The upcoming 2024-2025 season at the Walt Disney Concert Hall promises to be an eclectic and vibrant celebration of Los Angeles music and culture. Los Angeles Philharmonic Music and Artistic Director and composer Gustavo Dudamel will helm many of the performances taking place this year and next. From concerts produced by the LA Phil to two festivals celebrating the city’s multicultural tapestry, not to mention appearances by artists like Wynonna Judd and Arlo Parks, this season wields an array of incredible events that everyone will enjoy.
An LA Phil Gala Concert with Dudamel & Lang Lang, featuring Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Ginastera’s Estancia will open the season on October 1st. Followed by a wealth of symphony-led events headed by Dudamel and the LA Phil such as a rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and a continuation of The John Williams Spotlight. Of these film lovers will not want to miss Star Wars in Concert, which will feature music from the iconic sci-fi films hosted by C-3P0 actor Anthony Daniels.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall will also serve as the stage for two festivals this season. The Mahler Grooves Festival will see Dudamel hosting three nights dedicated to composer Gustav Mahler: “Mahler’s Journey,” “Song of the Night,” and Alma Mahler’s Five Songs. Another celebration arrives with the debut of the Seoul Festival, a series of events curated by South Korean composer Unsuk Chin that will highlight and pay homage to the influence of Korean culture in contributing to the city’s cultural sound.
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Proudly accentuating Los Angeles as an international and cultural space of creative melding, the Pan-American Music Initiative (PAMI) will again spotlight the connections shared between artists across North and South America. This will include the world premiere of the Cello Concerto by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz, From Mexico to Hollywood: Golden Age Cinema, and a trio of Día de los Muertos celebrations.
Another fantastic collection of events will take place as part of the LA Phil’s participation in PST ART: Art & Science Collide presented by Getty, which will center on the day-long music festival Noon to Midnight and the premiere of its ground-breaking finale Lightscape. Around the holidays attendees can expect another Deck the Hall series that will begin with Leslie Odom, Jr. followed by Holiday Sing-Alongs, Home Alone in Concert, and more.
This season will also contain a host of excellent concerts with the Songbook, Jazz and KCRW. Among the big names appearing this year will be the debut of Country Music Hall of Famer Wynonna Judd at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a solo acoustic concert by Jason Isbell. There will also be a rich ode to jazz with performances by Jason Moran & The Big Bandwagon, Grammy-winner Samara Joy, LA Phil’s Creative Chair for Jazz Herbie Hancock, and Patrice Rushen. As always the KCRW Series will bring a ton of talent to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. That includes shows with Portuguese fado singer Mariza, U.K. alt-pop songstress Arlo Parks, the return of international taiko sensations KODO, and composer Max Richter.
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Words: Steven Ward
Be sure to take a peak at the recently announced 2024 Hollywood Bowl lineup which has plenty of equally wonderful events taking place at the majestic Los Angeles venue. And keep an eye out for the forthcoming announcement for The Ford’s season.
