LA Phil

You are here

Home » Blog

2013 Tour

Greetings from Lucerne!

| Posted by Michele Grego, LA Phil Bassoonist in Lucerne

Marion Kuzyk, Michele Grego and Michele Bovyer pose for a photo in Lucerne.

Today was a much-needed day off - no concerts, no rehearsals and no travel. I was fortunate to join two of my colleagues on an incredible journey to Mount Pilatus. Mount Pilatus is the 7000-foot Alpine Summit that is above Lucerne. Marion Kuszyk, Shelley Bovyer and I boarded a bus to the Kriens Station where we took the gondola to the first stop at 4649 feet. None of us had ever travelled to the summit and we thought surely we were to the top.

Marion took a wonderful photo of the next aerial cableway which took us to the summit. It's the tiny red speck in the middle of the snow covered mountain - it was nothing less than breathtaking and a bit terrifying.

Read More…

So Long, London!

| Posted by LA Phil Staff in London

LA Phil President and CEO Deborah Borda and Music Director Gustavo Dudamel on the plane from London to Lucerne.

It was an amazing week for the orchestra in London, to say the least. Our International Residency at the Barbican Centre, the Future Play Symposium and our three concerts were by all measures rousing successes. The orchestra played amazingly, the audiences were moved, hearts and minds were opened and fine times were had by all.

But it's a tour, after all, and to tour means to move - so that's what we're doing.

So long, London - hello, Lucerne!

Read More…

Masterclass Moments

| Posted by LA Phil Staff in London

LA Phil Principal Trombone Nitzan Haroz demonstrates for a young musician in last Friday's Masterclass at London's Barbican Centre

Imagine, for a moment, that you're a young musician - say, a young trombonist or horn player - and you've gotten an invite to participate in a special music education symposium held at Europe's largest arts complex. What could be better than that?

Well, how about if two of the world's foremost authorities on the two instruments - the LA Phil's Principal Trombone Nitzan Haroz and Principal Horn Andrew Bain, respectively - led semi-private masterclasses, giving you individual attention and lessons on how to improve your playing?

I bet you'd think that was pretty great - priceless, even.

 

Read More…

Running with the Wetzels

| Posted by Mick and Stacy Wetzel, LA Phil Violist and Violinist in London

LA Phil violist Mick Wetzel takes a break from his run in London to pose for a photo.

Stacy and I have been touring with major symphony orchestras for 30 years. Before we came to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, we played with the San Francisco Symphony.. This has been a wonderful privilege to have been able to do this and most especially together.

Read More…

Wish You Were Here

| Posted by LA Phil Staff in London

Gustavo walks onto the Barbican stage to start the final London performance of the LA Phil's 2013 tour.

Well, the London leg of the LA Phil's 2013 Tour is very nearly in the books. After the week the LA Phil has had - last night's European premiere of John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary; the three-day Future Play Symposium at the Barbican Centre that culminated in the rousing, moving Discover Dudamel event; and the first-ever Green Umbrella new music program played on foreign soil - a program that consists of favorites like Debussy's La mer and Stravinsky's The Firebird can feel downright comforting.

Read More…

Dudamel, Discovered

| Posted by LA Phil Staff in London

Tony Brown, Executive Director of Heart of Los Angeles and Raymond, YOLA clarinetist, pose with Gustavo after the Discover Dudamel event at the Barbican.

One of the highlights of the LA Phil's residency at the Barbican was the Discover Dudamel event on MAR 15, during which the LA Phil's Music Director led 100-plus young musicians, from 10 youth orchestras (including members of our own YOLA) in a rehearsal of Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture.

We've got some descriptions of the event from the particpants forthcoming - and Brian Lauritzen from KUSC and the Barbican have some fine coverage up to hold you over --  but meanwhile, enjoy some photos of this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Read More…

YOLA Tour Diary, Part 1

| Posted by The Young Musicians of YOLA in London

Read More…

Showtime!

| Posted by LA Phil Staff in London

The European premiere of John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary at London's Barbican Centre is mere moments away and we're feeling the excitement all the way across the pond.

Here's a short clip of John Adams offering some insight into what's it's taken to put this work on the stage after its concert premiere last May, as well as some photos from London that show just a hint of what's gone into taking this massive new work - consisting of a full orchestra, six singers, three dancers and the Los Angeles Master Chorale - on tour.

Read More…

Walking In London

| Posted by Nathan Cole, First Associate Concertmaster in London

Nathan Cole, the LA Phil's First Associate Concertmaster, takes a moment to pose with composer and LA Phil Creative Chair John Adams.

Back in London, one of my favorite cities to tour! It's always alive, and I speak the language.

Since my flight and trip to the hotel were fairly easy, I found myself with more energy than I'm used to for the first day of tour. So even though it was rainy and getting dark, I knew I had to take out the camera for a night walk. The combination of rain, city lights, and sunset was a lucky one. The folks eating at this cafe on the Serpentine in Hyde Park had it good!

Read More…

Friends of the Phil

| Posted by LA Phil Staff in London

It's not that we don't appreciate you following along with the orchestra's adventures on this blog - we do, immensely - but did you know there's a lot of other great coverage of the LA Phil's International Residency at the Barbican? And the sources...well, they're not exactly surprising, since the fine organizations also blogging are longtime friends, cohorts, collaborators and compadres of ours.

First off, the very excellent Barbican Centre is doing their own blog, which makes sense, since this whole event is happening right there. They're on the scene and they're doing it right - from audio clips of keynote speeches to photos of Gustavo leading the Discover Dudamel event, they've got things covered across the pond.

Read More…

Pages