Composer Andrew Norman | Photo courtesy of Andrew Norman
Jaime Martín, LACO’s first new Music Director in more than 20 years, picks up the baton with a pair of evening concerts this weekend: Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Alex Theatre and Sunday the 29th at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Martín, a native of Spain, succeeds Jeffrey Kahane, who completed his 20th and final season in 2017, and now bears the title of conductor emeritus. Martín will open his first concerts with a world premiere by Andrew Norman, appropriately titled, Begin, along with beloved works by Berlioz and Beethoven.
The commission for Begin came on the heels of Sustain, Norman’s rapturously received work for the LA Phil’s centenary, premiered last fall. At only 39 years old, he’s been praised as “the leading American composer of his generation” by the Los Angeles Times, and “one of the most gifted and respected composers of his generation” by the New York Times. And yet, he feels some of the same insecurities almost every artist can relate to, especially, with regard to deadlines. Andrew Norman spoke candidly about the issue with KUSC’s Gail Eichenthal as he grappled with the finishing touches on Begin.
Hit play to listen to our bonus Arts Alive feature on Andrew Norman.
Andrew Norman’s Begin, now completed (!) receives its world premiere on the inaugural concerts of Jaime Martín’s first season as the LA Chamber Orchestra’s new music director. Completing the program, Les Nuits d’èté by Berlioz, featuring mezzo-soprano soloist Anne Sofie von Otter, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
LACO’s new music director, Jaime Martín | Photo by Jamie Pham
Here’s more on the program:
Hit play below to listen to our original Arts Alive feature.
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s opening concerts of the season take place Saturday, September 28 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale and the 29th at UCLA’s Royce Hall. You can learn more at laco.org.
