Gustavo Dudamel has announced that he will leave Los Angeles and the LA Phil to take over the New York Philharmonic in 2026, starting a five-year contract there. This is no huge surprise, considering that NY Phil’s head honcha, Deborah Borda, used to helm our own “big orch”, and was part of the team that … Read more
Long Beach Opera has canceled all performances of the upcoming ‘STIMMUNG’, amid controversy and staff resignations. We share their official statement and wish everyone involved the best.
We wish a fond farewell to KUSC host Jim Svejda, who has announced his retirement after many years on the air. Jim has been one of the most familiar voices in SoCal classical music for decades, and the station officially announced the news this week. Here’s the release, or you can read the original here. … Read more
After 14 years, this is Grant Gershon’s last season at LA Opera. With Conlon’s contract extended and a new baton-wielder from Columbia taking over as Resident Conductor, there are big changes afoot. No announcement yet as to who will take over as chorusmaster, a role which Mr. Gershon also holds through this 2021-22 season. But … Read more
When a relatively new nonprofit board creates an Executive Director position, it’s a big day, and a sign they’re ready for some serious growth. That seems to be the case for one of our most exciting choral organizations, and we wait for more news of programs and changes with great anticipation. No doubt there’s more … Read more
News from LBO… with a new artistic chief who brings with him a reputation for innovative production and stellar multidisciplinary mashups. Sounds like a great fit to us — this should be fun! See the press release below: Long Beach Opera appoints JAMES DARRAH Artistic Director and Chief Creative Officer Darrah makes his Long Beach … Read more
When mezzos take over, good things happen. (Yes, your editor is biased. Deal with it.) Actually, we’re more biased because of the truly fantastic work Jennifer Rivera has done with her blogging over the years, first with “Trying to Remain Operational”, and then with her writing for HuffPost. See links in the press release below to check … Read more
Most of us know iCadenza as the powerhouse team of Jennifer Rosenfeld and Julia Torgovitzkaya, who came onto the SoCal arts scene several years ago with intriguing video interviews, then energizing training for artists, and finally an artist management company that helped to fill the frustrating void that so many worthy artists felt between living in … Read more
Congratulations to Angeles Chorale for tapping team member Laura Mason (pictured) as their new chief. The choir has been through a lengthy search for successor to longtime ED Rae Macdonald, who passed away in late 2016. Mason has been working with the group for some time, and her energy and commitment have been noted and appreciated by the List … Read more
Watching the money is one of the most essential jobs in any business, and is especially crucial for nonprofits. San Diego Opera has themselves a new CFO in Jeannie Posner, who comes to the arts from other sectors, but with a proven history of problem-solving and a commitment to transparency — both critical skills for any organization. … Read more
