By SDCN Editor
La Jolla, CA–April is an exciting month for La Jolla Music Society which presents jazz icon Herbie Hancock, star countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, and piano master Yefim Bronfman at its inaugural Jazz Piano Mini Festival.
Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński has established himself as one of the world’s leading artists, triumphing on stage, in concert, and recordings. Following the release of his latest album, Beyond, the popular countertenor makes his La Jolla Music Society debut highlighting rarely performed early music repertoire with the acclaimed chamber orchestra Il Pomo d’Oro, in a program that includes works by Monteverdi, Frescobaldi, Cavalli, Sartorio, and many more.
Quatuor Ébène’s rise to fame began after studies with the Quatuor Ysaÿe in Paris as well as with Gábor Takács, Eberhard Feltz, and György Kurtág, and unprecedented and outstanding success at the 2004 ARD Music Competition, followed by numerous other prizes and awards: The Belmont Prize of the Forberg-Schneider Foundation (2005), prizewinner of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust (2007), and in 2019, the first ensemble ever honored with the Frankfurt Music Prize. Now these exciting young artists make their San Diego debuts.
South African cellist Abel Selaocoe is a rapidly rising star who is redefining the parameters of the cello. Sirocco is a celebration of folk traditions from around the world, led by the inimitable Selaocoe, a musician described as “a star in the making,” (The Arts Desk) and UK-based Manchester Collective for a program that weaves between original settings of African music, Danish folk songs, and classical music like you’ve never heard it before. When this program toured across the UK and Europe, critics described it as a “deeply moving” and “once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
In April, the National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian celebrate Jazz History Month. To honor the legacy and history of this music, La Jolla Music Society has curated a weekend of performances by some of the most revered jazz pianists of our time as well as masterclasses, panel discussions, and more taking place at The Conrad and throughout San Diego.
Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Throughout his explorations, he has transcended limitations and genres while maintaining his unmistakable voice. With an illustrious career spanning five decades and 14 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters, he continues to amaze audiences across the globe. His performance is April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre.
Cuban piano phenomenon Dayramir González began his professional career as a pianist and composer with former Irakere member Chucho Valdés’ Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble Diákara at the age of 16. Since winning Havana’s JoJazz festival in 2004 and 2005, González has gone on to win three Cubadisco awards for his 2007 debut album, Dayramir and Habana enTRANCé, and the 2013 Wayne Shorter Award for most outstanding jazz composer.
Ever since the 2003 release of her groundbreaking debut, Another Mind, pianist Hiromi has astonished audiences with a creative energy that eclipses the boundaries of jazz, classical, and pop, taking improvisation and composition to new heights of complexity and sophistication. Taking the stage as part of the electrified four-piece ensemble Sonic Wonder, Hiromi builds on the spark of collaboration to create something magnificent.
A new project pairing Hiromi’s incomparable piano mastery with a string quartet featuring PUBLIQuartet. In the two decades since Hiromi released her stunning debut album Another Mind, the Japanese pianist/composer has blazed an incandescent trail across the jazz scene. Her fertile imagination and boundless creativity seem to ripple out of her as effortlessly as her virtuosic pianism. Equally impressive in acoustic or electric settings, she delves into a different kind of fusion on her latest project that encompasses and eclipses the boundaries of jazz, classical, and pop, taking improvisation and composition to new heights of complexity and sophistication.
Internationally recognized as one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman stands among a handful of artists regularly sought by festivals, orchestras, conductors, and recital series. His commanding technique, power, and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike.
Artists, concerts, dates, and venues are subject to change.
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.
