during the ten years he held this position, he led the ensemble on major international tours. He made his debut with the San Francisco Symphony in February 1984 and was immediately appointed Music Director. In his decade at the orchestra's helm through the end of the 1994/95 season, he led the San Francisco Symphony to worldwide recognition. He currently serves as Conductor Laureate of the Orchestra. Blomstedt received Columbia University's Ditson Award for distinguished service to American music, the Anton Bruckner Prize in Linz, and the Carl-Nielsen-Prize in Copenhagen.

Grammy Award-winning violinist JOSHUA BELL has been captivating audiences around the globe for more than 20 years. Known for his poetic musicality, Bell came to national attention at age 14 in his orchestral debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. A Carnegie Hall debut, the Avery Fisher Career Grant, and a recording contract confirmed his presence in the music world. Now in his 30s, Bell has performed with the world's leading symphony orchestras and conductors, has recorded 28 albums, and has earned the status of classical music superstar. Billboard named him its 2004 Classical Artist of the Year and named his recording, Romance of the Violin, the 2004 Classical Album of the Year. Bell's recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas has just been released. Bell received a Grammy award for his recording of Nicholas Maw's Violin Concerto, and millions have enjoyed his appearances on the Grammy Award telecasts, the PBS specials "Joshua Bell at the Penthouse: Live From Lincoln Center" and "Joshua Bell: West Side Story Suite from Central Park," as well as Evening at Pops and the Indy 500 Victory Celebration. Bell has been the subject of a BBC documentary and appeared as himself in Music of the Heart starring Meryl Streep. Bell serves on the Artist Committee of the Kennedy Center Honors. He plays the 1713 Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music - Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association's involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2006 AT 8 PM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2006 AT 8 PM (Casual Fridays)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2006 AT 2 PM

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2006 AT 2 PM

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, 111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

HERBERT BLOMSTEDT, conductor

JOSHUA BELL, violin

MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto in E Minor

SCHUBERT Symphony No. 9, "Great"

Musicologist Eric Bromberger discusses the concert program at "Upbeat Live," a free event open to all ticket holders held in BP Hall one hour before each performance.

Tickets ($15 - $135) are on sale now online at LAPhil.com, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, or via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000. When available, choral bench seats ($15) will be released for sale to selected Philharmonic, Colburn Celebrity Recital, and Baroque Variations performances beginning at noon on the Tuesday of the second week prior to the concert. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For all information, please call 323.850.2000.

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