Conductor Ludovic Morlot weaves together the voices of East and West. Folksongs for Orchestra distills the melodic richness of Chinese folk tradition into vivid, kaleidoscopic color, followed by the world premiere of Pipa Concerto, with Wu Man, setting the ancient Chinese lute against a modern chamber orchestra. The West comes into view with a contemporary portrait of Hollywood in Five Pieces in L.A., featuring LACO Principal Flute Benjamin Smolen, and with Schoenberg’s second chamber symphony, linking European tradition to Los Angeles and the future sound of cinematic scores.
*Co-commissioned by The Philadelphia Orchestra and the National Center for Performing Arts (Beijing, China).
**Made possible by the Joan and Jeff Beal Fund for Living Composers.