Label/design As a “go” more Minimalism

Comments (0) By Mary Beth Crain Wednesday, Mar 22 2006

The second week of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Minimalist Jukebox festival continues with seven nights of musical permutations and combinations, some of which even go against the minimalist grain. In the words of festival director John Adams, “It has escaped no one’s attention that celebrating Minimalism in the context of a symphony orchestra is a problematic fit. Most of the best Minimalist music is not scored for conventional orchestra.” Nonetheless, it all works, because the best Minimalist music is perpetually evolving and expanding, making room, by its very nature, for new approaches. This week’s highlights include the Phil and guest artists Synergy Vocals performing the U.S. premiere of Louis Andriessen’s Racconto dall’inferno and an evening of “Just Steve Reich”; the Los Angeles Master Chorale and soloists Cedric Berry, Meredith Monk, Theo Bleckmann, Katie Geissinger and Jessica Rivera performing works by Pärt, Monk and Torke; the California EAR Unit with works by Rosenboom, Bryars, Adriaansz and others; a Green Umbrella evening with Donald Crockett and the USC Thornton Contemporary Music Ensemble; and the wizards of Piano Spheres — Gloria Cheng, Vicki Ray, Mark Robson and Susan Svrcek — performing works by Reich, Glass, Riley, Pärt, McPhee and Cage. At Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., dwntwn., and LACMA, Bing Theater, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A.; Fri.-Thurs., March 24-April 2. (323) 850-2000, www.laphil.com.