Sudden Flood of Work Is Music to Mar Vista Composer’s Ears

Carlos Rodriguez did not discover his passion for music until he was a student at UCLA in the mid-’80s. But now he is making up for lost time. At 31, Rodriguez has been commissioned to write a piece for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s “Neighborhood Concerts” and “Live on Campus” programs. His new work will be conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, philharmonic music director, on Thursday at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. “Composing is like the obsession that wouldn’t go away for me,” Rodriguez said. “I felt very honored to have been asked (for the commissioned piece.)”

Shortly after graduating from UCLA with a degree in music composition, he founded the Lo Cal Composers Ensemble. Since 1986, the ensemble has performed concerts for the public throughout the city. Members also continued to work on solo projects.

The philharmonic commission was made possible by a National Endowment for the Arts $10,000 grant to the orchestra. For three months, Rodriquez, who lives in Mar Vista, worked on composing the six-minute “Pasacalle,” which is a Spanish dance or “street stroll.” He said the piece evolved from his emotions during last spring’s civil unrest in Los Angeles.

“Originally, I was thinking about the last year and all the strange events,” he said. “I had a lot of emotion pouring into this work. . . . It’s a very personal thing.”

Rodriquez said he enjoyed the experience of writing for a younger audience and hopes his work will attract a new generation of listeners.

In addition to the philharmonic piece, Rodriguez was recently commissioned by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles to write a choral work. He is also writing music for “Batman: The Animated Series,” which is scheduled to air later this year on the Fox Television Network.

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Several Westside high school students have been selected to receive $2,000 awards from the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

Scholarships winners are Beverly Hills residents Alex Breen, Wilmer Huang, Vishnu Mencn and Spencer Rascoff; Los Angeles residents Adam Kirsch, Kun Lee, Jeffrey Leichman, Oleg Shvarts and Leah Solomon; Santa Monica residents Nina Mitchell, Erik Wile and Zanja Yudell.

Recipients were chosen by a committee of college admissions officers and secondary school counselors who evaluated finalists and their high schools. The student’s personal goals, academic record, contributions to the school and community, and college entrance test scores, were considered in the selection process, in addition to a personal recommendation from the school principal.

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The Los Angeles Urban League presented the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award to John Mack, president of the group.

Mack, recognized for making significant contributions in advancing human and civil rights for African-Americans and other minorities, was honored at a dinner April 8 at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City.

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The Westchester Vitalization Corp. has elected a new board of directors and officers for 1993.

Robert Smith, Adelle Wexler, Richard Musella and Terry Marcellus were elected officers. Board members are Rowena Ake, Jeanne Breunig, Mary Ellen Cassman, Mary Lou Crockett, Curt Curtiss, Howard Drollinger, David Herbst, Annie Hrabko, Shirley Pfeil, John Prewitt, Jay Reynolds and John Ruhlen.

The watchdog organization reviews economic issues for Westchester’s business and civic community.

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West Los Angeles resident Joseph Shuldiner has been nominated for the post of assistant secretary for public and Indian housing at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Shuldiner, executive director of the Housing Authority for the city of Los Angeles, was recognized for his expertise on the issues of public housing. He graduated from Brandeis University and holds a law degree from Columbia University.

He is expected to be confirmed to the post later this month.

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Hari Vishwanadha of Culver City has been awarded a summer study grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

In August, Vishwanadha, an English professor at Santa Monica College, will research modern Japanese literature.

He has also been appointed chairman of the membership committee of the Community College Humanities Assn. for the Pacific-Western Division.