La Jolla Music Society to host Valentine’s Day performances

By SDCN Editor

San Diego, CA–The La Jolla Music Society is pulling out all the stops in February, showcasing the wide variety and depth of artistic offerings carefully curated each season by Artistic Director Leah Rosenthal.

Appearing for the first time in San Diego, the world’s foremost all-male comic ballet company performs top-notch ballet that’s also uproariously funny. Famed for performing en travesti and on pointe, Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte CA’s program spoofs some of the public’s favorite works with virtuosity and technical prowess. They celebrate their 50th anniversary this year with their San Diego show February 2  at 7:30 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre.

The Balourdet Quartet, based in Boston, Massachusetts, currently in residence at the New England Conservatory’s Professional String Quartet Program, has received many accolades, including a grand prize at the 2021 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and in international competitions including the Banff, Paolo Borciani, and Carl Nielsen competitions. They were also awarded the Gold Medal at the 2020 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and the 2021 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition. Now they bring stellar excellence to the Discovery Series on February 4 at 3 p.m. in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall.

On February 10, the Blue Note 85th Anniversary Tour comes to town starring The Blue Note Quintet at 7:30 p.m. in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall as part of the Jazz Series. This group was united to honor the Blue Note label’s rich history and pave the way for the eclectic artists of today’s roster. Six-time Grammy Award nominee Gerald Clayton leads the band as musical director and pianist, with vibraphonist Joel Ross, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer.

Soprano Renee Fleming makes her debut, accompanied by SummerFest Music Director Inon Barnatan on the piano, in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall. On February 14, these two musical luminaries will perform an all-new program inspired by Fleming’s 2022 Grammy award-winning album, Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene. This special multimedia performance spans the classical, romantic, and contemporary eras, with beloved songs and new commissions exploring nature as both inspiration to and victim of humanity. For the performance’s second half, the National Geographic Society provides an original video, with awe-inspiring glimpses at the creatures, plants, and landscapes of our planet to accompany the musical selections. This extraordinary event is the centerpiece of La Jolla Music Society’s WinterFest Gala.

Two members of the renowned Assad musical family make their debuts on February 16 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in The JAI. A powerful communicator renowned for her musical scope and versatility, Clarice Assad is a significant artistic voice in the classical, world music, pop, and jazz genres. A Grammy-nominated composer, celebrated pianist, inventive vocalist, and educator, she is renowned for her evocative colors, rich textures, and diverse stylistic range. The idea for their collaborative venture came from Sergio Assad, who dreamt of introducing multiple generations of the family on stage together, performing a century of Brazilian music of disparate styles.

The Arod Quartet returns to La Jolla after their sensational Discovery Series debut in 2022. Based in Paris, the quartet first came to international attention when it won first prize at the 2015 Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition and the 2016 ARD International Music Competition. Praised by Gramophone for its “expressive flexibility and delicacy of detail and keen ear for balance and harmonic flux” and hailed by Le Monde as a “luxury instrument that many composers dream to seize,” the quartet performs February 17 at 7:30 p.m. in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall as part of the Revelle Chamber Music Series.

The newly named artistic director of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance, Ambrose Akinmusire has paradoxically situated himself in both the center and the periphery of jazz throughout his career, masterfully weaving inspiration from other genres, arts, and life in general into compositions that are as poetic and graceful as they are bold and unflinching. His unorthodox approach to sound and composition makes him a regular in critics polls and has earned him grants and commissions from the Doris Duke Foundation, the MAP Fund, the Kennedy Center, the Berlin Jazz Festival, and the Monterey Jazz. Catch his performance with his trio in their local debuts on February 23 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in The JAI.

Experience the wonder of the underwater world through riveting stories by Emmy Award-nominated director, Nat Geo photographer, and accomplished musician Andy Mann. For the past decade, Mann has traveled the seven seas to show the interconnectedness of our planet. His work has enabled the protection of large sections of wilderness, including the world’s largest Arctic National Park in Franz Josef Land. “Making Waves: Summit to Sea,” a Changemaker Production, comes to The Baker-Baum Concert Hall as part of the Speaker Series on February 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Winter Season 2023–24 series subscriptions range from $59 (ConRAD Kids Series) to $446 (Piano Series). Single tickets range from $20 to $150.

Details and tickets are available at the La Jolla Music Society box office, by phone at (858) 459-3728, and online at TheConrad.org.