John Malveaux: 'Maestro Henry Lewis was never connected to the currently incorporated Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.'

[Henry Lewis (1932-63)]

John Malveaux of www.MusicUNTOLD.com writes:

The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has brought "Play Me, I’m Yours" to Los Angeles. 

Through the rest of April thirty pianos, designed and decorated by local artists and community organizations, are featured across Los Angeles County and are available for everyone to play, in celebration of acclaimed conductor and pianist Jeffrey Kahane’s 15th anniversary as LACO music director. Although African American conductor Henry Lewis founded the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra approximately 1958, I could not locate the historical achievement on their website http://www.laco.org/about/. Please seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Lewis_(musician)

Comments (On blog and by email)

UnknownThat's a mystery to me; I was involved early and never heard mention of Henry Lewis being involved; Neville Marriner was the original music director. Henry Lewis distinguished himself with a 1965 production of L.A. Opera, (perhaps those that became LACO were in the pit). He conducted his wife, Marilyn Horne in Italian in Algiers...April 17, 2012 2:15 PM

John MalveauxPlease see State Department tour of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in 1963-64 http://www.adst.org/OH%20TOCs/Evans,%20David%20M.toc.pdf 

John Malveaux
LA Chamber Orchestra website indicates "founded in 1968". Please see [above] reference by David M. Evans, senior staff, CIEF (Conseil International d'Etudes Francophones) indicating LA Chamber Orchestra State Department foreign tour in 1963-64.

John Malveaux

I received a telephone call from Mr.  Andrea Laguni regarding LA Chamber Orchestra founding date and reason Maestro Henry Lewis is not mentioned on their website. Mr. Laguni knows how to personally contact me because LA Chamber Orchestra provided MusicUNTOLD guests a free bus trip and tickets to their December 11, 2011 concert at Royce Hall (UCLA). Mr. Laguni explained that LA Chamber Orchestra was incorporated in 1968 and a previous unrelated organization by the same name existed but discontinued prior to incorporation of the current LA Chamber Orchestra. Some players may have even played for both entities but the currently  incorporated LA Chamber Orchestra is totally different from the earlier orchestra with the same name. Mr. Laguni further explained awareness of the practical benefit of capitalizing on the same name to start a new organization. Thus Maestro Henry Lewis was never connected to the currently incorporated Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.  

Andrea Laguni, General Manager, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Thank you, John, for the clarification.  Best, Andrea