Pittance Chamber Music Annual Showcase

Pittance Chamber Music presents its annual Showcase Concert. – Courtesy photo / Richard Greene

Pittance Chamber Music, celebrating a successful 2016/17 concert season, presents its annual Showcase Concert. A free live performance comprised of distinguished artists from the ranks of the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Taking place on Sunday June 11 at 8:00 p.m. at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, the program includes repertoire by Mozart, Debussy, Villa-Lobos, Ginastera, Hindemith, as well as Madrigals from the Renaissance.

The tradition of the Showcase Concert is to invite the performers to submit their own ideas for repertoire. This year, the result of that process has yielded a diverse array of compositions spanning time from the Renaissance to the 20th century. The ensembles range in size from as few as two to as many as nine performers in number. In addition, Pittance Chamber Music is pleased to welcome back dancer Damara Titmus, who creates the choreography as well as dances in Syrinx, a piece by Debussy which is scored for solo flute, played by Heather Clark. The program will also include the Los Angeles premiere of a rarely heard song, “Wie Es Waer, Wenns Anders Waar” (How It Would Be If It Were Different), by Paul Hindemith.

Violinist Lisa Sutton, who is the Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra (and an Altadena resident), founded Pittance in 2013.

“The original idea behind Pittance was to raise up the extraordinary yet invisible musicians of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra from the pit to the stage to perform in small ensembles – hence the name ‘Pittance’, a play on words referring to these smaller offerings from the orchestra pit. By performing in smaller groups and smaller venues we endeavor to personalize opera, allowing audiences a more intimate view of the wonderful artists who are the heart and soul of the opera company. We also endeavor to have as much fun as possible in the process!” said Sutton.

What: Pittance Chamber Music, coming off of its successful 2016-17 concert season, presents its annual Showcase Concert – Mozart, Madrigals and More! – a FREE live performance comprised of distinguished artists from the ranks of the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and Chorus with repertoire by Mozart, Debussy, Villa-Lobos, Ginastera and Hindemith, as well as Madrigals from the Renaissance.

Members of the LA Opera Orchestra and LA Opera Chrous:
Flute: Heather Clark
Oboe: Leslie Reed

Violin: Ana Landauer, Irina Voloshina
Viola: Shawn Mann
Cello: Helen Zheng Altenbach
Bassoon: William Wood
Soprano: Rebecca Tomlinson
Mezzo-Soprano: Helene Quintana
Tenor: Arnold Livingston Geis, Sal Malaki
Baritone: Steven Pence
Conductor: Paul Floyd
and

Dancer: Special Guest Damara Titmus
Program:
W.A. Mozart Flute Quartet in D major, K. 285
Various Composers Madrigals from the Renaissance

Villa-Lobos The Jet Whistle for Flute and Cello
Debussy Syrinx for Solo Flute and Dancer (Choreography by Damara Titmus)
A. Ginastera Duo for Flute and Oboe, Op. 13
P. Hindemith “Wie Es Waer, Wenns Anders Waar” (How It Would Be If It Were
Different)

When: Sunday, June 11 at 8 p.m.

Where: Barrett Hall, Pasadena Conservatory of Music 100 North Hill Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91106

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