The Wallis Presents Chamber Orchestra KALEIDOSCOPE

Kaleidoscope, Los Angeles’s preeminent conductorless chamber orchestra, makes its Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts debut with a program featuring pianist Irene Kim on Prokovief’s sublimely eclectic “Piano Concerto No. 3,” Beethoven’s iconic “Symphony No. 5” and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw’s intriguing “Entr’acte” on Saturday, February 23, 2019, 7:30 pm, at The Wallis’ Bram Goldsmith Theater. Kaleidoscope, which “adds layers of intensity to the usual chamber orchestra,” (Los Angeles Times) and includes more than 40 musicians, stretches the boundaries of what is thought possible without a conductor. Shaw, “a breakout star” (The Guardian), has also collaborated with Kanye West and appeared as herself in the hit TV series “Mozart in the Jungle.” Kim, noted for championing cutting-edge works, has been hailed for her “superior technique and delicate sensibility” (Korean Times).

“Kaleidoscope is shifting the chamber orchestra landscape and garnering tremendous acclaim for its approach to chamber music performance,” says The Wallis’ Artistic Director, Paul Crewes. “We are delighted to present this L.A. based group that is having such an enormous impact on the classical music scene.”

Kaleidoscope, founded in 2014, is celebrated for performances that are “fresh, fleet, and combine gravitas with joy” (San Francisco Classical Voice). Being conductorless means that artistic decisions in rehearsals are made through a democratic process where every musician has an equal voice, similar to a string quartet. Kaleidoscope, known for its innovative and diverse programming, has worked with some of the leading living composers. With a strong commitment to the community, over 75% of the concerts Kaleidoscope performs each year are free performances at homeless shelters, hospitals, and title I schools. Current partner organizations include Braddock Drive Elementary School, LA Children’s Hospital, LA Family Housing, PATH, Ronald McDonald House, The Salvation Army Bell Shelter, and Union Rescue Mission at Skid Row.

Kim has been praised for her "vitality and charm" and "authoritative inevitability" (Peninsula Review). Her performances have been heard across North America, Europe, and New Zealand as a soloist and chamber musician. She is a member of Kaleidoscope, and tours frequently with violinist Benjamin Hoffman as a duo, brightfeather, appearing in recitals to enthusiastic audiences around the world. Continuously piqued by the music and art of her contemporary surroundings, she has worked on projects with many living composers, premiering works, and collaborating with visual artists and dancers. Irene’s professional training was centered at the Peabody Conservatory, where she received her Doctorate in Musical Arts. She was awarded the Albert and Rosa Silverman Memorial Scholarship, the Lillian Gutman Memorial Piano Prize, and Clara Ascherfeld Award by the Conservatory for her musical endeavors during her studies.

A free pre-concert “Prelude” at 6:30 pm, which includes a complimentary glass of wine provided by The Henry Wine Group, features Classical KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen in conversation about the evening’s program with select musicians from the chamber orchestra.

Single tickets are $25-$55. Visit TheWallis.org, call 310.746.4000, or stop by in person at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Ticket Services Office located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

About the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts:  

Since opening its doors in October 2013, The Wallis has produced or presented more than 250 dance, theatre, opera, classical music, cinema and family programs to an ever-expanding audience. Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, The Wallis brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music, performed by many of the world's most talented and sought-after artists. Featuring eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its notability as the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis offers original and revered works from across the U.S. and around the globe. The mission of The Wallis is to create, present and celebrate unique performing arts events and educational programs that reflect the rich cultural diversity of our community. Nominated for 48 Ovation Awards, seven L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Awards and the recipient of six architectural awards since opening in 2013. The Wallis is a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot venue that celebrates the classic and the modern and was designed by Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA, of Studio Pali Fekete architects. The building features the restored, original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places) that serves as the theater's dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and houses the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater, GRoW at The Wallis: A Space for Arts Education (a gift of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family and the Annenberg Foundation) and the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the art Bram Goldsmith Theater. Together, these structures embrace the city's history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for L.A.-area visitors and residents alike.