Pacific Symphony

Here is one of MANY good questions people have asked Pacific...

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:23:06 -0700

Here is one of MANY good questions people have asked Pacific Symphony! Ask YOURS at www.pacificsymphony.org/asktheorchestra

Interview with Pacific Symphony’s featured soloist Benjamin Lulich

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:41:00 -0700

Our Principal Clarinetist Ben Lulich is playing the solo in Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622, during Sundays at Soka, when Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair also performs Mozart’s Symphony No. 39—at Soka Performing Arts Center, Sunday, April 21, at 8 p.m.

We took a moment to interview him about the piece and his life as a musician.

Pacific Symphony: How long have you been a member of Pacific Symphony?

Benjamin Lulich: This is my sixth season as Principal Clarinetist of Pacific Symphony. It is a great joy to share the stage with so many wonderful, gifted colleagues, and being featured as a soloist on this concert is a great honor.

PS: Please tell us more about the piece you are the soloist for, Mozart’s Concerto in A Major.

BL: Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto was written at the very end of Mozart’s life, his final concerto. It is performed frequently, and has even been used in films (“Out of Africa” and “The King’s Speech” among others). Mozart wrote this concerto so well, that you don’t need to do anything fancy with it to communicate to the audience. It is simply heavenly music; it is a joy to play it and a joy to listen to it.

PS: How did you come to choose a career as a musician?

BL: Choosing a life in music was not a difficult choice for me. I started playing clarinet when I was 11 years old, and as I learned the instrument, I enjoyed music more and more. By the time in was in eighth grade, I knew I wanted to be a musician, to perform in a symphony orchestra. All the hours practicing, all the music history and theory classes, were part of the formula to reach that goal. The work was hard, but the choice was easy.

PS: You’ve played for recordings and film scores such as “Water for Elephants” and “The Tourist,” will you please tell us more about that experience? Has there ever been an instance where you’ve stumbled across a recording you’ve made and if so, how did you react?

BL: I enjoy performing for film scores and record albums. It is enlightening to see some of the “behind-the-scenes” process that takes place before a film is presented to the audience. There was one time I was in Barnes and Noble and the music that was being played sounded familiar. I got my iPhone out, and used the app Shazam to see what the music was. It turned out to be a song from a Barbra Streisand album I had played!

PS: Is there any advice you can give to young musicians hoping to continue with a future in music?

BL: Work hard, learn everything you can about music, always be ready to play your best.

Who knew that sul ponticello could describe tightrope walking?

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:14:58 -0700

Who knew that sul ponticello could describe tightrope walking?

Who wants to sees this movie, precious?www.reriteofspring.org

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 10:31:13 -0700

Who wants to sees this movie, precious?

www.reriteofspring.org

A cover Of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring by German Death...

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:35:20 -0700

A cover Of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring by German Death Metal Band Golem.

Do you have an interpretation of The Rite of Spring, whether it be music, art, dance or otherwise? Submit it to The ReRite of Spring Project.

Photo

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:24:25 -0700

Photo

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:37:57 -0700

People think The Rite of Spring was a pagan Russian ritual, but...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:16:46 -0700

People think The Rite of Spring was a pagan Russian ritual, but Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, the foremost authority on “Ancient Astronaut Theory” knows that it was actually ALIENS!

Do you have a different take on The Rite of Spring? Submit yours here:
www.reriteofspring.org

The ReRite of Spring Projectwww.reriteofspring.orgBE A PART OF...

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:33:29 -0700

The ReRite of Spring Project
www.reriteofspring.org
BE A PART OF HISTORY!

Attention Musicians, Artists, Dancers/Choreographers & the Creatively-Inclined! Create your own Rite of Spring-inspired works (remixes, artworks, videos, memes, anything you can dream up).

The artists who conceived The Rite of Spring broke all the rules and defied convention. Now, Pacific Symphony invites you to do the same.

Have your work presented at Pacific Symphony events!

Download free orchestral recordings of The Rite of Spring to remix!

Learn more about The Rite of Spring!

Be inspired by what others have done!

Photo

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:33:30 -0700

Harlem Shake (The Knights orchestra edition)

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:37:31 -0700

Harlem Shake (The Knights orchestra edition)

To inspire visual artists participating in Pacific...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:18:04 -0700

To inspire visual artists participating in Pacific Symphony’s ReRite of Spring Project (which invites the public to remix, reinterpret or re-imagine the iconic ballet in their chosen artistic medium), Orange County Museum of Art is offering a free Reinterpreting Masterworks Tour on Sunday, March 24, at 2 p.m. which explores their “Richard Jackson: Ain’t Painting a Pain” Exhibit. Get inspiration from Jackson’s
unique take on canonical works by: Jacques-Louis David, Edgar Degas, Marcel Duchamp, Jasper Johns, Pablo Picasso and Georges Seurat. Then create and submit your own Rite of Spring interpretation at www.reriteofspring.org

For details, further questions or to RVSP, please e-mail marketing@ocma.net

Here is some music to help you celebrate Pi day (3/14).

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:06:01 -0700

Here is some music to help you celebrate Pi day (3/14).

Thumper, the super-cool ski instructor gives advice for having a...

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:55:25 -0700

Thumper, the super-cool ski instructor gives advice for having a good time at the ballet. www.reriteofspring.org

The Rolling Strads

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:30:46 -0700

The Rolling Strads

To inspire visual artists participating in Pacific...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:58:52 -0700

Seems fair!

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:44:08 -0700

Seems fair!

When Pacific Symphony Music Director Carl St.Clair was honored...

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 19:44:04 -0700

When Pacific Symphony Music Director Carl St.Clair was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the OC Music Awards last night at the Grove of Anaheim, he had some fans among the otherwise non-classical musicians being recognized. Best Indie band winner Young the Giant approached St.Clair after the ceremony. Bass player Payam Doostzadeh, who made sure he got a photo with Carl, was particularly excited to meet our Music Director, having grown up in Orange County and been taken to Pacific Symphony Classical Connections concerts in his youth. Payam was drawn to how Carl took apart the music and analyzed it, influencing him to approach other music with the same critical attention.

It’s Daylight Savings time again! Don’t forget to...

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 11:37:00 -0800

It’s Daylight Savings time again! Don’t forget to set your clocks forward tonight. 2013 is an important year for Spring as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the premiere of The Rite of Spring ballet. You are invited to help pay tribute to the centennial by expressing your creativity and contributing visual and musical re-interpretations of this masterwork. Selected works will be presented at Pacific Symphony events. More info: www.reriteofspring.org

This might be the only example of the term “Piano...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 19:01:43 -0800

This might be the only example of the term “Piano Credenza” being used properly?