Significant Concert Presented By Chamber Music LA Celebrates LA's Vibrant Chamber Music Scene On August 28

Chamber Music LA (CMLA), a Los Angeles-based collective of five leading presenters reflecting LA's vibrant chamber music landscape, announces Music Box 2023, a joyous program celebrating the string quartet, considered the quintessential chamber ensemble, on Sunday, August 27, 2023, 3 pm, at Zipper Hall in Downtown Los Angeles.

Four different string quartets presented by the collective's member organizations are set to perform in this rare joint showcase, giving the flavor of each ensemble's individual approach to chamber music. The collective, established in 2017, includes Camerata Pacifica, Colburn School, Jacaranda Music, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), and Salastina, each possessing a unique curatorial voice expressed through the intimacy of chamber music.
 

Highlighting the string quartet, a medium in which the history of music, going back to the era of Haydn, is expressed, Music Box 2023 features works by Mendelssohn and Schubert that bring lyricism and soul, while a late Romantic Schoenberg quartet barely foretells the immense musical legacy of this and the last century.
 

Colburn School opens Music Box 2023, presenting Chamber Ensemble-In-Residence Quartet Integra in two movements from Mozart's String Quartet No. 17 (“The Hunt”), a touchstone in the string quartet repertoire. Formed in 2014, the award-winning Quartet Integra has performed internationally, commissioned numerous new works, and given over a dozen world premieres. The quartet features first violinist Kyoka Misawa, second violinist Rinato Kikuno, violist Itsuki Yamamoto, and cellist Anri Tsukiji, who are currently enrolled in the Chamber Ensemble-in-Residence Program at the Colburn School, where they study with Martin Beaver, Clive Greensmith, and Tatjana Masurenko. 

 

Salastina brings its audience-favorite “Sounds Mysterious” format to the stage. Host Brian Lauritzen selects a piece of music that is unfamiliar to the quartet. Following the performance, the musicians and audience try to guess the composer. The delight of surprise and interactive “whodunnit” guessing game make for an engaging spin on the live concert experience. Performing the mystery work are Salastina members Co-Artistic Directors and violinists Maia Jasper White and Kevin Kumar; Meredith Crawford, viola; and Yoshika Masuda, cello.

 

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, one of the nation's leading chamber orchestras renowned for its wide-ranging repertoire and adventurous commissioning initiatives, offers two movements from Mendelssohn's playful String Quartet No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 44 No. 3, composed in 1838. Featured LACO artists include Josefina Vergara, violin; Carrie Kennedy, violin; Jonathan Moerschel, viola; and Trevor Handy, cello.

 

The Music Box 2023 “sampler” concludes with two loosely connected works presented by Jacaranda, which produces classical music adventures designed to awaken curiosity, passion, and discovery with a spirit of inclusion. Its resident ensemble Lyris Quartet interprets Schoenberg's delightfully fast-paced Presto in C Major for string quartet and Schubert's masterful Quartetsatz in C minor, written as a single movement. Schubert, whose music bridged the Classical and Romantic musical eras, greatly inspired Schoenberg, credited with inventing atonal music and considered one of the most influential and groundbreaking composers of the 20th century. Lyric Quartet members are Alyssa Park, violin; Shalini Vijayan, violin; Luke Maurer, viola; and Timothy Loo, cello.

 

Camerata Pacifica's ensemble begins 2023-24 performances at Zipper Hall on Thursday, September 14. Unfortunately, the artists will not be available to appear in Music Box LA 2023.

 

Chamber Music LA owes its vision and existence to Warner Wheeler Henry (1938-2020), a chamber music lover, who, near the end of his life, aspired to realize a decades-long vision for Los Angeles' classical music scene. He marveled at the caliber of Los Angeles musicians and was passionate about making chamber music more visible and widely available. Ultimately, in 2017, he founded Chamber Music LA, an association of chamber music organizations brought together for the purpose of promoting the tremendous variety of exceptional chamber music offered in Los Angeles. Since its inception, CMLA has followed Warner's core directives – that all efforts serve the art form of chamber music and that CMLA functions to support the participating organizations – not replace them. Chamber Music LA gratefully acknowledges Warner Henry and the Henry family for their continued leadership and vital financial support. Major financial support for Chamber Music LA has been provided by Terri and Jerry Kohl.

Tickets for Music Box 2023 ($45; $10 student tickets with ID) may be purchased online at https://chambermusic.la. Zipper Hall is located at Colburn School, 200 S Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

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