San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra in an evening of contemporary music

By Brenden Guy, 24 October 2012

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Reviewed at Old First Church, San Francisco on 20 October 2012

Verotta, Dances to Mytilini

Varèse, Octandre

Crossman, Two Walks

Howe, Theme for a Unicorn

Bilotta, Thurber Country

Prosek, Overture to L'Avventura

Alburger, Triple Concerto for bassoon, contrabassoon and harp, Op.201

San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra

LA Phil celebrates the California spirit with Andrés Orozco-Estrada

Cameron Kelsall, 3rd May

The program features Maria Dueñas in Korngold's Violin Concerto and a moving tribute to LA native Michael Tilson Thomas

****1

Denis Kozhukhin: captivating storytelling with the London Symphony

Clare Varney, 1st May

At the Konzerthaus Dortmund, Sir Antonio Pappano and the LSO are joined by Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin to plunge into the depths of despair in Bernstein’s melancholic The Age of Anxiety.

***11

Yuja Wang with the Mahler CO: between lyricism and volatility

Edward Sava-Segal, 1st May

Yuja Wang and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra frame Chopin’s E minor concerto with two Prokofiev works, the First Symphony and Second Piano Concerto.

****1

BBC Philharmonic’s bold but unbalanced Stravinsky and Adams

Leighton Jones, 1st May

Balance issues mar an otherwise compelling programme from John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

***11

Eric Lu brings scintillating Chopin to Singapore

Chang Tou Liang, 1st May

A world premiere by Wang Chenwei, familiar Chopin and a rare outing for Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta make for satisfying fare in Jahcun Wong’s Singapore Symphony programme.

****1

Elim Chan and TSO reign supreme in Shostakovich’s Ninth

Michelle Assay, 30th April

After a Rachmaninov concerto that resembles a harangue, an uneven Toronto Symphony programme comes into focus with a sharply characterised Shostakovich Ninth.

***11

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Brenden Guy

British clarinetist Brenden Guy is a graduate of the Royal College of Music and San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He currently resides in San Francisco as an active performer and arts publicist.