Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 11 Am and Saturday, March 7, 2009 at 11am

Pre-Concert Workshops for Children at 10am

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association’s 2008/09 Toyota Symphonies for Youth (TSFY) concert series at Walt Disney Concert Hall continues on Saturday, February 28, at 11 a.m., featuring Esa-Pekka Salonen’s musical celebration of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Wing on Wing. Conductor Julian Kuerti leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic for this special performance, which repeats on Saturday, March 7, at 11 a.m.

Wing on Wing is Esa-Pekka Salonen’s tribute to Frank Gehry’s architecture for Walt Disney Concert Hall. The sailing term, which describes when the foresail and the mainsail of a sailboat are open to a 180-degree angle producing the maximum amount of sail area, was also the metaphorical inspiration for Gehry. Wing on Wing, while not an attempt to translate architecture into music, uses metaphors of wind and water throughout. The symphonic fantasy features actual sounds of fish, voices as musical sounds, and even Gehry’s sampled voice.

The TSFY concerts are orchestral theater – an art form that specializes in featuring the orchestra in a theatrical setting. Before every concert, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Walt Disney Concert Hall becomes a musical playground with hands-on art making, musical activities, dance, and storytelling or theater. Workshops take place in the lobby spaces one hour prior to the performance. Judi Garratt, Los Angeles Unified School District Elementary Theatre Teacher for the Arts Education Branch, coordinates all pre-concert activities.

The final TSFY concert of the 2008/09 season takes place on Saturday, March 28 & April 4, featuring the music of Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn in The German Tradition.

JULIAN KUERTI was born in Toronto into one of Canada’s most distinguished musical families; his father is famed pianist Anton Kuerti. He began his instrumental training on the violin. While completing an honors degree in engineering & physics at the University of Toronto, Julian kept up the violin, performing as concertmaster and soloist with various Canadian orchestras. After taking a year off and touring Brazil with Kahana, a Toronto-based world music band, Mr. Kuerti began his conducting studies in the year 2000 at the University of Toronto. That summer he was accepted as a student at the renowned Pierre Monteux School for Conductors in Maine, where he studied for two years with Michael Jinbo and Claude Monteux. He has been assistant conductor to James Levine at the Boston Symphony Orchestra since February 2007. He made his BSO debut with concerts in March 2008, leading Knussen’s Flourish with Fireworks, Dvo?ak’s Symphony No. 7, and Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto, with legendary pianist Leon Fleisher. He has conducted extensively in Europe, North and South America, performing with orchestras such as the Toronto Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC, Houston Symphony, Berliner Symphoniker, and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. From 2005-2008, Kuerti served as founding artistic director and principal conductor of Berlin’s Solistenensemble Kaleidoskop. Kuerti’s 2008/2009 season includes engagements with the Victoria Symphony, the Princeton Symphony, the Calgary Symphony, the Hartford Symphony, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in education concerts.

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.

Toyota Symphonies for Youth is generously sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. with significant support provided by the Marie Baier Foundation. The Amgen Foundation is a leading supporter of music education at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Additional support for the Philharmonic's Education and Community Programs is provided by: Annenberg Foundation, Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the James and Paula Coburn Foundation, The Dana Foundation, the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Inc., Edison International, Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, The Green Foundation, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation, Kashper Family Foundation, Karl H. Loring, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Philharmonic Affiliates, B.C. McCabe Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, Dick and Sally Roberts, Rose Hills Foundation, and the Weingart Foundation.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2009, at 11 AM

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2009, at 11 AM

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



Toyota Symphonies for Youth

Salonen: Wing on Wing



LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

JULIAN KUERTI, conductor



Pre-Concert Activities Creative Team

JUDI GARRATT, activities coordinator

MADELEINE DAHM, dance

CANDY DANZIG, theater/storytelling

PAT TUTTLE, visual arts

ANDREW GRUESCHOW, music

Tickets ($20) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000. For information, please call 323.850.2000.

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