The Conrad Offers Latin Jazz, Spanish Romance, a Free Community Sing-Along, and a Rollicking Holiday Special in December

For immediate release: November 8, 2022

Contact: Stephanie Thompson, Communications and Public Relations Manager

858.526.3423 C. 619.840.7353

SThompson@LJMS.org

Digital Newsroom: www.TheConrad.org/press/

  

The Conrad Offers Latin Jazz, Spanish Romance, a Free Community Sing-Along, and a Rollicking Holiday Special in December

Plus: Debuts of Brilliant Young Talents Randall Goosby and Zhu Wang  

 

San Diego, CA—From thrilling Latin jazz artists and the irrepressible Storm Large to two of the hottest young violinists and pianists of our day, there’s so much to enjoy for the holidays at The Conrad in La Jolla during La Jolla Music Society (LJMS)’s 54th season—including a free Holiday Sing-Along event for the whole community. Here’s the lineup:

In collaboration with San Diego Opera as part of the Recital Series, LJMS presents “Noche Latina,” with one of today’s brightest vocal stars joining a tremendous guitar virtuoso for an unforgettable evening showcasing the rich, magnificent musical traditions of Spain. This intimate concert pairs multiple GRAMMY® Award-winner Isabel Leonard, the glamorous mezzo-soprano who has dazzled opera lovers at the great houses worldwide, with Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, praised by Billboard as “the soul of the Spanish guitar,” in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall on Thursday, December 1, 2022.

Note: Although LJMS’ Box Office is currently sold out for this show, tickets are still available by calling San Diego Opera at 619-533-7000.

On Sunday, December 4, the Discovery Series continues with violinist Randall Goosby and pianist Zhu Wang, both making LJMS debuts in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall. Signed exclusively to Decca Classics in 2020 at the age of 24, American violinist Randall Goosby is acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of his musicianship alongside his determination to make music more inclusive and accessible. He just made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel, the Baltimore Symphony under Dalia Stasevska, the Detroit Symphony under Jader Bignamini, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia Orchestra.

Chinese pianist Zhu Wang was awarded First Prize in the 2020 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. He is also the first prize winner of the 2nd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians, 4th Manhattan International Music Competition, Hilton Head Young Artist Piano Competition, and the Juilliard Gina Bachauer International Scholarship Piano Competition, and was a recipient of the Juilliard Mieczyslaw Munz Scholarship. This season Zhu made his debuts at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, with his New York debut making the New York Times’ “Best of Classical Music 2021” list.  Together Randall and Zhu tackle a challenging program including the beloved, difficult, and emotional Beethoven “Kreutzer” sonata. 

Hang on to your Santa hats! For a holiday concert like no other, the irrepressible Storm Large brings her Holiday Ordeal show to The Conrad on Saturday, December 10. A 2006 finalist of Rock Star: Supernova and 2021’s America’s Got Talent, Storm Large is equally at home on stage starring in Cabaret or touring nationally and internationally with Pink Martini, and singing on their most recent albums. She made her orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony in 2010 and her Carnegie Hall debut in May 2013, singing Kurt Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins with the Detroit Symphony. (The New York Times called her “sensational.”) Leave the kiddies at home and expect a party atmosphere for this show, with ticketholders in holiday attire and specialty cocktails at the concession stand. Holiday Ordeal is a night of music, gags, gifts, and some very special guests, with songs ranging from “2000 Miles,” “Hallelujah,” and “Sock it to Me Santa,” to the greatest holiday song never written for the holidays, “Somebody to Love.” 

Note: Adult content, 18 only

 

FREE COMMUNITY EVENT: Holiday Sing-Along at The Conrad

Sunday, December 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Celebrate the holidays with La Jolla Music Society at this festive, FREE event for the whole family! Enjoy a cider or a classic hot cocoa while Riford Library’s Youth Services Librarian, Katia Graham, entertains with a reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and a local choir performs cherished holiday tunes. Bring a book to donate to the Friends of the La Jolla Library. You won’t want to miss seeing the Wu Tsai QRT.yrd transformed into a Winter Wonderland.

This event is free but registration is required at https://theconrad.org/events/2022-holiday-sing-along/

December continues with two great Latin jazz experiences: Poncho Sanchez kicking off our Jazz Series on Thursday, December 15 in The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, and the Alfredo Rodríguez Trio (LJMS debut) in the more intimate surroundings of The JAI for two shows on Saturday, December 17. For more than three decades, GRAMMY® Award-winning conguero Poncho Sanchez has stirred up a fiery stew of straight-ahead jazz, gritty soul music, and infectious melodies and rhythms from a variety of Latin American and South American sources. Throughout his career Sanchez has held aloft the torch lit by such innovators as Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente and Cal Tjader, embraced by each of those icons and entrusted to carry forward the traditions of Latin Jazz.

Discovered at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival by Quincy Jones, Cuban-born GRAMMY®  Award nominee Alfredo Rodríguez has rapidly risen to stardom under the tutelage of the famed producer. Since arriving in the US in 2009, Rodríguez has appeared on prestigious stages such as the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, the Gilmore Keyboard Festival, Detroit, and the Umbria and Vienna Jazz Festivals. Rodríguez’s music explores his memories of Cuba, the people and culture he left behind, and how he found his new place in the world. 

 

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND SINGLE TICKETS

Series subscription packages start at $66. Single tickets start at $20. Compose-Your-Own subscriptions are also available with a 10% discount for any four concerts or more. Military and student discounts are available with valid ID. Please visit www.TheConrad.org for details and to purchase subscriptions or tickets.

 

GIFT CARDS

Give the gift of music and the performing arts with La Jolla Music Society’s Gift Card! Gift cards never expire, and they can be redeemed for any LJMS performance, whether at The Conrad, the Balboa Theatre, or the Civic Theatre. Gift cards may be purchased by calling the Box Office at 858-459-3728.

The LJMS 2022–23 season continues:

January 2023 

Davina and The Vagabonds

Concerts @ The JAI

Saturday, January 14, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. 

The JAI

 

Joyce DiDonato*: Eden

ProtoStar Innovative Series

Wednesday, January 18, 7:30 p.m. 

 

Leif Ove Andsnes, piano

Piano Series

Thursday, January 19, 7:30 p.m.

 

Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour, featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, Christian Sands, Lakecia Benjamin, Clarence Penn and Yasushi Nakamura

Jazz Series

Thursday, January 26, 7:30 p.m. 

Balboa Theatre

 

123 Andrés

The ConRAD Kids Series

Saturday, January 28, 10 and 11:30 a.m.

The JAI

 

Johan Dalene*, violin, and Giorgi Gigashvili*, piano

Discovery Series

Sunday, January 29, 3 p.m. 

 

February 2023 

Kodo One Earth Tour: Tsuzumi

Special Family Event

Saturday, February 11, 7:30 p.m. 

Balboa Theatre

 

National Geographic Live Presents: “Life on the Vertical with Mark Synnott”*

Speaker Series

Thursday, February 16, 7 p.m. 

 

Aris Quartett*

Discovery Series

Sunday, February 19, 3 p.m. 

 

Quartetto di Cremona*

Revelle Chamber Music Series

Friday, February 24, 7:30 p.m.

 

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano

Piano Series

Sunday, February 26, 7:30 p.m. 

 

March 2023

Goitse

Concerts @ The JAI

Friday, March 3, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. 

The JAI

 

Maria Schneider Orchestra*

Jazz Series

Sunday, March 5, 6 p.m. 

 

Igor Levit, piano

Piano Series

Thursday, March 9, 7:30 p.m. 

 

Alisa Weilerstein: Fragments 

Co-production with San Diego Symphony

ProtoStar Innovative Series

Tuesday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.

 

Zakir Hussain’s Masters of Percussion

Global Roots Series

Saturday, March 18, 7:30 p.m. 

Balboa Theatre

 

Samara Joy*

Concerts @ The JAI

Sunday, March 19, 5 & 7 p.m.

The JAI

 

Scott Silven,* mentalist

Concerts @ The JAI

Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, at 3 and 6 p.m.

The JAI

 

April 2023

Chucho Valdés Quartet*

Jazz Series

Saturday, April 1, 7:30 p.m. 

 

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre

Dance Series

Tuesday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 5, 7:30 p.m.

Civic Theatre

 

Yo-Yo Ma, cello, and Kathryn Stott, piano

Recital Series

Thursday, April 6, 7:30 p.m.

Civic Theatre

 

Emerson String Quartet Farewell Season Tour

Revelle Chamber Music Series

Sunday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. 

 

Midori 40th Anniversary Celebration

Recital Series

Thursday, April 20 and Friday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. 

 

Van Cliburn Gold Medal Winner Yunchan Lim*

Discovery Series

Sunday, April 23, 3 p.m. 

 

Alice Sara Ott*, piano

Piano Series

Friday, April 28, 7:30 p.m. 

 

Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles* and the Villalobos Brothers*

Global Roots Series

Sunday, April 30, 3 p.m. 

 

May 2023 

Pianimal*

The ConRAD Kids Series

Saturday, May 6, 10 and 11:30 a.m. 

The JAI

 

Brooklyn Rider* and Magos Herrera*

ProtoStar Innovative Series

Saturday, May 6, 7:30 p.m. 

 

New Century Chamber Orchestra*, with Daniel Hope*, violin and music director

Revelle Chamber Music Series

Friday, May 12, 7:30 p.m. 

 

Cinema Verismo with Mak Grgic*

Concerts @ The JAI

Saturday, May 13, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. 

The JAI

 

Complexions Contemporary Ballet: Star Dust from Bach to Bowie

Dance Series

Saturday, May 20, 8 p.m. 

Civic Theatre

 

National Geographic Live Presents: “Coral Kingdoms and Empires of Ice with David Doubilet* and Jennifer Hayes*”

Speaker Series

Thursday, May 25, 7 p.m. 

 

June 2023

BODYTRAFFIC*

Dance Series

Thursday, June 1 and Friday, June 2, 7:30 p.m. 

 

Jimmie Herrod*

Concerts @ The JAI

Sunday, June 4, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. 

The JAI

 

*La Jolla Music Society debut

All artists, programs, dates and venues subject to change

 

ABOUT LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY AT THE CONRAD

As one of Southern California’s leading presenters of premier performing arts, La Jolla Music Society contributes to San Diego’s cultural vitality year-round through a rich variety of presentations, including classical, jazz, global roots, contemporary music, and dance at its home, The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center in La Jolla. In addition to robust educational programs and community outreach, La Jolla Music Society produces SummerFest, a four-week music festival featuring more than 80 world-class artists and ensembles performing eclectic concerts. For more information, visit www.TheConrad.org, or call 858.459.3728.

La Jolla Music Society’s 2022–23 season is supported by The Conrad Prebys Foundation, The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Banc of California, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, ProtoStar Foundation, Vail Memorial Fund, ResMed Foundation, Bright Events Rentals, Ace Parking, Brenda Baker and Steve Baum, Raffaella and John Belanich, Gordon Brodfuehrer, Mary Ellen Clark, Teresa and Harry Hixson, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Jeanette Stevens, Debra Turner, and Bebe and Marvin Zigman.

The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Home of La Jolla Music Society

7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla, CA 92037

858-459-3728     www.TheConrad.org

 

# # #