Camerata Pacifica Presents Chamber Works by Ginastera, Paul Dean and Brahms

An eclectic program of three equally compelling works will be brought to life by three virtuosic chamber artists on Camerata Pacifica’s November program presented in four locations across Southern California, on Tuesday, November 7, 7:30 p.m., at The Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino; Thursday, November 9, 8 p.m., at Zipper Hall in Downtown Los Angeles; Friday, November 10, 7:30 p.m., Hahn Hall at Santa Barbara’s Music Academy; and Sunday, November 12, 2023, 3 p.m., at Janet and Ray Scherr Forum in Thousand Oaks.

The program includes Ginastera’s fiery Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 49, a work rooted in Argentine folk music composed for his gifted cellist wife. It features Camerata Pacifica’s Principal Cello Ani Aznavoorian, whose “scorchingly committed performances…wring every last drop of emotion out of the music” (The Strad); and award-winning Principal Piano Irina Zahharenkova. Principal Clarinet Jose Franch-Ballester, a captivating performer of “poetic eloquence” (The New York Sun), is spotlighted in Brahms’ touching Clarinet Trio in A Minor, Op. 114, composed in 1891 and inspired by the musical prowess of one of the great clarinetists of the time.

Additionally, Franch-Ballester and Aznavoorian perform Paul Dean’s clever Suite for Clarinet and Cello, which the Australian composer says he wrote in 2019 for his “two favorite instruments.” He also notes that the first movement is “a tribute to one of my heroes… Sergei Prokofiev,” the second movement a “humble tribute to Gustav Holst,” and the final movement a fun and humorous tribute to “the world of Vaudeville.”

The program is part of the state-wide California Festival: A Celebration of New Music, a two-week event November 3-19, 2023, showcasing the most compelling and forward-looking voices from around the world in performances of new works written within the past five years. The initiative is a collaboration among more than 50 music institutions from across California with outreach support from the Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO).   

Executive Director Adrian Spence describes the allure of the varied programs presented by Camerata Pacifica, the popular international chamber music collective hailed for its exceptional artistry. “Camerata Pacifica’s virtuosic artists consistently deliver – with style and elan – stellar performances that are as exciting to watch as they are to hear. Audiences are captivated by the ephemeral quality of our live performances, something that can’t be captured in a recording. And because we program such wide-ranging repertoire, both familiar and not, there’s a buzz at our concerts as audiences anticipate the musical journey that’s about to unfold. They don’t quite know what to expect, but they’ll be enthralled.”

For Camerata Pacifica tickets ($75 at The Huntington, Hahn Hall and Zipper Hall; $80 at Janet and Ray Scherr Forum) and information for please visit www.cameratapacifica.org.