6 CONCERTS SLATED FOR ARTS CENTER

The Orange County Philharmonic Society will present a six-concert International Artists Series in Segerstrom Hall at the Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa beginning March 12.

The series will include recitals by soprano Aprile Millo and duo-pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque, a dance program by the Avaz International Dance Theatre and concerts by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Warsaw Philharmonic.

“The series is a new departure for us,” said Erich Vollmer, the society’s executive director. “We’ve never presented non-orchestral events before.

“We added the events partly to attract people we turned away for the two series already in motion and to attract new audiences.”

The Philharmonic Society, which has been presenting concert programs in the Orange County area since 1954, has sold out its current subscription series of 12 programs at the Performing Arts Center.

(The Warsaw Philharmonic, already scheduled to appear during the society’s regular subscription series, will offer a different program on the International Series, Vollmer said.)

Ticket prices for the new series have not been set but will be lower than the subscription series because of the recitals, Vollmer said.

Vollmer said that the United States Borax & Chemical Corp. will underwrite the joint appearance on April 21 by the Avaz International Dance Theatre and the Karpatok Hungarian Folk Ensemble. Vollmer hopes to get further corporate or individual support to help pay for the remainder of the programs.

The new series opens with a performance by the Canadian Brass on March 12.

The series will continue:

--March 21: Warsaw Philharmonic conducted by music director Kazimierz Kord, with pianist Misha Dichter as soloist. Program to be announced.

--April 2: Duo-pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque with percussionists Jean-Pierre Drouet and Sylvio Gualda in Bartok’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion and a two-piano arrangement of the Symphonic Dances from Bernstein’s “West Side Story.”

--April 21: Avaz International Dance Theatre and the Karpatok Hungarian Folk Ensemble will perform separately and together in traditional dances, music and songs from the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe.

--May 5: Soprano Aprile Millo in recital. Program to be announced.

--May 27: Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra conducted by Frans Brueggen. Brueggen will also appear as recorder soloist.

For further information, call (714) 642-8232.