Season 42: La Jolla Music Society to present world-class performers

By John Lydon

Contributor

Among the musicians thronging Paris in the 1830s were two foreigners who had a lot in common. Both were Eastern European, pianists and composers. Though they represented different musical ideals and one was frail, the other the picture of health, the two became close. Frédéric Chopin was born in 1810; Franz Liszt in 1811.

Last season, the La Jolla Music Society celebrated Chopin’s 200th anniversary in grand style. But the year isn’t over yet, and 2011 brings a new bicentennial.

“This year, it’s two words: Chopin and Liszt,” said Christopher Beach, president and artistic director of the La Jolla Music Society.

The LJMS opens its season Oct. 22 with pianist Anne-Marie McDermott playing an all-Chopin recital. Two more will follow before the new year; one by the young Russian pianist Gleb Ivanov on Nov. 14, the other by Melvyn Tan on Dec. 10.

Then, “we begin January with Chopin’s dear friend Franz Liszt,” Beach said.

First comes pianist Louis Lortie on Jan. 30, then Liszt expert André Watts in March.

Is it coincidence that what could be the most enticing concerts of these converging bicentennials are the closing performance of one and the opening of the other?

The Taiwanese piano virtuoso, Tan, is known for his delicate touch – “He plays like a butterfly,” said Beach – promising a memorable evening of Chopin subtlety.

And Lortie plans to launch the Liszt celebration with a plan worthy of the first rock star of classical music himself. Lortie will perform Liszt’s “Années de pèlerinage,” the complete three sets.

“To hear pieces from them is normal,” Beach said. “To hear [one set] is rare. To hear all three … Never in my career have I heard of anyone doing it.”

The concert begins on a Sunday afternoon. After the first set comes an intermission, after the second a dinner break.

“We have an arrangement with local restaurants in La Jolla so people can go for a pre-fixed dinner and then they come back for the finale,” Beach said.

Beach has a lot more than piano recitals planned.

In the Celebrity Orchestra Series, what could follow last season’s concert by Russia’s venerable Mariinsky Orchestra, which has been around since Mozart wrote “The Marriage of Figaro?”

The Staatskapelle Dresden, of course, which in its 470-year history has consistently been among Europe’s finest orchestras. And in March, a legendary orchestra, one that performed the premieres of music by Brahms and Bruckner and that counts Gustav Mahler among its conducting alumni: the Vienna Philharmonic.

In April, the China Philharmonic Orchestra will arrive with conductor Long Yu, whom LJMS audiences may remember for his stellar performance with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra last season.

“You say Long Yu in China and it’s like saying Leonard Bernstein. He is China’s maestro,” Beach said.

Violinists will be well-represented, too. The Japanese superstar Midori, arguably the world’s most famous violinist, will give a recital in December with music by Ravel, Beethoven, Bach and Saint-Saëns. Not yet 40-years-old, Midori has 30 years of performing experience. In 2007, she was named a Messenger of Peace by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

In March, Ray Chen will play a violin recital. Who’s Chen you may ask? Chen is the 2009 winner of Belgium’s prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition. Like the two other gold medallists playing in this season’s Discovery Series — Ivanov and the Spanish guitarist Pablo Saínz Villegas — he seems destined for great things.

Two likely highlights of the Chamber Music Series are the pairing of SummerFest favorites the Miró Quartet with pianist Joyce Yang, and the Academy of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble.

But the Canadian early music ensemble Les Violons du Roy looks exciting, too. They will be giving an all-Bach performance.

If classical music’s not your thing, there’s still plenty to choose from. The Jazz Series will present “the music of six ladies in three concerts,” Beach said: Dee Dee Bridgewater singing Billie Holiday in February, Dianne Reeves singing Sarah Vaughn in April, and Marlena Shaw singing Dinah Washington in May.

The Kodo Drummers of Japan will present their special blend of music and ritualized performance in February. The event is a preliminary LJMS foray into world music, Beach said.

Then, there’s dance.

“Dance has been one of our big successes. So this year we’re taking it one step further, we’re bringing the Joffrey Ballet [in March],” Beach said.

Trey McIntyre, “one of the hottest young choreographers around,” will come in April.

“It’s a beautiful company doing a program filled with humor. One piece in his program, “Wild Sweet Love,” involves 24 local dancers,” he said.

The Complexions Contemporary Ballet, a company started by two Alvin Ailey dancers, will come in May.

“The company, as well as co-artistic director Desmond Richardson’s work, is featured on the television show ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ ” Beach pointed out.

If you go ...

• The La Jolla Music Societyhas 24 performances planned this season.
• Series include:Celebrity Orchestra Series (Copley Symphony Hall/Civic Theatre), Jazz Series (Birch North Park Theatre), Dance Series (Civic & Birch Theatres), Revelle Chamber Music Series (MCASD Sherwood Auditorium), Frieman Family Piano Series (MCASD Sherwood Auditorium), Discovery Series (Neurosciences Institute).
• Season Schedule:www.ljms.org
• Tickets:Series Subscriptions vary, $280 to $60 atwww.ljms.org; Box Office (858) 459-3728; and at concert venues before performances.