Classical music in L.A. this week: Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Handel's Messiah and more
Here is a list of classical music performances in L.A. for Dec. 1-8:
Camerata Pacifica Bach’s “A Musical Offering” and Beethoven’s String Quartet in C-sharp Minor. Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St., Ventura. Sun., 3 p.m. Also at The Huntington, Rothenberg Hall, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Tue., 7:30 p.m.; Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Thu., 8 p.m.; and Music Academy of the West, Hahn Hall, 1070 Fairway Road, Santa Barbara. Fri., 7:30 p.m. $58. (805) 884-8410. cameratapacifica.org
Dudamel Conducts Rachmaninoff & Stravinsky Gustavo Dudamel leads the LA Phil in Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with pianist Seong-Jin Cho. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Sun., 2 p.m. $90-$255. (323) 850-2000. laphil.com
LACMA’s Sundays Live Harpist Cristina Montes Mateo and friends play works by Haydn, Saint-Saëns, Florent Schmitt and Jean Cras. St. James’ in the City, 3903 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Sun., 6 p.m. Free. (323) 857-6234. lacma.org
The Magic Flute Performers interact with projected animations as LA Opera reprises it staging of Barrie Kosky’s take on Mozart’s fantastical romantic fable; sung in German with English subtitles. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Sun., 2 p.m.; ends Dec. 15. $19 and up. (213) 972.8001. LAOpera.org
Messiah Sing-along Audience participation is encouraged in this 10th-annual presentation of Handel’s oratorio. St. Cross Episcopal Church, 1818 Monterey Blvd., Hermosa Beach. Sun., 3 p.m. By donation. stcross.org
Brentano String Quartet Pieces by Beethoven and Martin Bresnick. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Samueli Theater, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Tue., 8 p.m. $29 and up. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org
Sheku Kanneh-Mason The young British cellist performs works by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, et al., accompanied by his sister, pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason. Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Tue., 8 p.m. $95, $130. (213) 622-7001. laco.org
Glendale Noon Concerts Violinist Nancy Roth and pianist Lorenzo Sanchez perform Bartok’s Violin Sonata No. 1. Glendale City Church, 610 E. California Ave., Glendale. Wed., 12:10 p.m. Free. (818) 244-7241. glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
Solstice: Illuminating the Light Within The National Children’s Chorus performs works by Lauridsen, Whitacre, et al. Royce Hall, UCLA, 10745 Dickson Court, Westwood. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $46 and up. (800) 745-3000. nationalchildrenschorus.com
Beethoven’s Seventh Carl St.Clair leads Pacific Symphony in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, the world premiere of Elliot Goldenthal’s “October Light” (Adagio for Orchestra), and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with pianist Vadym Kholodenko. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m. $25 and up. (714) 755-5799. PacificSymphony.org
Kaleidescope Chamber Orchestra Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” plus works by Viet Cuong and Jessie Montgomery. Beckman Auditorium at Caltech, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. Thu., 10 a.m. Also at Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City. Sat., 11 a.m.; Music Academy of the West, Hahn Hall, 1070 Fairway Road, Santa Barbara. Sat., 7 p.m.; and First Presbyterian Church, 1220 2nd St., Santa Monica. Next Sun., 2 p.m. Free; suggested donation, $40. kco.la
Beethoven’s “Eroica” Principal guest conductor Susanna Mälkki leads the LA Phil in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 plus Oliver Knussen’s Violin Concerto with violinist Leila Josefowicz. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., next Sun., 2 p.m. $20-$200. (323) 850-2000. laphil.com
Colburn Community Chorale The ensemble is joined by special guests for its annual holiday concert. Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Fri., 8 p.m. Free. (213) 621-2200. colburnschool.edu
Dawson City: Frozen Time Live! L.A.-based contemporary ensemble Wild Up and Tonality’s women’s choir perform Alex Somers’ score to accompany a screening of filmmaker Bill Morrison’s documentary, consisting of silent-era found footage, about a Gold Rush town in the Yukon. The Theatre at Ace Hotel DTLA, 929 S. Broadway, downtown L.A. Fri., 8 p.m. $28 and up. (310) 825-2101. cap.ucla.edu
First Fridays at First! Organist Namhee Han performs. First Lutheran Church and School, 2900 W. Carson St., Torrance. Fri., 12:15 p.m. (310) 316-5574. palosverdes.com
Joy! ’Tis the Season The Village Voices Chorale is joined by the Covenant Ringers Handbell Choir for holiday favorites. Scherr Forum Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:30 p.m. $27. (800) 745-3000. ticketmaster.com
La bohème: AKA “The Hipsters” Pacific Opera Project reprises its update of Puccini’s tragedy, transposing the tale of struggling artists from 19th-century Paris to present-day downtown L.A.; sung in Italian with projected English titles. The Highland Park Ebell Club, 131 S. Avenue 57, Highland Park. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; ends Dec. 14. $15-$30; tables, $60, $180. (323) 739-6122. pacificoperaproject.com
South Bay Chamber Music Society The New Hollywood String Quartet performs an all-Beethoven program. Los Angeles Harbor College, Music Department Recital Hall, 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington. Fri., 8 p.m. Also at Pacific Unitarian Church, 5621 Montemalaga Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes. Next Sun., 3 p.m. Free. sbcms.net
St. Matthew’s Music Guild Holiday concert features Baroque-era works including William Boyce’s Symphony No. 4 and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave., Pacific Palisades. Fri., 8 p.m. $10, $35. (310) 573-7422. MusicGuildOnline.org
Things to do
Behzod Abduraimov The pianist plays Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” plus pieces by Debussy and Chopin. Soka Performing Arts Center, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo. Sat., 8 p.m. $45-$75. (949) 480-4278. soka.edu
Angel City Chorale: Starry Starry Night Holiday Concert & Sing-Along The ensemble performs film-score selections, classic songs and seasonal favorites backed by a live orchestra. Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 3300 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Sat.-next Sun., 7:30 p.m. $35-$90. (310) 943-9231. angelcitychorale.org
Festival of Carols Composer Eric Whitacre conducts the Los Angeles Master Chorale in sacred and secular favorites, plus the world premiere of “The Gift of the Magi,” Whitacre’s setting of O. Henry’s classic tale. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., L.A. Sat., 8 p.m.; also Sat., Dec. 14, 2 p.m. $29-$139; children under 6 not admitted. (213) 972-7282. lamasterchorale.org
Gideon’s Suitcase: 100th Birthday Jacaranda salutes Gideon Klein, the Czech composer-pianist known for organizing concerts at the Terezin concentration camp during WWII, with a program featuring pianist David Kaplan, Lyris Quartet and Jacaranda Winds and works by Klein, Mozart, Schoenberg and Janacek. First Presbyterian Church, 1220 2nd St., Santa Monica. Sat., 8 p.m. $25, $45. jacarandamusic.org
Kontrapunktus Baroque Ensemble: Stylus Fantasticus Rare chamber-music works by Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, Dieterich Buxtehude and Girolamo Frescobaldi. Culver City Seventh-day Adventist Church, 11828 W. Washington Blvd., L.A. Sat., 7:30 p.m. Also at Trinity Lutheran Church, 997 E. Walnut St., Pasadena. Next Sun., 2 p.m. Free. kontrapunktus.com
Handel’s Messiah Orange County-based vocal ensemble Meistersingers performs with a period-instrument ensemble. Claremont United Church of Christ, 233 W. Harrison Ave., Claremont. Sat., 4 p.m. Also at Anaheim United Methodist Church, 1000 S. State College Blvd., Anaheim. Next Sun., 3 p.m. $15, $25. meistersingers.net
The Many Actual Moods of Christmas: Holidays for the Slightly Harried The Orange County Women’s Chorus opens its season with works by Eleanor Daley, Joan Szymko and more. Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 798 Dover Drive, Newport Beach. Sat., 7 p.m. Also at St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church, 18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach. Next Sun., 3 p.m. (949) 451-8590. $15-$30. (949) 451-8590. ocwomenschorus.org
Symphonies for Youth: The Rite of Spring The LA Phil presents a kid-friendly exploration of the Stravinsky classic. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Sat., 11 a.m.; also Dec. 14. $25, $29. (323) 850-2000. laphil.com
The Choir of Saint James: An Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols The ensemble performs works ranging from Gregorian chant to the present day. St. James Episcopal Church, 3903 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Next Sun., 4:30 p.m. Free. stjla.org
A Christmas Celebration The Los Angeles Concert Orchestra, the Chancel Choir and the Mark Twain Bell Ringers perform. First United Methodist Church, 1008 11th St., Santa Monica. Next Sun., 7:30 p.m. Recommended donation, $10-$20. (310) 393-8258. santamonicaumc.org
Handel’s Glorious Messiah Guest conductor Robert Istad leads Pacific Symphony, Pacific Chorale and guest soloists in the holiday favorite. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Next Sun., 3 p.m. $25 and up. (714) 755-5799. PacificSymphony.org
Handel’s Messiah The Dream Orchestra, the Cathedral Choir, the Opera Chorus of Los Angeles and guest vocalists perform. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., L.A. Next Sun., 7 p.m. $20-$40. dreamorchestra.org
Holiday Concert The American Youth Symphony Chamber Ensemble performs. Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Next Sun., 4 p.m. Free. schoolofmusic.ucla.edu
Holiday Lights Santa Clarita Master Chorale performs Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna” and more. College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita. Next Sun., 4 p.m. $11-$29. scmasterchorale.org
A Joyful Noise! Los Robles Master Chorale sings holiday favorites. Carpenter Family Theater, Westlake High School, 100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village. Next Sun., 4 p.m. $5-$35. (805) 526-7464. losroblesmasterchorale.org
La Cenerentola The Opera Buffs present a concert performance of Rossini’s comic take on the Cinderella story. Zipper Hall, the Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Next Sun., 2 p.m. $15-$65. (323) 356-0047. operabuffs.org
Le Salon de Musiques The intimate chamber-music series presents “Passionate Romances,” a program of works for voice, strings and piano by Schumann, Mendelssohn and Robert Kahn. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 5th Floor Salon, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A. Next Sun., 4 p.m. $45, $95. (310) 498-0257. lesalondemusiques.com
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus: A Ceremony of Carols The ensemble performs the Britten classic interspersed with works by Lauridsen, Brahms, et al., plus traditional songs and more. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Next Sun., 7 p.m. $17-$45. (626) 793-4231. lachildrenschorus.org
Unto Us a Child Is Born The St. James Chancel Choir, the Kirk Singers and the St. James Early Music and Jazz Ensemble perform works by Respighi, Mendelssohn, et al., plus holiday carols. St. James Presbyterian Church, 19414 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. Next Sun., 4 p.m. Free; donations accepted. (818) 345-2057. stjamespres.org