The Los Angeles Philharmonic will be celebrating its 20th Anniversary Season at the Walt Disney Concert Hall this year. If there was ever a time to catch a show at this iconic venue the 2023/2024 season is the one to do it! There are a ton of great performances happening that will both commemorate the building’s architect Frank Gehry and pay homage to the venue’s legacy as a place of live music over the last two decades. From the debut of the newly minted California Festival, a retrospective of the work of John William, and a ton of guest composers/artists that will bring their music to the Walt Disney Concert Hall’s hallowed walls.
Sep. 28 — Japanese Breakfast & Ichiko Aoba
Kicking off the season are Japanese Breakfast and Ichiko Aoba in what will no doubt be a pair of rapt performances by the two artists. Michelle Zauner and company are known for giving incredible live shows and anyone who has seen them in the last few years can attest to that fact. This will mark their debut at the Walt Disney Concert Hall making it a must-see simply to catch the auditory magic that will be the songs of Jubilee (their last album) resounding off the interiors of the venue — from the euphoric gong that explodes on the album’s opening track “Paprika” to all the emotionally jarring soundscapes of their discography. Japanese singer and guitarist Ichiko Aoba will be opening the night with their bewitching and entirely consuming chamber-pop meets orchestral majesty.
Visit here for more information. “Create Your Own” packages will be available on Apr. 4. Single-ticket sales begin at 10 AM local time on Aug. 22.
Oct. 5 — LA Phil Gala: Celebrating Frank Gehry
Without Frank Gehry, the Walt Disney Concert Hall just simply wouldn’t exist as a landmark of music and culture in the city of Los Angeles. So it makes sense that as part of the 20th Anniversary, Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Phil will be highlighting the longstanding friendship it’s shared with the architect of one of its most crucial venues. The celebration of Gehry will continue throughout the 2023/2024 season but opening night will take place on Oct. 5 at a gala dedicated to the architect. It will also feature special performances by Dudamel in honor of the man he considers a friend and frequent collaborator. If you’re a lover of live music and the Walt Disney Concert Hall holds an especially special place in your heart you won’t want to miss it.
Visit here for more information. This is a subscription event and tickets are on sale now for packages. Single-ticket sales begin at 10 AM local time on Aug. 22.
Oct. 20 — Marisa Monte
As part of the KCRW Series, Brazilian artist Marisa Monte will be bringing her brilliant mix of samba and pop to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Her performance will seek to span the entire career of this 5-time Latin GRAMMY winner, including her latest album Portas and backed by an all-star international band. There’s a reason she’s become one of the most iconic figureheads of music in Brazil — not to mention the world. Her music is defined not just by its celebratory accentuation of Brazilian culture and music but also by the variety and prowess of Monte’s own vocal abilities. Which she honed in Italy while studying opera.
Visit here for more information. “Create Your Own” packages will be available on Apr. 4. Single-ticket sales begin at 10 AM local time on Aug. 22.
Nov. 10-12 — Canto en resistencia
Part of the California Festival: A Celebration of New Music (a joint operation between music groups and ensembles around the state), this event is curated by Gabriela Ortiz and will be performed by Dudamel as an ode to gender equality and worker’s rights. It will also feature the debut of Ortiz’s Seis piezas a Violeta (a tribute to Chilean Nueva Canción legend Violeta Parra) and Miguel Farías‘ Song Cycle, both highlighting the importance music in protest and activism via the voice of Latin American female artists. The night will also feature intermission performances by Mexican singer and artist Silvana Estrada, who will perform songs that will touch on a number of topics important to Latin Americans such as gender violence.
Visit here for more information. “Create Your Own” packages will be available on Apr. 4. Single-ticket sales begin at 10 AM local time on Aug. 22.
Feb. 2-4 — A Century of Film: John Williams Spotlight
John Williams has been the conductor behind many memorable film scores and the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl are no strangers to the sound of his momentous compositions. But for three nights in February, the interiors of the former acoustic wonder will be filled with music curated by Williams in an exploration of the last 100 years of music in the movies. Conducted by David Newman, the L.A. Phil will endeavor to wrangle together some of the most exceptional pieces of music ever set to film scores. Honoring the rich history of music that’s blossomed in Hollywood and a reminder that such scores are a huge part of the reason a film finds itself emotionally embedded in your memory.
Visit here for more information. “Create Your Own” packages will be available on Apr. 4. Single-ticket sales begin at 10 AM local time on Aug. 22.
May 31 — Silvana Estrada & Cécile McLorin Salvant
There are plenty of phenomenal pairings this season at the Walt Disney Concert Hall but little will come close to Silvana Estrada and Cécile McLorin Salvant. With the aid of her Venezuelan cuatro guitar, Mexican artist Estrada just released her debut album Marchita last year and an EP titled Abrazo. She’s a multi-instrumentalist at heart who wields her background in singing Mexican son jarocho, baroque choir music, and jazz into a melding of genre-shattering sound. And her tenderhearted but raw poetics will leave you in tatters. Salvant — a composer, singer, and visual artist — will open the night with their own unique vision of storytelling. Like Estrada, she brings together a variety of musical inspirations like vaudeville and blues/folk within the numerous records she’s released since her debut Cecile. It’s sure to be a night of theatricality and musical wonder, one that will leave you clinging to every word and beat.
Visit here for more information. “Create Your Own” packages will be available on Apr. 4. Single-ticket sales begin at 10 AM local time on Aug. 22.
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