LA Chamber Orch Honored w ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) has received a 2010-2011 ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, presented recently at the League of American Orchestras' 66th National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, marking its fifth such honor in six years. LACO, one of just 26 American orchestras honored for its programming, was recognized for presenting the works of such contemporary composers as Derek Bermel, John Harbison, Osvaldo Golijov, Daniel Kellogg, Pierre Jalbert and PROJECT Trio during its 2010-2011 season. The League and ASCAP bestow the awards each year to orchestras of all sizes for programs that challenge audiences, build repertoire, and increase interest in music of our time.

"We are deeply grateful for this significant acknowledgment," states LACO Executive Director Rachel Fine. "The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, led by our esteemed Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, has long been committed to expanding the classical repertoire through the commissioning and performance of new works. To be selected for this accolade is a tremendous honor and a tribute to Jeffrey for his forward-thinking programming."

During its 2010-11 Season, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra presented a wide range of contemporary works, including Pierre Jalbert's Les espaces infinis ("The Infinite Spaces"), Daniel Kellogg's Mozart's Hymn, Osvaldo Golijov's Last Round and John Harbison's Gli accordi piú usati (The Most Often Used Chords"), a work originally commissioned by LACO in 1993. Notably, LACO also celebrated the 10th anniversary of Sound Investment, a program that gives patrons the rare opportunity to take an active role in commissioning a new work to create a legacy in music and to observe first-hand the development of a new piece from the composer's earliest ideas to the finished composition. Investing members pay a minimum of $300 for a year-long membership and are invited to three salons throughout the season that feature in-depth discussion with the composer about his creative process and previews of the final work. LACO composer-in residence Derek Bermel received the 2010-11 season commission, for which he composed the vocal tone poem Mar de Setembro ("September Sea"), an homage to LA's Latin American community, hailed by the Los Angeles Times as a "gem," written for and performed by Grammy®-winning Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza.

Expanding upon its adventurous programming in the 2011-12 season, LACO presents a world premiere by composer and piano virtuoso Timothy Andres as part of the Orchestra's "Sound Investment" commissioning program. Andres is also the featured pianist for the West Coast premiere of another of his works, the Mozart/Andres Mozart "Coronation" Concerto re-composition for Piano and Orchestra, an intriguing classical "mash-up" in which Andres has added his own decidedly 21st Century stamp to Mozart's venerated concerto, replacing entirely Mozart's incomplete sketches for the left hand. Also receiving West Coast premieres are Bermel's Ritornello, an unusual pairing of electric guitar and orchestra, and Golijov's richly orchestrated Sidereus, composed for the Henry Fogel Commissioning Consortium. Additionally, composer/pianist/vocalist Gabriel Kahane, described as a "peerless musical polymath, invested equally in the worlds of concert, theater and popular music" - and son of Jeffrey Kahane - makes his first Southland father-son mainstage appearance with the West Coast premiere of a piece co-commissioned with American Composers Orchestra and conducted by Jeffrey Kahane.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), called "America's finest chamber orchestra" by renowned classical music broadcaster Jim Svejda, has established itself among the world's top musical ensembles. Since 1997, LACO has performed under the baton of acclaimed pianist and conductor Jeffrey Kahane, hailed by critics as "visionary" and "a conductor of uncommon intellect, insight and musical integrity" with "undeniable charisma." Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra maintains its status as a preeminent interpreter of historical masterworks and a champion of contemporary composers. In its 42-year history, since its inaugural concerts in 1969, the Orchestra has made 29 recordings, toured Europe, South America and Japan, and performed across North America, earning adulation from audiences and critics. LACO presents seven Orchestral Series concerts at both Glendale's Alex Theatre and UCLA's Royce Hall, five Baroque Conversations concerts at downtown Los Angeles' Zipper Concert Hall, three Westside Connections chamber music concerts at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, three Family Concerts at the Alex Theatre, an annual Discover concert at Pasadena's Ambassador Auditorium and an annual Silent Film celebration at Royce Hall. In addition, LACO, headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, presents a concert gala and several fundraising events each year.

ABOUT ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 410,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances. ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members. www.ascap.com

ABOUT LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS
The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America's orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of nearly 900 orchestras across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned symphonies to community groups, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles. The only national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement for managers, musicians, volunteers, and boards. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website, and other publications inform music lovers around the world about orchestral activity and developments. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers, and business partners. Visit americanorchestras.org to learn more.