John Malveaux: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra led by Venezuelan guest conductor Rafael Payare for 11 AM family concert August 28, 2013

George Augustus Polgreen Bridgetower (1780-1860)
(Copyright British Museum)

[Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges [1745-1799] Concertos pour violon; Orchestre de Chambre Bernard Thomas; Jean-Jacques Kantorow; Arion 68093 (1990)]

Rafael Payare

John Malveaux of www.MusicUNTOLD.com writes:

The Walt Disney Concert Hall 10th Anniversary Celebration "insideOUT" brought the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra to the California State Univerisity-Long Beach Carpenter Performing Arts Center for the first time on Saturday August 28, 2013 for a 11:00 am family concert supported by County Supervisor Don Knabe. The program opened with 'The Marriage of Figaro Overture'. The Long Beach based JAZZ ANGELS are an ethnic and gender mixed youth and adult sextet. Their first performance piece was "So What" by Miles Davis. The next two pieces, "Chitlins con Carne" by Kenny Burrell and "Sonnymoon for Two" by Sonny Rollins had orchestral arrangements to include the LA Phil Orchestra. The program closed with "Peter and the Wolf" featuring narration by Julie Andrews.

 

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra was under the baton of Venezuelan guest conductor Rafael Payare who clearly exhibited the African influence in South American. The current Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Gustavo Dudamel recently commented that his hair was evidence of his African ancestry.

 

Le Chevalier de Saint Georges was mixed race and a leading conductor and violinist in Paris before the unmatched recognition of Mozart. Beethoven composed his most famous violin sonata in honor of mixed race George Bridgetower and he performed with Bridgetower during the premiere in Vienna.

 

See picture of Maestro Rafael Payare. The great boxer Joe Lewis and I frequently shared breakfast at 6:00am in the morning at Caesar's Palace before retiring after a long night. Joe used to say "you can run but you can not hide". The good news is no one is hiding TODAY.

[Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) and George Augustus Polgreen Bridgetower (1780-1860) are profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a biography and Works List for Bridgetower by Dr. Dominique-René de Lerma, www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com.]