Tour Celebrates Israel’s Anniversary and Bernstein’s Legacy with the Orchestra

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2008, AT 8 PM

The Concert is Generously Sponsored by American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Designate Gustavo Dudamel and the Israel Philharmonic (IPO) come to Walt Disney Concert Hall, Monday, November 24, at 8 p.m., as part of a tour celebrating Israel’s 60th year of independence and Leonard Bernstein’s legacy with the orchestra. In tribute to Bernstein’s 90th anniversary year, the program features music by the orchestra’s famed Laureate Conductor – Halil, a nocturne for flute and orchestra with IPO flutist Eyal Ein-Habar appearing as soloist, and Jubilee Games, composed for the IPO’s 50th anniversary – as well as Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. The Los Angeles stop concludes the orchestra’s largest American tour in four years.

The program invites listeners to consider the parallels between Bernstein and Tchaikovsky in the context of their respective cultural identities and their struggles to find balance between these identities and artistic meaning.

Bernstein, who came of age during a period that shaped modern Jewish identity, composed Halil in 1981 to commemorate Yadim Tannenbaum, a young flutist killed in 1973 while fighting in the Yom Kippur war. Throughout the work, there is a continual struggle between atonality and tonality, and the overall mournful tone of the piece conveys what was lost and what might have been. In his Jubilee Games, Bernstein’s final major orchestral work and one of his most exploratory, the composer showcases the orchestra as a complete ensemble and puts a spotlight on individual instruments and sections. The piece also juxtaposes highly trained virtuosos with unconventional touches, notably the non-singing voices and the pre-recorded sounds of the shofar.

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 is the first full expression of the composer’s artistic voice and represents a turning point on various levels: as a composer, toward mastery of technique; as a human, toward confronting demons; as an artist, toward a more cosmopolitan idiom. In the finale, the composer drew on his Russian roots to produce the impression of a folk celebration.

Gustavo Dudamel, one of the most exciting young conductors today, takes over the helm as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the fall of 2009. He is currently Principal Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra as well as Music Director of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela.

Dudamel begins his Los Angeles Philharmonic 2008/09 residency with three concerts featuring soprano Christine Brewer at Walt Disney Concert Hall, November 28 – 30, and continues Dec. 4 – 7, with pianist Rudolf Buchbinder.

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) was established in 1936 by Bronislaw Huberman, a Zionist who founded the orchestra in order to save Jewish musicians in Europe from the Holocaust, which he foresaw. The inaugural concert, on December 26, 1936, was conducted by the legendary Arturo Toscanini to great acclaim, with the "Palestine Orchestra," as it was then known, being characterized as "an orchestra of soloists." With Israel's independence in 1948, it was renamed the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and is now considered one of the most important orchestras in the world today.

An Upbeat Live pre-concert event takes place in Walt Disney Concert Hall’s BP Hall one hour prior to the concert, and is free to all ticket holders. Alan Chapman, KUSC-FM radio host, composer-lyricist and pianist, hosts.

GUSTAVO DUDAMEL’s remarkable artistry, along with his unique ability to communicate and become one with an orchestra are only a few of the characteristics that establish him as one of today’s leading figures in the music world. His exceptional gift, together with contagious energy on as well as off stage, takes musicians and listeners on a memorable journey. Currently the Music Director of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, he becomes the Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009-10, and enters his tenth year as Music Director of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. Gustavo Dudamel’s 2008-09 season opened in October with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra tour of Europe, including performances in Cologne, Essen, Luxembourg, Munich, Vienna, Barcelona, Valencia, San Sebastian and Valladolid. In November 2008, he tours the US with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, bringing it to New York’s Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center in Washingon DC, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center and to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. This is followed by two weeks of subscription concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. December brings Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra on a debut Asian tour to Japan, China, and Korea. Additional appearances this season are with Staatskapelle Berlin, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra, and a return engagement with the Berliner Philharmoniker, among others. In the 2007-08 season, Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela embarked on a European tour with performances at the Edinburgh Festival and the BBC Proms in the UK, and five German venues, including Schleswig Holstein Festival, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Dresden Semperoper, Bonn Beethovenfest, and Frankfurt Alte Oper, followed by a US tour to rave reclaim in October, with performances in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and in New York’s Carnegie Hall. He made his debut with the New York Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and returned for performances with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Gothenburg Symphony. Gustavo Dudamel has been an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist since 2005. His debut recording, Beethoven 5&7 with the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra was released worldwide in September 2006, and he has received the 2007 Echo Award (Germany) for “New Artist of the Year.” His second recording with the Orchestra, Mahler 5, was released in May 2007, and was chosen as the only classical album on iTunes’ “Next Big Thing.” His third album with the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, FIESTA, was released in May 2008 and it is in essence, as the title suggests, a “fiesta” of Latin-American works, such as Revueltas’ Sensemayá, Carreño’s Margariteña, and Estévez’s Melodia en el Llano, as well as Bernstein’s Mambo, among others. News of Gustavo Dudamel’s talent spread worldwide after his triumph at the inaugural Bamberger Symphoniker Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition in May 2004. Born in 1981 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, he studied violin at the Jacinto Lara Conservatory with José Luis Jiménez and later, with José Francisco del Castillo, at the Latin American Academy of Violin. In 1996, he began his conducting studies with Rodolfo Saglimbeni and during the same year was named Music Director of the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra. In 1999, along with assuming the Music Director position of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, he began conducting studies with José Antonio Abreu, the Orchestra’s founder. In May 2007, Dudamel was awarded the Premio de la Latinidad by the Unión Latina, an honor, given for outstanding contributions to Latin cultural life, which is presented by the 37 Latin American and African member states of the Unión Latina organization. In 2008, the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra was granted Spain’s prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts, given annually by the Fundación Principe de Asturias. Most recently, Dudamel was awarded the 2007 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award for Young Artists.

The ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA is one of Israel’s oldest and most influential cultural institutions. Since its founding in 1936, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has dedicated itself to presenting the world’s greatest music to audiences in Israel and around the world. Founded by Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra represents the fulfillment of his dream "to unite the desire of the country for an orchestra with the desire of the Jewish musicians for a country." The orchestra’s practice, established by Huberman, of absorbing talented new immigrants and serving as a gathering point for musician all over the world, continues under the esteemed leadership of Zubin Mehta. Major soloists and conductors have always performed with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra from its inaugural concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini to more recent associations with such renowned artists as Emanuel Ax, Daniel Barenboim, Yefim Bronfman, Principal Guest Conductor Yoel Levi, Yo-Yo Ma, Lorin Maazel, Honorary Guest Conductor Kurt Masur, Itzhak Perlman, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Arthur Rubinstein, Gil Shaham, Isaac Stern and Pinchas Zukerman. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is Israel’s premier cultural ambassador and travels extensively throughout the world, particularly to countries where there is little or no Israeli representation. The good-will created by these tours, which have included historic visits to Japan, Argentina, Poland, Hungary, Russia, China, and India is of enormous value to the State of Israel. In 2005, the Orchestra traveled to Berlin to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and Germany; to London, Paris and Geneva on a tour co-sponsored by the Weizmann and Pasteur Institutes; and, to South America where the Orchestra visited eight cities in 20 days. In 2007, the IPO performed five concerts in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the U.S.; seven concerts in six cities in Japan and 23 concerts during their summer European Festival Tour. In February 2008, The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Tribute to Leonard Bernstein toured five U.S. cities with Jamie Bernstein, the composer’s daughter, under the baton of Michael Barrett. The IPO returns to the U.S. in November 2008, with the dynamic young LA Phil Music Director Designate Gustavo Dudamel, continuing the celebration of Israel’s 60th Anniversary and the tribute to Leonard Bernstein. The Orchestra performs eight concerts in seven cities: Newark, New Jersey, New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, San Diego, Costa Mesa and Los Angeles. Currently, the Orchestra gives more than 100 performances each year in Israel to their 26,000 subscribers, where 12 different concert series are presented in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has played a prominent role in many celebrations and important historic milestones for the State of Israel and remains an eloquent voice for peace in Israel and around the world.

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:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2008, at 8 PM

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



Visiting Orchestras



ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

GUSTAVO DUDAMEL, conductor

EYAL EIN-HABAR, flute



BERNSTEIN Halil

BERNSTEIN Concerto for Orchestra, Jubilee Games

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4



The concert is generously sponsored by American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra



An Upbeat Live pre-concert event takes place in Walt Disney Concert Hall’s BP Hall one hour prior to the concert, and is free to all ticket holders. Alan Chapman, KUSC-FM radio host, composer-lyricist and pianist, hosts.

Tickets ($42 - $147) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card by phone at 323.850.2000. 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 information, please call 323.850.2000.

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