The Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Guido Lamell, has comfortably settled into its new home, the historic Barnum Hall on the campus of Santa Monica High School.
The Orchestra will presents a winter concert this Saturday afternoon at 3 pm.
Lamell said the concert would open with Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 6.”
“I wanted something beautiful for the holidays,” Lamell said. “The Pastorale pays homage to nature, serenity and tranquility and is incredibly beautiful and uplifting music.”
Continuing the Beethoven celebration and keeping with the holiday spirit, the orchestra presents Beethoven’s “Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra.”
“I love the way voice celebrates a joyous occasion,” Lamell said. “Most people think that Beethoven copied his 9th writing the ‘Choral Fantasy’ but it’s actually the reverse. Beethoven wrote his ‘Choral Fantasy’ a full 15 years before the 9th. Beethoven wrote it, some say, to show off his skill as a pianist.”
Saturday’s performance features brilliant young pianist Steven Vanhauwaert – the Grand Prize winner at the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition.
Lamell said the Orchestra is pleased to welcome members from Legal Voices and Cantori Domino as a combined chorus.
Legal Voices is the Choral arm of the LA Lawyers Philharmonic, Gary S. Greene, Founder and Conductor.
Cantori Domino is the vocal ensemble of St. Augustine’s By the Sea in Santa Monica, Maurita Phillips Thornburgh, Founder and Artistic Director.
The Chorus will also perform Verdi’s “Va Pensiero” from the opera Nabucco and for a grand finale invites the audience to sing along with Handel’s rousing “Hallelujah Chorus” from the oratorio “Messiah.”
As with all Santa Monica Symphony concerts, admission is free.
Parking is available at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium lot or in the Civic Center Parking Structure at 4th Street and Olympic Boulevard.
The Orchestra’s next concert will be the annual Martin Luther King Day Family Concert on Jan. 18 at 7:30 pm at the SGI Auditorium at 525 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica.
For more information, visit www.smsymphony.org or call 310.395.6330.
