THE ANNUAL HOLLYWOOD BOWL EVENT FEATURED THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL ORCHESTRA AND YOLA, LED BY
THOMAS WILKINS
THE EVENING BENEFITTED THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC AND ITS MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS
(Los Angeles, CA - June 17, 2017) Summer unofficially began when the Hollywood Bowl ushered in its 96th season with its 2017 Opening Night Concert, featuring The Moody Blues, Saturday, June 17, at 8 pm. The multi-platinum record-producing band performed its landmark album Days of Future Passed in its entirety with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (HBO), led by Principal Conductor Thomas Wilkins, in celebration of the album's 50th anniversary. The evening also included a special performance with members of YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles), the LA Phil's initiative to provide access to free, high quality instrumental and orchestral education in order to promote youth development. YOLA, inspired by El Sistema, the Venezuelan education system that nurtured LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The Opening Night at the Hollywood Bowl benefit concert raised more than $1.5 million for the Los Angeles Philharmonic's many education and community programs (including YOLA), which serve more than 150,000 youth, families and teachers every year.
The festive evening began with Wilkins leading the HBO in Los Angeles-based composer Peter Boyer's "Silver Fanfare," during which a video montage of highlights from past Hollywood Bowl Opening Nights was shown on the Bowl's big screens. After officially welcoming the audience to the special night, Wilkins introduced the Opening Night Title Sponsor Kaiser Permanente with Executive Vice President and Group President, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan, Inc. Greg Adams and President, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan Southern California Julie Miller-Phipps, as well as LA Phil Gala Co-Chairs Teena Hostovich, Doug Martinet and Michael Martinet.
Following the welcome and introductions from the stage, the audience's attention returned to the Bowl screens to enjoy a video celebrating YOLA's 10th anniversary with highlights that illustrated the program's impact over time, including brief interviews with the students, their first performance at the Bowl, and their Super Bowl half-time appearance. At the video's conclusion, 28 senior members of YOLA, seated among the HBO, performed Shostakovich's lively Festive Overture along with the professional orchestra.
The first half of the program concluded with The Moody Blues taking the stage to perform a selection of hit songs from their illustrious career such as "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)," "Wildest Dreams," "Isn't Life Strange," and "The Story In Your Eyes." Since they first emerged on the rock scene The Moody Blues have produced music that bridges the gap between rock, classical and pop-rock genres without ever wavering in their integrity and commitment. Featuring guitarist/vocalist Justin Hayward, bassist/vocalist John Lodge and drummer Graeme Edge, The Moody Blues have created music time and time again that offers rock music a depth that is unprecedented and inspiring.
The second half of the concert continued with The Moody Blues joined by the HBO and Wilkins for the performance of Days of Future Passed, the band's first full-length studio album. The ground-breaking concept album, released in 1967, marked the first time a rock band fused their sound with a symphony orchestra. With the directive from their label, Decca Records, to record an album to test "stereo recording," which was in its infancy at the time, the band developed Days of Future Passed, an album that blended classical music with rock, written to the band's own soundtrack; the result was an album without breaks, that today, many consider a masterpiece. From Days, the song "Tuesday Afternoon" became a massive worldwide hit, and "Nights in White Satin" marked one of the first four-minute songs played on the radio, going on to become one of the biggest-selling singles in history and hitting No. 1 three separate times on Billboard. Following the Days performance, the band and orchestra continued with the 1970 single "Question," accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display. For the encore, the band and orchestra remained on the stage for its popular 1968 single "Ride My See-Saw."
Several film and television personalities, as well as elected and other civic officials, were present to enjoy the benefit concert, including Quentin Tarantino, Los Angeles County Board Supervisors Kathryn Barger, Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis, Los Angeles City Councilmember David Ryu, Los Angeles Philharmonic Board Chair Jay Rasulo, Los Angeles Philharmonic Acting President and CEO Gail Samuel and Los Angeles Philharmonic Chief Operating Officer Chad Smith.
Prior to the concert, Opening Night Patrons enjoyed a VIP cocktail reception in the Box Office Terrace above the newly renovated Main Plaza. Reception attendees took advantage of special photo opportunities provided by Opening Night Title Sponsor Kaiser Permanente.
Following the reception, Opening Night patrons enjoyed dinner served in their boxes. The table décor featured a crisp look this year: white and khaki linens, with splashes of rosemary, mint, and lavender as the centerpieces, inspired by Kaiser Permanente's healthy eating initiatives.
The Lucques Group designed a custom menu for the night which featured a first course Mezze Plate of fava bean and chickpea hummus with zatar lavash, spiced carrot salad and labneh with olive oil, parsley and three seeds. The main course of Moroccan Chicken Tagine was complemented by saffron cous cous, harrisa, apricots and toasted almonds. The dessert course offered a bittersweet chocolate torta with mascarpone and caramel hazelnuts.
Wine for the evening was provided by Winc, Official Wines of the Hollywood Bowl.
The Hollywood Bowl Opening Night Concert was chaired by Gala Co-Chairs Teena Hostovich, Doug Martinet and Michael Martinet. Kaiser Permanente was the Opening Night Title Sponsor. Premiere Sponsors were Live Nation/Ticketmaster, and the Muse Sponsor was Wells Fargo.
Special Thanks to Kaiser Permanente for its Generous Support of Opening Night
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About The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues have sold in excess of 70 million albums worldwide and have been awarded 14 platinum and gold records. Their roster of hits also includes: "Ride My See-Saw," "The Story In Your Eyes," "Isn't Life Strange," "Question," "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)," "Your Wildest Dreams," and "I Know You're Out There Somewhere." The Moody Blues' chart-topping, multi-platinum, platinum, and gold albums and singles have generated sold-out tours over the course of several decades, making them one of the top-grossing touring bands of all time.
About the Hollywood Bowl
One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the Hollywood Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and plays host to the finest artists from all genres of music. It remains one of the best deals anywhere in Los Angeles; to this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many classical and jazz offerings. The venue offers something for everyone, from its sizzling summer evening concerts to the daytime arts festival for children, "SummerSounds: World Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl." In February 2017, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the thirteenth year in a row at the 28th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards. For millions of music lovers across Southern California, the Hollywood Bowl is synonymous with summer.
Sophie Jefferies, sjefferies@laphil.org, 213.972.3422
Lisa White, lwhite@laphil.org, 213.972.3408