GO
Advanced Search

shine | Steve Reich 70th Birthday Tribute

Sunday, January 28 at 7 pm

At three score and ten, Steve Reich is one cool cat and “one of the few composers to have altered the direction of musical history.” (Guardian-UK) He surprises, hypnotizes and wows us on every excursion into his both hip and deep sonic world.

When the L.A. Master Chorale premiered and recorded You Are (Variations), it met with cheers from the audience and raves from critics. With the composer here In person, we’ll encore the piece and proudly present the West Coast premiere of Reich’s newest work Daniel Variations, composed in memory of Daniel Pearl, a journalist remembered more for his humanity and love of life than his senseless death. Woven into our program is the a cappella purity of the Renaissance composers who Reich recognizes as kindred souls.

Music was a language that knew no boundaries for Daniel Pearl, an accomplished violinist who grew up in Encino and played with classic, folk, bluegrass and jazz groups. Commissioned by the Daniel Pearl Foundation, Reich juxtaposes a text from the Biblical Book of Daniel alongside Danny’s own words in a moving, life-affirming major choral work.

Experiencing the sparkling, exuberant music of Steve Reich in the acoustics of Disney Hall is simply amazing. Crackling with dancing rhythms, Reich’s buoyant and effervescent music never touches the ground. Happy Birthday, Steve, and thanks for taking us along on the ride.

“Reich ponders existence in a forceful new work... the performance positively glitters; it seems quite clear that the Los Angeles Master Chorale under Grant Gershon is responding to the work’s intrinsic glow, the sense of spontaneity — the swing — in the music.” — Gramophone

Download a guide to the season: chorale-seasonguide0607.pdf, 1.1MB