LA Master Chorale's 2013-14 Season to Celebrate 50th Season at Disney Concert Hall

The LA Master Chorale's 2013-14 season will celebrate the choir's reputation as one of the world's most eminent choruses, and highlights its seminal role in the city's cultural development as a founding resident company of The Music Center and the Resident Chorus of Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Acclaimed Music Director Grant Gershon draws the season's repertoire from the Grammy-nominated chorus's treasuer of signature works, as well as a block of significatn new commissions.

The choral will commemorate a half century of exceptional music-making with:

14 Performances Conducted by Gershon in Walt Disney Concert Hall;

Bold Mix of Large-Scale Masterpieces for Symphonic Chorus and Captivating A Cappella Works;

4 World Premieres by Esa-Pekka Salonen, David Lang, Francisco Núñez and LAMC Swan Family Composer In Residence Shawn Kirchner - All Commissioned in Honor of 50th Season;

4 Major Choral Masterpieces - Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with Guest Baritone José Adán Pérez and Los AngeLes Children's Chorus, Verdi's Te Deum, Bach's B Minor Mass and Handel's Messiah, Presented a Record 52 Times by the Chorale to Date;

Opening Night Multi-Media Spectacular September 22, 2013, including Compelling Historical Exhibition in Disney Hall Lobbies and Complimentary Post-Concert Champagne Toast for Entire Audience and Chorale;

Special Anniversary Weekend Celebration January 25 and 26, 2014, Reprising Bach's B Minor Mass, Performed at Chorale's Inaugural Concert in January 1965, and also Featuring "Golden on Grand," a Gala Evening at the Chorale's Original Home - the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion - Celebrating 50 Years of Music;

Musical Tribute to Morten Lauridsen, Composer Most Closely Identified with Chorale, March 16, 2014, and Screening of Documentary Film "Shining Night: A Portrait of Composer Morten Lauridsen" Followed by Conversation with Composer and Film Producer at Historic Alex Theatre on March 14, 2014;

Concert Launching LA Phil's Second Minimalist Jukebox Festival April 6, 2014;

Participation in Noted City-Wide "Britten 100/LA: A Celebration" with Britten's Beloved A Ceremony of Carols as part of Rejoice!, 1 of 4 Holiday Programs;

Digital Downloads of 2 Concerts;

Continued Focus on Award-Winning Education Outreach Programs - 25th Annual High School Choir Festival and Voices Within;

Ravinia Festival Debut September 7, 2013;

3 Appearances with LA Philharmonic at Hollywood Bowl and 4 at Walt Disney Concert Hall;

Serving as the musical voice of Los Angeles for half a century, the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC) holds a prominent place in the city's cultural fabric as well as in the annals of classical music. The 2013-14 Season marks the milestone 50th Season of the trailblazing chorus, noted for its remarkable legacy as one of the world's preeminent choirs, credited with enriching the choral literature with numerous high profile commissions and world premieres, and hailed as both a virtuosic symphonic chorus and a masterful a cappella tour de force. A dazzling year-long celebration embracing both the choir's rich history and its commitment to advancing choral music showcases the Chorale's broad and impactful reach.

The Kiki & David Gindler Music Director Grant Gershon, proclaimed "a first-rate conductor" (Opera News), conducts 10 programs, 4 of which are repeated, for a total of 14 performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Repertoire was chosen from the Grammy-nominated choir's treasure trove of signature works, including four choral masterpieces closely associated with the chorus: Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with baritone José Adán Pérez and Los AngeLes Children's Chorus, Verdi's Te Deum, Bach's B Minor Mass and Handel's Messiah, presented a record 52 times by the Chorale since its inception in 1965. Commemorating five decades of exceptional music making, the choir also reprises some of its recent cornerstone premieres, Steve Reich's You Are (Variations) and Gabriela Lena Frank's Los Cantores de las Montañas, among them, and presents four world premieres by eminent composers Esa-Pekka Salonen, David Lang, Francisco Núñez and LAMC Swan Family Composer in Residence Shawn Kirchner, all commissioned in honor of the Chorale's 50th Season.

Special highlights include a riveting multi-media spectacular opening the season September 22, 2013; an extraordinary Anniversary Weekend Celebration January 25 and 26, 2014, paying homage to the Chorale's inaugural performance and featuring "Golden on Grand," a gala honoring 50 years of extraordinary music; and a heartfelt musical tribute to former Composer in Residence Morten Lauridsen on March 16, 2014, as well as a film tribute to him at the Alex Theatre. Additionally, the Chorale launches the second installment of the LA Phil's popular Minimalist Jukebox Festival on April 6, 2014; participates in the noted city-wide "Britten 100/LA: A Celebration" with Britten's beloved A Ceremony of Carols as part of the Chorale's holiday program Rejoice! December 8, 2013; showcases the next generation of composers at its season finale June 8, 2014; opens the doors of Disney Hall to the public free-of-charge for its 25th Annual High School Choir FestiVal May 2, 2014; and continues its vital role in the classroom through its Voices Within in-school artists in residence and other education programs, reaching some 9,000 students and adults annually.

Additionally, in a significant pre-season appearance, the Chorale makes its Ravinia Festival debut, performing The Gospel According To The Other Mary with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra and the original cast, under Gershon's baton, September 7, 2013. Music fans around the globe can also take the Chorale's music home with them with digital downloads of two of the choir's live performances during the 50th Season - the holiday programs "Festival of Carols" and a second concert to be determined.

"The Los Angeles Master Chorale is hitting on all cylinders," says Gershon, who marks his 13th season at the helm of the Chorale. "Our tickets sales have reached record highs, our programming continues to win awards and generate excitement in the musical community, our singers have achieved ever-greater levels of artistry, and our education programs are making enormous impacts on young people's lives. This is a time to celebrate the Chorale as well as look ahead to a vibrant future for choral music. This organization leads the choral field in the United States through our strong example of artistic integrity and community engagement."

A resident company of the Music Center of Los Angeles County, the Chorale continues to present "Listen Up!," a series of lively pre-concert conversations providing insight into the evening's program, with Gershon and KUSC Radio's Alan Chapman.

In addition to presenting its own concert series, this season the Los Angeles Master Chorale appears on seven programs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Hollywood Bowl engagements include Mahler's Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas July 9, 2013, Verdi's Aida led by Gustavo Dudamel August 11, 2013; and the Verdi Requiem, also conducted by Dudamel, August 13 and 15, 2013. At Disney Hall the Chorale joins the LA Philharmonic and Dudamel for the US premiere of The Last Days of Socrates, composed by Brett Dean, October 10-13, 2013, and Debussy's Nocturnes, featuring the women of the Chorale, October 18 and 19, 2013. The Chorale and orchestra are also led by Esa-Pekka Salonen in the world premiere of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels, October 23, 2013, and by Grant Gershon in Phillip Glass' the CIVIL warS, the Rome Section, April 17 and 19, 2014.

SEASON DETAILS:

Los Angeles Master Chorale Makes Ravinia Festival Debut in Pre-Season Appearance September 7, 2013

Expanding its reach with a significant pre-season appearance, the Los Angeles Master Chorale makes its Ravinia Festival debut, performing John Adams' The Gospel According To The Other Mary with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra and the original cast, under Gershon's baton, September 7, 2013. It is the oldest and one of the most prestigious outdoor music festivals in the country. In a separate Ravinia Festival engagement, Gershon, a tenor, sings the quartet version of David Lang's the little match girl passion with soprano Elissa Johnston, his wife, mezzo-soprano Adriana Manfredi and bass-baritone Cedric Berry August 26, 2013.

Los Angeles Master Chorale Launches 50th Season in Grand Style with Stunning Multi-Media Spectacular Featuring Retrospective Concert, Historical Exhibition and Post-Concert Champagne Celebration on Sunday, September 22, 2013 The Los Angeles Master Chorale's landmark 50th Season launches on Sunday, September 22, 2013, 7 pm, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, with a dazzling spectacular celebrating the rich history and inspiring artistry of the extraordinary musical organization that has been acclaimed for its "needle-sharp quality" (Financial Times) and hailed as "inspired" (New York Times), "splendid and adventurous" (Daily Variety), "a superb vocal ensemble" (New York Observer) and "matchlessly polished" (Los Angeles Times). A compelling multi-media retrospective concert encompasses some of the most beloved and groundbreaking works in its repertoire and spotlights, among many other pieces, signature musical selections linked to each of the four music directors who have led the Chorale during its fifty-year history - Renaissance motets for Roger Wagner; Scottish folk songs for John Currie, excerpts from Lux Aeterna for Paul Salamunovich and Unclouded Day and Spem in alium for Grant Gershon. Additionally, BP Hall transforms into a temporary gallery for a fascinating historical exhibition about the choir drawn from its extensive archives as well as personal artifacts from some of the people who have helped shape the Chorale over the past five decades. The magical evening concludes with a complimentary post-concert champagne toast for the entire 2,200-member audience with the Chorale.

Matinee and Evening Performances of Orff's Seminal Carmina Burana and Verdi's Lush Te Deum Set for Saturday, November 2, 2 pm, and Sunday, November 3, 2013, 7 pm

Orff's Carmina Burana, one of the most popular choral works of the 20th century and a staple of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, having been conducted by all four of the choir's music directors a total of 16 times in the past 50 years, receives back-to-back performances led by Music Director Grant Gershon with guest artists José Adán Pérez, a "glorious baritone" (Bach Track) and the ever-polished Los AngeLes Children's Chorus on Saturday, November 2, 2013, 2 pm, and Sunday, November 3, 2013, 7 pm, at Disney Hall. Verdi's lush Te Deum, a Gershon favorite for double chorus and orchestra with roots in polyphony and Gregorian chant, opens the program.

Carmina Burana, based on a remarkable collection of 13th Century writings by medieval poets, defrocked monks, vagabond scholars and minstrels, illuminates the bawdy and sensuous side of mankind. Written in 1936, when Orff was 41, it is perhaps the most recognized choral work composed in the 20th century. The majority of its movements are for chorus, which provides the musical heart of Carmina Burana and is a testament to Orff's considerable skill in handling massed voices. Gershon last conducted the piece in 2005.

Chorale's Extensive Holiday Programming Opens with Two Matinees of "Festival of Carols" Ringing in the Season Saturday, December 7, and Saturday, December 14, 2013

The Los Angeles Master Chorale heralds Christmas with two matinees of its delightful seasonal concert, "Festival of Carols," Saturday, December 7, 2013, 2 pm, and Saturday, December 14, 2013, 2 pm, at Disney Hall. Joy to the World, Deck the Hall and Carol of the Bells are among the cherished holiday carols and traditional favorites setting a joyous mood and sung to glorious perfection by 115 members of the Chorale under Music Director Grant Gershon's baton. Tickets for children 6-12 are discounted in all sections. (Children under six not admitted.)

Respighi's Laud to the Nativity, Britten's A Ceremony of Carols and Stephen Paulus's Christmas Dances Resonate at Rejoice! Sunday, December 8, 2013

The Chorale's holiday offerings continue with "Rejoice!," featuring Gershon conducting three seasonal classics - Respighi's beautiful Laud to the Nativity, filled with the rich imagery of the nativity story, Britten's A Ceremony of Carols and Stephen Paulus's Christmas Dances - on Sunday, December 8, 2013, 7 pm. Britten composed A Ceremony of Carols in 1942 while sailing to England from the United States, and it instantly joined the ranks of treasured holiday repertoire. Similarly, Paulus, a prolific composer hailed as "a bright, fluent inventor with a ready lyric gift" (The New Yorker) and "exceptionally imaginative" (The New York Times), wrote the lush 25-minute Christmas Dances for flute, harp and chorus in 2008 and has seen it become a seasonal phenomenon in just a few short years. The concert is part of the noted city-wide "Britten 100/LA: A Celebration" curated by LA Opera.

33rd Annual Messiah Sing-Along Taps Audience Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Reflecting the global popularity of Handel's Messiah, the Los Angeles Master Chorale has presented the Baroque masterpiece a record 52 times since its inception in 1965, with 32 of those performances sung by the community at large as part of the Chorale's famed Messiah Sing-Along. This season, Angelenos can belt out the "Hallelujah" chorus - and all of the work's other glorious choruses - at the 33rd Annual Messiah Sing-Along on Wednesday, December 11, 2013, 7:30 pm, at Disney Hall. Grant Gershon conducts the 2,200-voice do-it-yourself choir, a professional chamber orchestra and four professional soloists from the Chorale. (Scores are available for sale in the lobby.)

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