Programme Notes - October 25

By popular demand we are sharing our exciting program with you as it formed by now.  Tonight will be a night of astounding piano virtuosity and a lovely new chamber opera, plus Bach, Spanish guitar, Italian clarinet, and Russian cello favorites with introductions by Comrade Laurence Vittes.

In a Classical Underground first, we present selections from a new opera, "A Dream Play" by local composer S.J. Pettersson (who will be present), in a chamber orchestration for a unique array of instruments and voice.

Marc Andre-Hamelin is considered today's greatest piano super-virtuoso, specializing in the most entertainingly difficult works of the 19th century, but did you know he is also a brilliant composer? Inspired by the style of 19th-century piano greats like Alkan and Thalberg, these hyper-difficult, hyper-beautiful etudes require a hyper-virtuoso to bring them off, and we have one in Harout Senekeremian!

The piano fun continues with Michael Oganes' (Oganesyan) own brilliant transcription of Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain.

Our CU favorite, Moni Simeonov, is bringing this time the beautiful and virtuoso Bach's Chaconne. We are also getting ready for a surprise performance. The rumours say that Natalia Margulis (principal cello at the Madrid Royal Opera) and Armen Ksajikian (principal of Los Angeles Chamber) were rehearsing few pieces for two celli today. Stay tuned for their late-night appearance!

And to cap off our evening of virtuosity and opera, 6 hands and 30 flying fingers on one Steinway keyboard in a Rossini grand finale!

and the weather? ....not record high, not record low, and no rain in the evening!

 

Thank you everyone for being patient while dealing with the paypal issues!

alexey steele presents

CLASSICAL UNDERGROUND

October 25, 2010

Music and Art Series

Special thanks to Steinway Piano Gallery – West Hollywood for their wonderful Steinway D!

Introductions by Laurence Vittes

PROGRAMME

Francisco Tarrega: Zarzuela on Themes from Arrieta's "Marina,"

Francisco Tarrega: Sueno (tremolo)

Iren Arutyunyan - guitar

Johann Sebastian Bach: Chaconne from Partita 2 in D

Moni Simeonov - violin

"Carnival of Venice" variations by Paul Jeanjean, Domenico Mirco and Luigi Bassi

Ben Lulich – clarinet, Pepi Pilibossian - piano

Modest Mussorgsky: Night at a Bald Mountain (Piano Solo Transcription by M. Oganes)

Mikael Oganes - piano

S. J. Pettersson - from chamber opera A Dream Play

1. Postlude (We actually should call it Prelude just because it comes first)

2. The Officer and Victoria

3. The Green Fishing Net

4. The Star Quilt

5. The Ballerina

6. From My Lips By Yours (world premiere performance)

Oxana Senina - soprano, Yakov Birman – piano, Moni Simeonov - violin, Eugene Lifschitz - cello, Cosima Luther - violin, Ben Lulich - clarinet, Gee Rabe - accordion, Jack Verga - glockenspiel

Marc-Andre Hamelin: Etude No. 6 “Omaggio a Domenico Scarlatti”

Marc-Andre Hamelin: Etude No.7 “Lullaby” for the left hand after Tchaikovsky

Marc-Andre Hamelin: Etude 5 “Toccata Grottesca”

Harout Senekeremian - piano

Piazzolla arranged for 6 hands by M. Oganes
Gioachino Rossini: Barber of Seville Fantasie

arranged for 6 hands By D. Krug

Pepi Pilibossian, Mikael Oganes, Harout Senekeremian

CU Showcase: 

Focus on Design in Painting: The Three Compadres

Glenn Dean, Logan Hagege, Eric Merrell

One of the key elements of the human interpretation of "real" is our sense of "design" which is aimed at making personal choices of importance and priorities within the chosen subject through the arrangement of main compositional forms - something no techno gadget is capable of making regardless of a price tag. Great friends who shared many travel adventures together, Glen, Logan and Eric are some of today's leading young artists investigating in their enormously effective and aesthetically satisfying work the visual force of "design."

October 25th invitation

Dear friends,

We have a great program for our October evening studded with wonderful musical talents and exciting works, spanning from the immortal classics to the music of our day.  Let's celebrate together the ever-present and ever-burning spirit of art and the beginning of the holiday season at our Classical Underground.

As always - bring your spirits, food and drink for you and your friends to enjoy.  Please RSVP via Paypal.

Again we are most grateful to our supportive friends at Steinway Piano Gallery West Hollywood for graciously providing us with their incomparable instrument.

In the program:
Iren Arutyunyan (guitar), Yakov Birman (piano), Eugene Lifschitz (cello), Ben Lulich (clarinet), Cosima Luther (violin), Mikael Oganes (piano), Pepi Pilibossian (piano), Gee Rabe (accordion), Harout Senekeremian (piano), Oxana Senina (soprano), Moni Simeonov (violin), Jack Verga 

Iren Arutyunyan, classical guitar, garnered many awards since she was 13, including first prize at the Aron Green/ASTA Classical Guitar Competition.

Eugene Lifschitz, currently at Colburn Scool of Music is a laureate of the International Schlern Music Competition and has just returned to the US after two years study at the Moscow Conservatory under famed cello teacher Natalia Gutman.

Gee Rabe, LA's accordion diva, has won major awards for her performance, including the Accordion Federation of North America's virtuoso (Western classical) and virtuoso jazz competitions in 1984 and 1985 respectively. She is currently finishing a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Yakov Birman, pianist, graduated from St. Petersburg Conservatory, is active performing and teaching.  Dr. Yakov Birman has experience in music from the Baroque era to our own time.

Mikhail Korzhev, pianist, is equally active as a solo recitalist, a chamber musician and has appeared as soloist with orchestras to high critical acclaim from American and European press.  Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music released by Phoenix Records.

S.J. Pettersson, composer.  A handpicked ensemble of Classical Underground favorites and newcomers will be performing selected pieces from S.J. Pettersson's 2010 chamber opera "A Dream Play" plus a world premiere performance of his new piece for cello and piano.

Mikael Oganes, pianist - CU favorite, who in addition to his virtuoso performances, continuously surprises and dazzles with his incredible piano transcriptions of major symphonic works.

Pepi Pilibossian, an incredible collaborative pianist, our CU regular, performing rare authentic music.

Harout Senekeremian, pianist, is an eager participant in the performance of new music. Senekeremian continues to concertize in both solo and chamber concerts in Southern California as well as maintaining an active piano studio.

Cosima Luther (MM, University of Southern California, BA, Pepperdine University) has been playing violin since the age of five and is currently a freelance teacher and performer in the Los Angeles area.

Oxana Senina, coloratura soprano, holds two Bachelor of Music degrees in both voice and cello from Chonkushov University and a Master's degree in voice from the Gnessino Academy in Moscow.

Moni Simeonov, CU favorite, dynamic virtuoso of romantic Bulgarian violin, concertmaster of Reno Philharmonic.

Ben Lulich, principal clarinet of the Pacific Symphony since May 2007, will be debuting at CU.

Jack Verga has had a long successful career as a jazz drummer, orchestral percussionist and teacher in the Los Angeles area.

Noel Gould, rare to find a fantastic engineer who is also a pianist; over the past 28 years he has recorded everyone from Leon Fleisher, the Tokyo String Quartet, The New York Woodwind Ensemble, Leonard Rose, The Vermeer String Quartet, Rufus Choi and our own Yana Reznik!

 Classical Underground Showcase:

 Focus on Design in Painting: The Three Compadres

Glenn Dean, Logan Hegege, Eric Merrell

As the newest stage of contemporary realism, which I came to call NOVOREALISM, is gaining steam with great new generation of young American talent, it is showing itself in a diverse variety of existing and distinct forms.

"Realism" in painting is often thought of as something that "looks just like a photograph," which in fact cannot be further from its actual substance. "Photorealism" is a respected and established part of a modernist expression, which is aimed at recreating a technological effect of a photograph. "Realism" is based solely on the laws and principles of a human perception of a visual world. Even when "realist" painters use photographs (even though when they do, it is most often as a very secondary reference) it is done entirely based on their long-developed ability to interpret visual reality "live."

One of the key elements of this human interpretation of "real" is our sense of "design" which is aimed at making personal choices of importance and priorities within the chosen subject through the arrangement of main compositional forms - something no techno gadget is capable of making regardless of a price tag.

Great friends who shared many travel adventures together, Glen, Logan and Eric are some of today's leading young artists investigating in their enormously effective and aesthetically satisfying work the visual force of "design."

Glenn Dean "Evening in the Foothills" 16x20 oil Logan Hagege "Shadows On the Mountain" oil 30x40 Eric Merrell "Spaceship Landing (The Salton Sea)" Oil  30" x 30"

In ART we trust!

 

                             

CU September 27 sold out

We are sold out!

To everyone who is coming tonight - please note that this is the hottest day of the year, and it is pretty warm in the studio. Please dress accordingly! and for potluck consider the "colder" food / drinks!

Opening season is on this coming Monday, September 27

Dear friends,

It's hard to believe that the summer is over and we are on with our fourth season of celebrating the very spirit of ART at our Classical Underground. We have great plans and ideas for new ways of showing and supporting ART that we are excited to share with you as we go into the season, and we have a mother lode of musical treats in our September 27th program. We are extremely proud and fortunate to set an informal stage (in fact so informal there is no stage!) for the greatest classical music talents from here and beyond, who are performing at CU for the pure love of their Great and Noble ART,united in the cause of reaching out to new and wonderful audiences with the best that the wonderful world of classical music has to offer:

Christoph Bull (organ), Roberto Cani (violin), Whitney Crockett (bassoon), Eduardo Delgado (piano), Ariana Ghez (oboe), Courtney Jones (trumpet), Kanae Matsumoto (piano), Laszlo Mezo (cello), Vicky Miskolczy (viola), Mitsuko Morikawa (piano), Robert Thies (piano), Bradley Wisk (tenor).

No matter what we face collectively in this much-troubled world of ours, it is ART that will always be there to inspire us,and I much look forward to seeing you all on Monday to share in the experience which is Classical Underground. Again we are most grateful to our supportive friends at Steinway Piano Gallery West Hollywood for graciously providing us with their incomparable instrument.

Alexey
P.S. As always - don't forget - it is a potluck party - bring your favorite food and drink! Your PayPal payment is your reservation to the evening.

CU Showcase: NOVOREALISM and Convergence of Generations

It is so exciting to see LA on the front line of a great cultural transition in ART yet again as we see happening in front of our very eyes. Among other various intriguing forms of contemporary expression, American Realism as a most recent form of American Non-Conformism is gaining energy and excitement among young and rebellious talents. The rapidly gaining note (if not notoriety!) LA Classical Visual Art gang, which is much represented at CU showcases, is certainly a raucous part of this wide and diverse movement across the land, which different people call different names and which I call Novorealism.

We are enormously excited to host a constellation of new bright young stars of this exciting movement: Scott Burdick, Rose Franzen, Nancy Guzik, Ignat Ignatov, Jeremy Lipking, Susan Lyon, Tony Pro, Joseph Todorovich, Michelle Dunaway, among other great talents. Yet the most fascinating part is that these Young Guns are getting together with their beloved iconic Maestro Richard Schmid and a special appearance of my dad, Master Leonid Steele, to paint (much as we did last year) one of the beloved CU musical stars and an unforgettable character - cellist Armen Ksajikian.

What could better represent the inseparable connection of these two glorious art forms than some of the best painters in the land painting our best musicians! As our CU experiment of bringing classical forms of music and visual arts together on a cross-inspirational platform gets note from LA to NY to London and everywhere in between, we are enormously proud to showcase some of the results of this truly exciting and unique gathering.

In ART we trust!

Musicians and Artists featured on Sept 27th program

Christoph Bull, a concert organist, pianist, singer, composer, and recording artist, currently finishing the world premiere recording of the one-of-a-kind Walt Disney Concert Hall pipe organ.






Roberto Cani, Italian violinist, has been hailed by critics as "…a violinist of high caliber following the great Italian tradition of the virtuoso violinist, Paganini."







Whitney Crockett joined LA Phil as Principal bassoon after being Principal bassoon of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and other great orchestras.






Eduardo Delgado, CU favorite, renowned performer of romantic and Argentinian piano repertoire, Prof. at CSUF. Just came back from performing in Argentina and Italy.





Ariana Ghez is a Principal Oboe at Los Angeles Philharmonic, a frequent soloist and an avid lover of chamber music.







Courtney Jones, an instant hit at CU, who frequently plays with the Golden State pops Orchestra, Southeast Symphony, MET LA Theater.







Kanae Matsumoto, is active as a soloist and a collaborative pianist, having performed at many recital halls in Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan and the United States.









Laszlo Mezo, winner of several International competitions, is a a member of the Pacific Symphony and has performed extensively in Europe, Asia and America.







Vicky Miskolczy, associate principal viola of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, a member of the Capitol Ensemble. She also performed solo recitals in Australia, US and Canada.





Mitsuko Morikawa, a professional accompanist over 10 years, recorded music for the New World Records label and have been featured on radio programs such as WCLV, Cleveland and NHK-FM, Japan.







Robert Thies, the only American pianist in four decades to win a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn. "A pianist of unerring warm-toned refinement, revealing judicious glimmers of power" (LA Times)







Bradley Wisk, lyric tenor, described as having "an alluring rich color and exceptionally spinning stratospheric top notes", and a "tall dark drink of a leading man".

NOVOREALISM and CONVERGENCE of GENERATIONS

It is so exciting to see LA on the front line of a great cultural transition in ART yet again as we see happening in front of our very eyes. Among other various intriguing forms of contemporary expression, American Realism as a most recent form of American Non-Conformism is gaining energy and excitement among young and rebellious talents. The rapidly gaining note (if not notoriety!) LA Classical Visual Art gang, which is much represented at CU showcases, is certainly a raucous part of this wide and diverse movement across the land, which different people call different names and which I call Novorealism.

We are enormously excited to host a consellation of new bright young stars of this exciting movement: Scott Burdick, Rose Franzen, Nancy Guzik, Ignat Ignatov, Jeremy Lipking, Susan Lyon, Tony Pro, Joseph Todorovich, Michelle Dunaway, among other great talents. Yet the most fascinating part is that these Young Guns got together with their beloved iconic Maestro Richard Schmid and a special appearance of my dad, Master Leonid Steele, to paint one of the beloved CU musical stars and an unforgettable character - cellist Armen Ksajikian.

Armen Ksajikian, has performed as principal or soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber, Opus Chamber and Hollywood Bowl orchestras, among others.

Calendar of upcoming events outside of CU

Our dearest friends and music and art devotees,
Thank you for making our 3rd season such a success! While we are taking a summer break, we think you can indulge your art thirst at these wonderful and meaningful cultural events.

We also hope that you will be able to attend, or at least to contribute to the Benefit Concert on June 27, which is raising funds for Rex special music education. Most of you met Rex, and heard him play, we wrote his story about him on our website last year - http://classicalunderground.blogspot.com/2009/09/rex-lewis-clack-is-exceptional-14-year.html

* June 6, Sunday - Sonic Fusion Duo
* June 10, Thursday - Timur and The Dime Museum
* June 27, Sunday - Sam McElroy - Benefit concert for Rex Lewis Clark

******
June 6, Sunday @ 7:30 p.m.
Sonic Fusion Duo
Piano and percussion extravaganza
The Herbert Zipper Concert Hall
The Colburn School of Music
200 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90012

Mikael Oganesian - piano
Alexander Singer - percussion

Sonic Fusion Duo is a piano and percussion duet by two outstanding award winning musicians pianist Mikael Oganesian and percussionist Alexander Singer. The Duo arranges and performs classical music ranging from Renaissance motets to contemporary film scores and African beats. While preserving the spirit and composition of the famous classical pieces the duo is adding new dimensions to familiar melodies making them contemporary and edgy. The result is an amazing new world of sounds. Sonic Fusion Duo's electrifying performances have captivated audiences of all types.

This concert you will hear Sonic Fusion Duo's arrangements of:
Bernstein - Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Stravinsky- Rite of Spring
As well as solo performances by both musicians.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students.
They can be purchased at the Duo’s website www.SonicFusionDuo.com or by calling 818-716-70-64 or at Zipper Hall one hour prior to the concert.



June 10, Thursday @ 7 p.m.
Timur and the Dime Museum
Los Angeles Central Library's Mark Taper Auditorium
630 W. Fifth Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Operatic Vaudeville with a Bohemian Attitude
with Timur Bekbosunov, tenor; Daniel Corral, accordion; Matthew Setzer, guitar; David Tranchina, bass; Brian Walsh, clarinet; with special guests Cassia Streib, viola; Jennifer Lindsay, violin; Mary Au, toy piano and Alex Noice, guitar.

Blending a tenor's haunting vocals with cabaret-inspired reinventions of songs both old and new. Featuring selections by Russian Gypsy songwriter Vadim Kozin from the 1930s to songs by Radiohead, NIN and David Bowie, this eclectic performance will provide the eyes and ears with beautiful and slightly dark entertainment.

$7.00 Admission/Free to Library Associates

Purchase Tickets: http://www.lfla.org/event-detail/492/Timur-The-Dime-Museum
Directions: http://www.lfla.org/about/directions.php
http://www.theoperaoftimur.com/


Sunday, June 27, 2010 @ 6 p.m.
Sam McElroy, baritone. Rex Lewis-Clark Benefit Concert
Hollywood Forever, Masonic Lodge
6000 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Imagine life in total darkness. Imagine life with extreme autism, and the endless restrictions this frightening condition imposes. Then imagine possessing an unfathomable musical genius, an ear so finely tuned it can memorize the great masterpieces on one hearing and reproduce them in minutes with the same hands that can not even fasten a button or tie a shoe lace.

Now meet Rex. Aged 14.

Rex Lewis-Clack does not need to imagine. His mind has been described by CBS's 60 MINUTES as ''an island of genius in a sea of disability''. He IS this extraordinary human being, a rare dichotomy in nature, a living cocktail of the entire gamut of human disability and extraordinary ability. He is one of the world's few living, musical 'savants'.

ALL PROFIT FROM THIS CONCERT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO REX'S EDUCATION TRUST, ADMINISTERED BY CATHLEEN LEWIS.

Sam McElroy, baritone, will sing a benefit recital in Rex's name, accompanied by the russian pianist Anastasia Nemirovich-Danchenko, with a special appearance and performance by Rex himself!

If you can not attend, but would like to make a donation of the ticket price, please do so, with our thanks. If you wish to attend the concert, please RSVP once you have purchased your ticket:
http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=1653305

more info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=345149726108

May 17 programme

CLASSICAL UNDERGROUND

presents
May 17, 2010
Where Arts Rule

Fine art showcase and classical music showcase with video and audio recordings.

We are most grateful to our supportive friends at Steinway Piano Gallery West Hollywood for graciously providing us with their incomparable instrument.

Wise comments by music critic Laurence Vittes


Programme


Johannes Brahms, Quartet in g-minor, Op. 25 for Piano, Violin, Viola and Violoncello
3rd Mov. Andante Con Moto
4th Mov. Rondo Alla Zingarese

Yuliya Barsky (piano)
David Chernyavsky (violin)
Jonathan Moerschel (viola)
Natalia Margulis (cello)


Vincenzo Bellini "oh! quante volte" from opera The Capulets and the Montagues

Oxana Senina (soprano)
Anya Ivanova (piano)


Robert Schumann From: Albumblätter op. 124
1. Impromptu
2. Leides Ahnung
3. Scherzino
4. Valse
5. Phantasietanz
6. Wiegenliedchen

Toccata op. 7 in C major

Jura Margulis (piano)


INTERMISSION


Joseph Bodin de Boismortier Sonata in G Major, Opus 50 No 2
Allemande
Gayment
Lentement
Gigue

Armen Ksajikian (cello)
Natalia Margulis (cello)


Two songs by Chopin
Three songs by Vadim Kozin
Autumn
Quiet Day
Friendship

Timur Bekbosunov (tenor)
Eduardo Delgado (piano)


Frederic Chopin Ballade No. 2 Op. 38 in F minor (dedicated to Robert Schumann)
Polonaise Op. 53 in A-flat major (Heroique)

Jura Margulis (piano)

*****

Classical Underground Fine Art Showcase

IGNAT IGNATOV
painter

It is historically a rarest and most exciting experience in the art world to witness the development of a true artistic movement, particularly when it happens in an authentically underground, "unsanctioned" by the official establishment of the day manner. Yet, despite all the tribulations of our moment in time and maybe even because of them, this is exactly what we are fortunate to be part of today and especially here in LA.

Josh, oil 16" X 10"



Moroccan Friends, oil 36" X 24"

It is an absolute pleasure to welcome Ignat, a wonderful friend and one of the most promising "young guns" of the newly vibrant and current figurative realist art in America whose wonderful and thoughtful head studies in particular give a fresh and much-welcomed joy of reveling the act of a true art-making.



Steinway - D Sound of Classical Underground!
www.spghollywood.com