Three wishes: Where I’d like to be this week

“Three Wishes” — Southern California Vocal Events
LAURI D GOLDENHERSH’s Weekly Highlights
from the Clickable Chamber Music Newsletter

Feeling a little green this week?

Avoid the pinch with the wearing of the Kelly on Sunday, as everyone’s a wee bit Irish this time of year. But with or without the oddly-hued beer, there’s also loads of great music going on. Here are three-plus picks for a beautifully musical week:

Help LA say “Happy Birthday, Johann!” on Saturday, with a 10-Hour Bach Marathon at downtown’s historic Union Station. Big Daddy J.S. Bach would have turned 334 this year (and he would have looked mahhhvelous), and this is just one celebration on this year’s docket to properly fête classical’s favorite Baroque composer. This marathon is hosted by METRO ART LOS ANGELES and SEE/HEAR LA, and is separate from the annual “Bach in the Subways” extravaganza that takes place a few days later. (**see below) For this Saturday’s shindig, watch for soprano ANNA SCHUBERT, LADY BACH, and CODEX LA among the vocal performers, but also look for electronic and alt offerings unique mashups and plenty of free and imaginative Bach-itude. The event is free — just show up and enjoy. Get more info and a more complete rundown of those involved

On Sunday, 3/17, the LA MASTER CHORALE is diving into a French masterpiece and spotlighting an already celebrated work by a favorite local composer, with Maurice Duruflé’s intoxicating ‘Requiem’ and DALE TRUMBORE’s profound and darker-toned ‘How to Go On’, often described as a “secular requiem”. This pairing is particularly intriguing, and won’t be available often. Get your tickets

Finally, an event duo for Saturday and Sunday: two parts of an unusual vocal masterclass experience: the dress rehearsal (Sat) and final event (Sun) in conductor PETER MARK’s most recent West Coast series, in which budding opera singers will wrap up preparations, then perform for an esteemed panel of local experts, and then receive on-the-spot feedback. I’ve been on previous panels (and let’s do the necessary disclaimer here: I work closely with Peter and his wife, Thea), and have been biased by the positive atmosphere and general spirit of the exchange. But regardless of editorial conflicts, this particular episode is too good to keep to myself, as panelists include Lyric Opera Orange County’s DIANA FARRELL; conductor FRANK FETTA; collaborative keyboard wonder ARMEN GUZELIMIAN; conductor and artistic director KRISTOF VAN GRYSPERRE; audition co-director and multi-hyphenate ELISA JUSTICE of the Met Opera National Council; and the Verdi Chorus’ ANNE MARIE KETCHUM. Tickets include an almost divine wine and cheese reception. It all takes place in a private home in Beverly Hills — get details and reserve your seat via this page on Peter’s website.

REMINDER: While you’re still with me, please be aware that the Lauri’s List calendar is now fully “self-serve”, which means you can easily load your vocal-related events on your own and have more control over how your event looks! Just go to http://www.laurislist.com/calendar and click the “Submit event” button at the top. Basic listings are still free, and we’d love to have your doings in the mix.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day (And happy birthday, sis! That’s my sister and me below, pictured in 2006. We’re both way old now.)