Classical music is sort of family, complete with love, dysfunction and a culture all their own. Let’s have a piece of pie and talk about that.
Some announcements are especially fun to share, and this one lets us brag about one of our own. LA Master Chorale announced today that Katherine Powers, a longtime Lister and colleague, is moving from her post at POP to become LAMC’s new CEO. This position is difficult, influential, and requires intelligence, poise, and strategy… a … Read more
If you’ve been around Southern California for awhile, you may remember a sublimely talented baritone named Babatunde Akinboboye (known to some of us back then as Bobby) who appeared with a variety of organizations in the early 2000s and beyond. The first time I heard him sing was with the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers, and … Read more
After a long search, the Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced the successor to the wildly popular Gustavo Dudamel — British conductor Daniel Harding, who will take the helm in fall 2027. While this seems a fairly safe choice and contrary to the rumors that the next artistic director would be from another underrepresented group (buzzes … Read more
As an OperaWorks alumna myself, I’m sorry to see this announcement from Ann Baltz, but fully acknowledge the number of singers this organization has nurtured over the years, with innovative and multi-skilled instruction, unforgettable performances, and an overall experience that lasts a lifetime. Thanks to all of you that make OperaWorks a reality, and best … Read more
I’m a little late to the party on the Timothée Chalamet opera-dissing fracas, but as enraged as I have felt (intermittently), the truly fascinating part of the internet drama has been watching the response from various corners. In the end, there are lessons to be learned about talking about the arts, on both sides of … Read more
This post is also available on the podcast! To the singers and musicians who have been working incredibly hard this season: You’ve been stitching together gigs like an elite sport, memorizing repertoire on the run, running choir folders and juggling costumes on too little sleep, and singing concerts that exist only because you showed up … Read more
More than $2.5mil has been granted to the Los Angeles Master Chorale by the Perenchio Foundation over the course of multiple years. This is the largest gift in the organization’s history.
I’ve been struggling with how to respond to these devastating fires, as so many of our Listers have lost their homes or been otherwise affected. This disaster will surely reshape the face of Southern California, and we will neither forget it nor be capable of remaining the same as we were. Just days before the … Read more
As the weather starts cooling down, the season is heating up! We’re so glad you’re on this mailing list, but don’t let this be your only resource: do sign up for direct updates from your favorite orgs, and I challenge every one of you to expand your horizons this year. Go to at least one … Read more
We posted the following to our private Facebook group this morning, and would like to share it here, as well. Bear in mind that all comments are moderated, and only constructive, thoughtful perspectives will be posted. But that said, we would love to hear from you. Let’s just talk. This thinkpiece comes on the heels … Read more