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In May 1970 at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, Zubin Mehta led the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention in the world premiere of Zappa’s Concerto for Mothers and Orchestra. Zappa incorporated some of that music into the score for his surrealistic band-on-the-road film 200 Motels, released the following year, as was a soundtrack double album featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and narrator Theodore Bikel, as well as the Mothers. Zappa was often frustrated with orchestras, but his music was gradually embraced by the classical world, particularly as championed by Pierre Boulez. (Boulez also conducted the LA Phil in a concert that was also part of the same Contempo ’70 mini-festival that featured Zappa’s Concerto.)

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A once-in-a-lifetime concert event celebrating the spirit of creative freedom that Walt Disney Concert Hall epitomizes.