Music

- La Jolla Chamber Music Society director Geoff Brooks will participate in Chamber Music America’s 10th annual national conference in Los Angeles next week. Brooks is part of the “Funder’s View of Chamber Music” panel, an appropriate assignment for someone who runs San Diego’s most solvent musical organization.

According to Brooks, one of chamber music’s major challenges--besides compensating for the oft-lamented decrease of federal funding--is coping with audiences’ lack of interest in recitals, especially those given by emerging young performers.

“Today’s audiences are less open to young artists, although they’ll flock to hear celebrities,” said Brooks. “It’s a case of the rich getting richer and young players not getting the opportunities they need.”

Brooks will share his society’s success in presenting young artists in summer music festivals alongside well-known musicians. He cited cellists Carter Brey and Gary Hoffman as young, unknown players who impressed local summer audiences and went on to successful careers.

“We just have to be more creative in our packaging,” Brooks said.

Brooks is also organizing a statewide seminar on similar topics of funding and programming for the Assn. of California Symphony Orchestras. The seminars will be held in March in San Francisco and Pasadena.