Los Angeles Master Chorale

The Los Angeles Master Chorale is a famous professional chorus in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1964 by Roger Wagner to be one of the three original resident companies of the Music Center of Los Angeles County. Grant Gershon has been its music director since 2001, replacing Paul Salamunovich who is now Music Director Emeritus.

The Master Chorale performs about fifteen times per year in its own season. It is the first organization in the nation to offer a complete season of great choral masterworks. In addition, the Master Chorale regularly performs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and other prominent visiting orchestras. It served as the chorus for Los Angeles Opera during that organization's early years before it had established its own in-house chorus. It also performs in community concerts throughout Southern California.

It originally performed at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, but since 2003 the Chorale's principal concert venue has been Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Morten Lauridsen was its composer-in-residence from 1994 through 2001.

Notable guest conductors have included Robert Shaw, Helmuth Rilling, Margaret Hillis, Robert Page and Richard Westenberg.

Music Directors

* Grant Gershon, 2001-present
* Paul Salamunovich, 1991–2001
* John Currie, 1985–1991
* Roger Wagner, 1964–1984

Recordings

With music directors conducting

The Master Chorale has recorded three CDs under Mr. Gershon:
*"Daniel Variations" by Steve Reich (Nonesuch Records)
*"You Are (Variations)" by Steve Reich (Nonesuch Records)
* Philip Glass’ "Itaipu" and the world premiere recording of "Two Songs to Poems of Ann Jäderlund" by Esa-Pekka Salonen (RCM)

The Master Chorale released three CDs under the baton of Salamunovich:
* The Grammy-nominated "Lux Aeterna" by Morten Lauridsen (also featuring other Lauridsen works: "Chansons des Roses", "Ave Maria", "Mid-Winter Songs", and "O Magnum Mysterium") (RCM)
* Dominic Argento's "Te Deum" and "Missa "Cum Jubilo" by Maurice Durufle (with Rodney Gilfry as baritone soloist and Frederick Swann on organ (RCM)
* "Christmas", a collection of songs (RCM)

With the Los Angeles Philharmonic

*Roger Wagner, music director
** Gustav Mahler, Symphony No. 3, Zubin Mehta conducting (London)
** Gustav Holst, "The Planets", Zubin Mehta conducting (London)
** Giuseppe Verdi, Quattro pezzi sacri (Four Sacred Pieces), Zubin Mehta conducting (London)
** Giuseppe Verdi, "Falstaff", Carlo Maria Giulini conducting (Deutsche Grammophon)
** Giuseppe Verdi, Messa da Requiem, Zubin Mehta conducting, Gwyneth Jones, soprano; Grace Bumbry, mezzo-soprano; Franco Corelli, tenor; Ezio Flagello, baritone (Myto Records)

*John Currie, music director
** Sergei Prokofiev, "Alexander Nevsky", Andre Previn conducting (Telarc)

*Paul Salamunovich, music director
** Claude Debussy, "Trois nocturnes" and "La Damoiselle Elué", Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting (Sony Classics)
** Gustav Mahler, Symphony No. 3, Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting (Sony Classics)

With the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra

*Paul Salamunovich, music director
** Rodgers & Hammerstein, "The King & I", John Mauceri conducting (Phillips Classics)
** Schoenberg/Ravel, "Earth Day", John Mauceri conducting (Phillips Classics)
** "Hollywood Nightmares" (various composers), John Mauceri conducting (Phillips Classics)

Motion Pictures

Mr. Salamunovich also conducted the Los Angeles Master Chorale on the soundtracks of numerous major motion pictures, including A.I. Artificial Intelligence, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Sum of all Fears and Waterworld.

Gershon conducted the Chorale on the soundtrack of "Lady In The Water", released in 2006.

Awards and recognition

In June 2003, the Master Chorale received the prestigious ASCAP/Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming.

Education Programs

Since 1990, the Master Chorale has held the "Los Angeles Master Chorale High School Choir Festival," one of the largest high school choir festivals in the nation.

“Voices Within,” another of the Chorale’s highly successful outreach programs, is an in-depth, eight-week, in-school residency program for fifth graders that helps children who have little or no musical background to “find their voices.” With the assistance of a teaching artist, lyricist, and composer who work with students in the classroom, children write original songs.

External links

* [http://www.lamc.org/ Official website]
* [http://www.laphil.com/music/artist_detail.cfm?id=90 Information on Los Angeles Philharmonic website]