Westside’s energetic Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra is presenting “Night Music” this weekend, Downtown on January 23 and in Santa Monica on January 24.
As part of the orchestra’s contemporary approach, visual artist Robert Vargas will create live works with the music.
The event is Kaleidoscope’s third program of the season. Titled “Night Music,” the evening will feature a variety of night-themed pieces, including a west coast premiere by Alyssa Weinberg, Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,” and Schoenberg’s “Verklärte Nacht.”
The program was inspired by the idea that artistic genres and people can be connected through a single concert, breaking traditional classical music concert norms, according to event organizers.
The “night” theme was built around Weinberg’s piece “in somnis,” which translates to in sleep or in a dream state, and was originally inspired by Picasso’s painting “The Dream.”
Vargas will paint live with the music, an experience he calls “Dialogue with the City,” as a means to share and create a powerful, honest and intimate experience.
Vargas’ intense approach will be on full display as he will paint free form during the performance. Surrounded by the orchestra, Vargas wields brushes and intuitively painting from beginning to end of each piece.
Renowned violinist Ambroise Aubrun will perform “in somnis” with the orchestra.
Brian Lauritzen, host of afternoon radio and Arts Alive on KUSC, will MC the concert on Saturday at The LATC, with a pre-concert talk at 9:30pm. On Sunday in Santa Monica, KUSC host Rich Capparela will also conduct a pre-concert talk at 5:30pm. Both performances and talks will be joined by composer Alyssa Weinberg.
Kaleidoscope is also partnering with Lyft, where people can drink responsibly and get a free ride home using the code KCOMUSIC (good for new users of Lyft). Audiences on January 23 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center can stay to enjoy the after party until 1AM, with DJ Gal, dancing, full bar, and food trucks.
Performance details: Saturday, January 23, 10pm, The Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S Spring St, Los Angeles. Sunday, January 24, 6pm, First Presbyterian Church 1220, 2nd St, Santa Monica. 90401. For tickets and info head to kco.la.
