The Los Angeles Philharmonic celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2019, and the world-renowned orchestra is kicking off its birthday festivities a bit early beginning next year.
On Sunday, September 30, 2018, the LA Phil will join forces with CicLAvia for an open streets event that stretches from Downtown’s Walt Disney Concert Hall to the orchestra’s summer home at the Hollywood Bowl. Expect performances by professionals and amateurs alike along the streets between the two iconic venues, including a free, evening-ending concert at the Bowl in which music and artistic director Gustavo Dudamel will conduct the LA Phil and a slew of special guests.
Around the same time, from September 27 to October 6, the concert hall’s exterior will be bathed in a series of vibrant projections entitled WDCH Dreams, created by L.A.-based media artist Refik Anadol.
These two massive public-facing events are only the start for the LA Phil’s centennial season, which includes a collaboration with dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied, a partnership with the California African American Museum in celebration of composer William Grant Still, a two-week Stravinsky series from conductor laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen, a staging of John Cage’s Europeras 1 and 2 on a soundstage led by Yuval Sharon, and 50 newly commissioned works from John Adams, Julia Adolphe, Philip Glass, Steve Reich and others. It all leads up to October 24, 2019, the 100th anniversary of the LA Phil’s first concert.
The programming news comes alongside the announcement of a permanent, 500-student space for the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles program in a building within Inglewood’s civic center to be designed by Frank Gehry. In addition, the orchestra has launched an LA Phil Resident Fellows Program to support budding, exceptionally talented musicians from under represented neighborhoods. The programs are part of the LA Phil’s grander plans for its next 100 years, including a $500 million fundraising campaign that’s already at 60% of its goal.
