On an otherwise slow Saturday in Los Angeles (not really — it was game two of the World Series!), two orchestras that were not the Los Angeles Philharmonic performed at different locations. At 2 and 8 p.m. at the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, the Pasadena Symphony gave its inaugural concert of the 2024/25 season under the direction of its new music director, Brett Mitchell. The program featured New Beginnings by Altadena composer Peter Boyer, the Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 by Eric Wolfgang Korngold with violinist Akiko Suwanai, and the Symphony No. 1 in D Major (“Titan”) by Gustav Mahler.
Just down the road a bit in Walt Disney Concert Hall at 2 p.m., the Colburn Orchestra, under the direction of former LA Phil music director and faculty member of the Colburn Conservatory of Music Esa-Pekka Salonen, performed three works also: Luminere et pessanteur by the late Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho and two works by Sibelius — the Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47, with the 22 year-old Japanese American violinist (and pianist) Ray Ushikubo as soloist, and the Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43.
And, yes, this reviewer attended both concerts in somewhat of a marathon music day!
The first concert by the Colburn Orchestra fortunately was scheduled for 2 p.m., long before the massive traffic problems created by people attending the second game of the World Series at Dodger Stadium not far from Walt Disney Concert Hall. Also, fortunately, the concert ended in time to be able to escape Downtown LA before the game began.
The concert opened with Luminere et pessanteur (Light and Gravity), which was composed by Saariaho as a gift for Salonen and was inspired by hearing Salonen lead a performance of her oratorio La Passion de Simone in Los Angeles in 2009. The music is an arrangement based on one of the sections of her oratorio that she knew Salonen especially liked. Saariaho succeeded in composing a piece of music that is accurately named. It is indeed light and luminescent, and, although not intended as such, it is the score that could accompany stargazing in the middle of the desert. A shout out to trumpeter Anna SeokYoung Ahn for her equally luminescent playing. The orchestra did a fine job realizing Saariaho’s vision, and this performance could’ve been seen as a memorial by Salonen to the composer, who died at the age of 70 in 2023.
The other two works on the program are obviously masterpieces by Sibelius and need no introduction or description. However, much can be said about the Colburn Orchestra and Ushikubo. First off, Ushikubo blew everyone’s socks off in his performance of the fiendishly difficult Sibelius Violin Concerto. His technique was astounding and his tone very mature for a 22-year-old. The somewhat sparse audience erupted in cheers at the conclusion of the Concerto. Ushikubo was brought out three times before he performed an encore of another extremely difficult piece, the Paganini 24th caprice, again to enthusiastic cheers. What’s perhaps more amazing than a violinist at this age performing at such a high level is apparently he is equally adept at the piano, having won several prestigious piano competitions.
I knew the Colburn Orchestra would be good, but having never heard them, I didn’t know how good. I must say I was blown away by how polished and professional they were. Of course, they were led by one of the great conductors and, arguably, the pre-eminent living Sibelius conductor. The performances were exhilarating. The musicianship of the players was at an extremely high level. I sort of think of orchestral performances in two ways. Most, of course, are very good, so much so that it’s difficult to find anything to critique. Some, however, take the audience and listener to a different level; they grab you from the first notes and don’t let go until the conclusion. That’s what Salonen and the Colburn Orchestra did on Saturday afternoon. And really, what better way to show your chops than by playing one of the great symphonies ever composed? Those who did not attend the concert missed out big time on hearing a top-notch orchestra that is housed just steps away on Grand Avenue from Walt Disney Concert Hall at the Colburn Conservatory of Music, as well as a chance to see a hometown hero, Salonen.
Meanwhile at 8 p.m., the Pasadena Symphony reprised their afternoon concert and showed why they are one of the top regional orchestras in the Southland. Mitchell began by speaking to the audience, but before he talked about the program, he announced to cheers and applause that the LA Dodgers had beaten the New York Yankees in the second game of the World Series.
The first piece on the program, New Beginnings, by local composer Peter Boyer was, as Music Director Mitchell stated in his comments, extremely apropos. Not only was this the inaugural concert by the PSO in their 2024/25 season, but it was the first being led by newly appointed Music Director Mitchell. So, it was new beginnings all around.
New Beginnings is an uplifting single-movement work with hints of John Williams that utilizes a large orchestra and makes the most of the brass sections. It contains rhythmic sequences that are hard not to tap your foot to, and it was the perfect work to introduce the new season and the new conductor.
And, speaking of film scores, the first half of the concert concluded with the equally uplifting and melodic violin concerto by Korngold. Korngold, who was a child prodigy in his native Vienna, Austria, eventually came to Los Angeles where he composed film scores in addition to classical music. The Violin Concerto contains melodies from four of his film scores woven together in a beautiful and thrilling late romantic work for violin and orchestra. Suwanai more than handled the difficult solo part. Her playing was understated but both technically and tonally top-notch. Mitchell did a fine job of accompanying her while never letting the orchestra overwhelm.
The concert concluded with Mahler’s First Symphony, which is subtitled “The Titan.” However, many of Mahler’s subsequent symphonies were actually more titan if by that we mean large-scale and lengthy. This symphony really shows off all the sections of the orchestra, but especially the horn section. The PSO horns were more than up to the task and really knocked the ball out of the park. Mitchell showed why he was selected as the PSO’s new music director. He very capably served up an exciting rendition of the Mahler First and had the orchestra playing at their finest.
The PSO is a wonderful regional orchestra composed of outstanding local musicians, including some faculty from the Pasadena Conservatory of Music; and the Ambassador Auditorium is an intimate venue with excellent acoustics.
So, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and evening when the Dodgers went up two games to none on the Yankees, all was well with the world in Los Angeles as wonderful music filled the air.
—Henry Schlinger, Culture Spot LA
For information about upcoming concerts at Disney Hall, visit www.laphil.com. For information about the Pasadena Symphony’s 2024/25 season, visit https://pasadenasymphony-pops.org.
Photo credits:
Pasadena Symphony with Brett Mitchell and Akiko Suwanai / Photo by Karen Tapia courtesy of Pasadena Symphony
Colburn School Sibelius Violin Concerto / Photo by Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging