Jacaranda, the classical music series known for rarely heard, new and modern music, will celebrate its first 10 years with a “Season of Journeys” at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica. The season opener of the 10th Anniversary Season will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. Culture Spot LA readers can win a pair of tickets. Simply email editor@culturespotla.com with “Jacaranda” in the subject line for a chance to win.
The Oct. 19 concert, titled Grit and Glory, will feature a program of American music. Pianists Gloria Cheng, Scott Dunn, Mark Robson and Steven Vanhauwaert, who for 20 years have been performing innovative piano music programs for L.A.’s Piano Spheres, will celebrate both their own and Jacaranda’s anniversary. Jacaranda’s acclaimed resident Lyris Quartet and four percussionists under the direction of M.B. Gordy will join the pianists.
The music will journey to a factory in South Carolina (Frederick Rzewski’s “Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues”), a country fair in Mexico (Silvestre Revueltas’ Quartet No. 4 “Musica de Feria”) and three California locales (John Adams’ “Phrygian Gates” and “Hallelujah Junction” and John Bergamo’s “Piru Bole”). Ritual percussion from Hawaii and Haiti (Christopher Rouse’s “Ku Ka-Ilimoku” and “Ogoun Badagris”) will add tropical reaches to the musical itinerary. Grit and Glory, the name of this concert, conveys the American experience in all its boldness, courage and euphoria.
The concert will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica, 1220 Second St., Santa Monica 90401. For more information or a schedule of the entire season, visit www.jacarandamusic.org or call (213) 483-0216.