Fringe Festival : INGLEWOOD PHILHARMONIC : 40TH ANNIVERSARY FANFARE

The Inglewood Philharmonic’s 40th anniversary concert, a black-tie affair at a hotel near Hollywood Park, took on the air of a celebration Sunday night. And conductor Leroy Hurte captured the prevailing spirit in his original work, “Fanfare and March of Champions,” a salute to the City of Inglewood and the black community.

Pianist Nina Kennedy delivered a facile account of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” displaying a good deal of power at the keyboard. The 27-year-old pianist exhibited exceptional control and her style was crisp and communicative. Hurte and the orchestra provided enthusiastic, albeit uneven, support.

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony closed the program. Despite all good intentions, serious deficiencies--in rhythmic accuracy, intonation and balance--marred this performance.

Logistical factors can account for some of this--two-thirds of the orchestra sat on a dais, while the back stands of violas and cellos had to look over the heads of those sitting two feet above them. But Hurte is largely culpable; his unclear beat resulted in painfully sloppy tempo changes and string bowings appeared to be left to chance.