Get Your Phil - Friday and Saturday Night Dinner and Disney Hall Concerts

With all of the new restaurants opening in Downtown Los Angeles along with old favorites, the Los Angeles Philharmonic just launched a new program branded as "Get Your Phil"   - a Friday (or Saturday) night dining and concert ticketing package.   The second opportunity occurs this Friday night at the Border Grill Downtown LA and continues into November with dates at Le Ka Restaurant and Blue Cow Kitchen and Bar with a soon to be posted additional Saturday date of December 7th at Rivera for the Scheherazade concert.  The Get Your Phil program opened last Friday with Chaya Downtown LA in tandem with one of the LA Phil 10th Anniversary concerts (Debussy and Bartok) featuring conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. These dinners include a special ten minute discussion with one of the LA Phil musicians. The $32 Friday/Saturday night dinner program is available to existing LA Phil season ticket holders and to those looking to package up the promotional dinner and purchasing LA Phil concert tickets, which can be easily done online at LAPhil.com/GetyourPhil. The promoted evening LA Phil concert tickets at various price ranges (from $67 - $75 for Terrace or Front Terrace seats) are now available for the following dinners and concerts:

Friday, October 25

Border Grill Downtown LA

Salonen and Sibelius*

Friday, November 8

Le Ka Restaurant

Tovey and Shostakovich*

Saturday, November 30

Blue Cow Kitchen and Bar

Bach, Schumann and more

  

*This evening is also a part of the LA Phil's Casual Fridays program, which includes a post-concert Question and Answer session with the artists and a meet-and-greet with the orchestra.

Sublime Schubert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall

The other evening I attended the first of the "Sublime Schubert" concert series (April 16th-22nd) at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.  The series features artists Matthias Goerne (Baritone) and Christoph Eschenbach; it will also include performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. 

Celebrate Tchaikovsky in Los Angeles

If you've visited Google today at all, you'll know from the logo change that it's Tchaikovsky's 170th Birthday.  This famous composer is a sure bet to be celebrated throughout the year however.  We have Tchaikovsky events for today, tomorrow, next month, and in the next few months.

Supporting the arts

Here in Los Angeles, we have so many ways in which to appreciate art. At one time, "supporting the arts" might have meant getting dressed up and going to the opera or a high-end gallery, or opening up the checkbook to write a fat check. It might have seemed a little exclusive to those of us with a modest income. But art has become so much more democratic now, and much more accessible.

I'm thankful to live in a city with so much talent and that produces so much. It's amazing how much art is simply there for me to see on a daily basis. Right near my house is a beautiful mural depicting the history of Los Angeles. Every morning, I descend the stairs of the North Hollywood redline station and am surrounded by public art reflective of a NoHo community. Almost every day, there's some live music performance happening near my house or near the office. And of course, working for ExperienceLA I come across so many fun and interesting theatre performances, art exhibitions, live music, etc. that I wish I had more time in my life to simply attend.

What I love about experiencing the arts is that it doesn't have to be stiff and formal. I can go to an art gallery in jeans and sneakers to see drawings on whiteboard, or to see the orchestra perform on casual Fridays. Art is actually fun! If you had told me as a child that going to an art gallery or to see the orchestra was fun, I would've looked at you like you were from another planet.

"Art" to me may not mean the same thing to you. But that's the beauty of it. Art is democratic, and is what you want it to be. Get dressed up, or dressed down. Go see Rembrandt, or comic books. See Dudamel conduct the LA Phil at the Disney Concert Hall, or just a dude and his guitar at your local cafe.

Since January is LA Arts Month, take advantage of some of the discounts and special offers. Throughout the year, don't forget about the museums with their free days. Check out the multiple discount outlets for deals on theatre tickets. Visit ExperienceLA's calendar for free & family-friendly events. The opportunities to experience art are endless, and there really is something for all tastes, budgets and schedules. So go on, get out, and more importantly, have fun supporting the arts!


-Julie

An evening with Steve and his banjo

A night of music, comedy, and even a little bit of Chinese feminism. This is what fans who attended Steve Martin's first public performance in years at the Walt Disney Concert Hall were treated to last week. I'm more familiar with his comedy, admittedly, but thanks to my husband, was highly interested in his banjo skills. And I must say, "WOW!" That man is just as talented on his banjo as he is with his wit and humor. And he surrounds himself with equally talented musicians.

The tour supports Martin's first full-length bluegrass album, "The Crow." The CD has been nominated for several awards and is critically acclaimed. After seeing and hearing his performance, I can understand why. (In fact, we walked away with our own copy of "The Crow.")

The evening opened with the beautiful Abigail Washburn. "Thank you, God, for making Steve Martin a banjo man," she said as she began her set. And that was how the night went. A little bit of good humor mixed with beautiful, spirited and soulful music which included standard bluegrass and original tunes. The most interesting piece of her set must have been the bluegrass import of sorts- a Chinese feminist piece which Ms. Washburn performed entirely in Mandarin. It was a moment that expanded my somewhat limited world. I had no idea that Chinese music included the banjo, but thoroughly enjoyed this performance and appreciated how it opened my mind just a little bit more.

Following Abigail was Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers. The crowd enthusiastically welcomed back to the stage the great comedian. And then, the music started. The show they gave was one of the best I've ever experienced musically. The chemistry between the Steep Canyon Rangers and Martin was so apparent. There was much respect for one another's talents, and they truly enjoyed playing together. Pardon the cliche, but it was really a "toe-tappin' good time."

A few jokes were sprinkled throughout the evening. At one point, when the SCR took on the spotlight for a moment, Steve asked the bass player if there was a beer for him. And sure enough, there was...stored inside the bass itself. It was evident this is how these guys roll. Pure fun and entertainment.

Like Abigail's set, Steve performed some standards, including the energetic classic "Orange Blossom Special," which had me at the edge of my seat. I watched in awe as the bands fingers' flew so effortlessly and intelligently across the strings of their respective instruments. I was impressed at how easy Steve made playing the banjo appear. I was inspired by the violinist to get out my own fiddle and learn "Orange Blossom Special" (which, Steve decided that evening, was written by him). The night ended with a playful, bluegrass rendition of Martin's "King Tut." Then the crowd rose to thank Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers for the musical treat we were given.

This was my first live bluegrass concert experience, and certainly will not be my last. I walked in with an eagerness and lack of expectation. I walked away with a whole new appreciation for bluegrass music, and for the banjo as an instrument of not only fast-paced and lively music, but also an instrument of calm, sorrow and peace. With that, I leave you with a little bit of "King Tut."





-Julie

LA Phil Presents...

February 21st marks the start of the World Music (WM1) Series at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This series presents a wide range of programs featuring performers from all over the globe. And given that it's presented in association with KCRW, do we need any more persuasion about the quality of music? Didn't think so...

Don't forget to enter to win tickets to see Eva Ayllon, one of Peru's most compelling and lively Afro-Peruvian stars, blending African and Spanish cultures - dramatic flamenco phrases, complex, pulsating rhythms and sweet folkloric melodies - into her signature style of music known as "musica criolla".

World Music Series Schedule:

The Chieftains. February 21st.
Eva Ayllon. March 7th.
Asha Bhosle. April 27th.
Kronos Quartet: 'Nunavut'. May 3rd.

Go to ExperienceLA for more LA Phil events.

-ExperienceLA Staff