On April 4, 6, and 7, Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen reunites with friend and composer Magnus Lindberg (pictured above) at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the North American premiere of Lindberg's Parada. Also on the program is Lindberg's Cello Concerto with soloist Anssi Karttunen, for whom the piece was written, as well as Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Haydn and Serenade No. 2.
Upbeat Live pre-concert events take place one hour prior to each concert in the Grand Hall and are free to all ticket holders. Magnus Lindberg joins Steven Stucky and Christopher Hailey for the April 4, 6, and 7 Upbeat Live events.
Like Esa-Pekka Salonen, Magnus Lindberg is a product of Helsinki's Sibelius Academy. For the past twenty years, Salonen and Lindberg have continued their friendship and collaboration, experimenting with and studying their respective crafts, making music together. Because of this, it was a natural choice for Lindberg to select Salonen to conduct the world premiere of his latest work, Parada, with London's Philharmonia Orchestra in February 2002. Parada was commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchestra, South Bank Centre, Societé Philharmonique de Bruxelles and The Anvil, Basingstoke. These performances mark the piece's U.S. premiere.
Later in the program, Finnish friends Salonen and cellist Anssi Karttunen together perform Lindberg's Cello Concerto - a work written for the world-class cellist and his fourth concert piece featuring the cello. The trio premiered the work in Paris in 1999 and performed it with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Ojai Festival later that year.
Combining the new with the old in this multi-faceted program, audiences can also hear the music of Johannes Brahms' Serenade No. 2 - a work Brahms wrote in his youth. It stands as one of only two serenades the composer completed. Also on the weekend's program is his Variations on a Theme by Haydn. After finishing the Haydn Variations, Brahms went on to write four of the greatest symphonies in orchestral literature as well as several important overtures.
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 Philharmonic 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.
Composer MAGNUS LINDBERG was born in Helsinki in 1958. Following piano studies he entered the Sibelius Academy where his composition teachers included Einojuhani Rautavaara and Paavo Heininen. Heininen encouraged his pupils to look beyond the prevailing Finnish conservative and nationalist aesthetics, and to explore the works of the European avant-garde. In 1980, this thinking led to the founding of an informal group known as the Ears Open Society. Made up of Lindberg and his contemporaries, including Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Ears Open Society encouraged a greater awareness of mainstream modernism. In 1981, Lindberg moved to Paris to study with Globokar and Grisey. A year later, his compositional breakthrough came with two large-scale works. Recent works, including Feria (1997), Cantigas (1999) and the Cello Concerto (1999), have established Lindberg as one of the most invigorating of international composers working in the orchestral field.
Finnish cellist ANSSI KARTTUNEN is one of the most versatile performers on his instrument. He leads a busy career as a soloist and chamber music player, performing extensively throughout the world, including performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic; Finnish, Swedish, Danish and Dutch Radio Orchestras, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the BBC Symphony. Karttunen also performs at most major festivals in Europe.
EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:
Thursday, April 4, 8 PM
Saturday, April 6, 8 PM
Sunday, April 7, 1 PM
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION
ESA-PEKKA SALONEN, conductor
ANSSI KARTTUNEN, cello
Lindberg: Parada (U.S. Premiere)
Brahms: Serenade No. 2
Lindberg: Cello Concerto
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Single tickets ($12-$78) are available at the the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion box office, all Ticketmaster outlets (Robinsons-May, Tower Records, Ritmo Latino, Tu Música, and selected Wherehouse locations), and by credit card phone order at 213/365-3500. Tickets are also available on-line at laphil.com. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available 2 hours prior to the performance at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion box office. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for special discounts. For further information, please call 323/850-2000.
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Elizabeth Hinckley, 323/850-2047; Melanie Gravdal, 323/850-2021