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Another tremendous summer of California Philharmonic concerts culminates this weekend with “Broadway & Bolero,” the captivating season finale featuring esteemed Maestro Victor Vener, his world-class orchestra and a powerful trio of special guests.

Taking place Saturday, Aug. 23 at Santa Anita Race Track and Sunday, Aug. 24 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the scintillating program boasts Broadway sensations Randal Keith and Joan Almedilla lending their voices to songs from such hit shows including Chicago and Evita. “Broadway & Bolero” marks Almedilla’s California Philharmonic debut, as well as a reunion with Keith, as they performed opposite of each other on th...

If you and your family have enjoyed movies like The Lion King, Beauty & The Beast and The Little Mermaid, you are bound to like this Saturday’s concert by the California Philharmonic (Cal Phil) at theSanta Anita Race Track. Aside from music from those Disney favorites, the orchestra will play classical masterpieces such as Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Bach’s Toccata and Fugue.

Joining Cal Phil will be the acclaimed 100-plus member Cal Phil Chorale, led by Chorus Maestra Marya Basaraba. “Cal Phil Chorale Maestra Marya Basaraba is not only a brilliant Chorus Master but a spectacular soloist,” says Maestro Vener. “She and the Chorale are tremendous assets to the California Philharmonic and t...

Magic, Fantasy and Adventure, the highly-anticipated third concert of Maestro Victor Vener and his California Philharmonic’s 2014 Summer Season, already has people singing praise for the captivating program that mixes suites of music from The Lion King, Beauty & The Beast and The Little Mermaid along with classical masterpieces such as Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Bach’s Toccata and Fugue. Joining the world class orchestra for the concert is the acclaimed 100-plus member-strong Cal Phil Chorale, led for the past seven seasons by the multi-talented Chorus Maestra Marya Basaraba. Known as “The Voice of Cal Phil,” Cal Phil Chorale is composed of some of California’s best choral singers, ...

Even in the (sort-of) hallowed Walt Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles, the music of cowboy films and of Aaron Copland, the Jewish boy from Brooklyn who wrote vibrant cowboy ballets, was exciting.

At the California Philharmonic’s Saturday concert at Santa Anita Race Track in Arcadia, that music must have provoked (we hope) at least a few hurrahs. At Disney Hall Sunday, where the Cal Phil reprises their Saturday concert for a slightly more staid audience (there are no picnics on the lawn at Disney) it was still intriguing, though the audience kept their whoopees to themselves. (Sunday’s performance is reviewed here)

But the program, called “Cowboys & Copland,” was much more than just an intimate afternoon of W...

If you are a fan of screen classics like The Magnificent Seven, How the West Was Won and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, you will love this weekend’s California Philharmonic(Cal Phil)’s concert.

Entitled “Cowboys & Copland,” the concert will feature music from the mentioned films, as well as Aaron Copland’s classics like “Long Time Ago” and “Bought me a Cat.”

The great bass baritone Cedric Berry, who has participated in previous years with Cal Phil and become an audience favorite, will join again to interpret 18th and 19th century classics for voice and orchestra.

“Cowboys & Copland is an action-packed musical program with something for everyone,” said Cal Phil&rsq...;

California Philharmonic Principal cellist Dennis Karmazyn and his emerging violin virtuoso son, 20-year-old Max Karmazyn, met a milestone in both their professional and personal relationship Saturday at Cal Phil’s season opener at Santa Anita’s infield.

Though Dennis has been with the acclaimed orchestra for seven seasons and Max for three, their performance during the 2014 season opener marks the first time the talented duo were featured artists together during a Cal Phil concert.

The concert, titled John Williams and Friends, featured the Karmazyns who captivated audiences with a performance of the Theme from Schindler’s List, in special arrangement for cello and violin, created especially by Max for himself and his f...

California Philharmonic welcomes special guest Sarah Culberson for its 2014 summer season opener John Williams & Friends, which takes place June 28 At Santa Anita Race Track and June 29 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Culberson’s gripping reading of ‘Dry Your Tears – Afrika’ from the epic film Amistad, in both the original Mende (a major language in Sierra Leone, and the native language of both Culberson’s African ancestors and many, if not all, of the captured slaves aboard the original ship Amistad) and the English translation, will introduce director Steven Spielberg’s powerful reenactment of an 1839 shipboard slave rebellion. The score, composed by Williams, was nominated for both the Academy Awar...

Another summer of delightful concerts by the California Philharmonic (Cal Phil) will begin at the Santa Anita Race Track on June 28, when Maestro Vener and his great orchestra will perform a selection of pieces from John Williams’ most memorable scores, including Star Wars, E.T., Jaws andJurassic Park. On this date concert-goers will also be treated to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Father and son duo, cellist Dennis Karmazyn and violinist Max Karmazyn, will perform a special violin/cello arrangement of the Theme from Schindler’s List and the finale of Brahms’ Double Concerto. To bring even more emotion into the night, the Cal Phil Chorale will join the orchestra for Karl Orff’s Carmina Burana. This same fanta...