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Upbeat Live

Upbeat Live

By Upbeat Live | LA Phil

Key thinkers and guest musicians share their expertise and offer historical and cultural context for an inspiring array of orchestral music, giving you a deeper understanding of the music. These talks reflect the programming of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) on stage at Walt Disney Concert Hall. New episodes are added after the first night’s concert. See the full Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl
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Salonen’s Rite of Spring with Thomas Neenan • SAT / APR 13, 2018/19

Upbeat LiveApr 14, 2019

00:00
38:60
Phillip Glass: The Complete Etudes, 1-20 with Music Journalist Mark McNeill • LA Phil 2023/24
Mar 20, 202433:07
Bernstein and Wooten with Scholar Marc Bolin • LA Phil 2023/24
Mar 17, 202445:37
Superman in Concert with Music Engineer Mike Matessino • LA Phil 2023/24
Mar 16, 202430:00
Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff with Composer Chris Castro • LA Phil 2023/24
Mar 08, 202440:20
Wayne Marshall with Educator Thomas Neenan • LA Phil 2023/24

Wayne Marshall with Educator Thomas Neenan • LA Phil 2023/24

Educator Thomas Neenan explores Wayne Marshall with Wayne Marshall.

This talk was given at a performance of Wayne Marshall at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Wayne MARSHALL Improvised Intrada

JONGEN  Sonata Eroïca, Op. 94

FRANCK  Choral No. 1 in E major

LAURIN  Étude Héroïque

DUPRÉ  Evocation

III. Allegro Deciso

WIDOR  Symphony No. 5, Op. 42, No. 1

Wayne MARSHALL  Improvisation on Rhapsody in Blue

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2023/24 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Feb 26, 202437:52
Mälkki Conducts Brahms with KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen • LA Phil 2023/24
Feb 24, 202433:51
Schubert & Beethoven with Conductor Christian Campos • LA Phil 2023/24
Feb 16, 202440:28
Ravel and Adès with Composer Veronika Krausas • LA Phil 2023/24
Feb 10, 202439:28
A Century of Film Music with KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen • LA Phil 2023/24

A Century of Film Music with KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen • LA Phil 2023/24

KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen delves into A Century of Film Music.

This talk was given at a performance of A Century of Film Music at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Alfred NEWMAN  20th Century Fox Fanfare

KORNGOLD  Main Title from Captain Blood

Miklós RÓZSA  Prelude (Main Title) from Ben-Hur

WAXMAN  Sunset Boulevard Suite

HERRMANN  Scène d’Amour from Vertigo

Alex NORTH  “Forest Meeting” and "March" from Spartacus

Alfred NEWMAN  Cathy’s Theme from Wuthering Heights (with Ms. Wang)

Maurice JARRE  Suite from Lawrence of Arabia

Danny ELFMAN  Main Title from Batman

John WILLIAMS  Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind

GOLDSMITH  The Hunt from Planet of the Apes

MORRICONE  Main Title from Once Upon a Time in the West (with Ms. Newman)

Thomas NEWMAN  The Night Window from 1917

John WILLIAMS  “Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra” from Indiana Jones

ROTA  Suite from The Godfather

Alan SILVESTRI  Suite from Back to the Future

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2023/24 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Feb 03, 202430:39
Brahms & Bruckner with Dudamel with Asadour Santourian • LA Phil 2023/24
Jan 27, 202446:54
Dudamel Leads Das Rheingold with Kristi Brown-Montesano • LA Phil 2023/24
Jan 19, 202438:22
Mahler 6 with Dudamel with Paul Gibson • LA Phil 2023/24
Jan 12, 202424:07
Christian Schmitt with Christoph Bull • LA Phil 2023/24
Jan 08, 202451:53
Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony with Celina Kintscher • LA Phil 2023/24
Jan 07, 202438:23
Beethoven Symphony with Zubin Mehta with Zach Neufeld • LA Phil 2023/24
Dec 15, 202336:37
Mehta, Mahler, and Seong-Jin Cho with Alan Chapman • LA Phil 2023/24
Dec 08, 202334:27
Esa-Pekka Salonen and Ravel with Sarah Cahill • LA Phil 2023/24
Dec 02, 202332:06
Dudamel and the Music of Tango and Ballet with Marc Bolin • LA Phil 2023/24
Nov 17, 202333:42
Chaparral & Interstates with Mark McNeill • LA Phil 2023/24
Nov 15, 202337:46
James McVinnie with Christoph Bull • LA Phil 2023/24

James McVinnie with Christoph Bull • LA Phil 2023/24

Educator Christoph Bull discusses James McVinnie with James McVinnie.

This talk was given at a performance by James McVinnie at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Gabriella SMIT Imaginary Pancake

Meredith MONK Ellis Island

Nico MUHLY Patterns

⁠Nico MUHLY⁠ II. Palindromes

⁠Nico MUHLY⁠ IV. Very Fast Music

inti FIGGIS-VIZUETA build-it-yourself

BACH Duetto 1, BWV 802

BACH Prelude and Fugue in D-sharp minor, BWV 853

BACH “Dies sind die Heiligen zehn Gebot,” BWV 678

BACH Toccata in F major, BWV 540

Philip GLASS A Distant Figure (Passacaglia)

Philip GLASS Dance No. 4

Philip GLASS Music in Fifths

Philip GLASS Etude No. 20

Philip GLASS Mad Rush

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2023/24 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Nov 13, 202346:41
Dudamel and the LA Phil featuring Silvana Estrada with Chris Castro • LA Phil 2023/24
Nov 11, 202327:01
Dudamel Leads Khachaturian with Veronika Krausas • LA Phil 2023/24
Nov 05, 202339:29
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in Concert with Marc Bolin • LA Phil 2023/24
Nov 04, 202341:16
Halloween Organ, Film & Music: The Phantom of the Opera with Alan Chapman • LA Phil 2023/24
Nov 01, 202337:17
An Alpine Symphony with Salonen with Veronika Krausas • LA Phil 2023/24
Oct 28, 202333:18
Sibelius & Swan Lake with Rachel Iba • LA Phil 2023/24
Oct 20, 202337:40
Gershwin & Rachmaninoff with Brian Lauritzen • LA Phil 2023/24
Oct 14, 202342:57
Stravinsky and Shostakovich with Dudamel with Alan Chapman • LA Phil 2023/24
Oct 08, 202337:28
Dudamel conducts Mozart with Christian Campos • LA Phil 2021/22

Dudamel conducts Mozart with Christian Campos • LA Phil 2021/22

Conductor Christian Campos discusses the story behind Mozart’s final piano concerto and final symphony.

This talk was given at the performance of Dudamel conducts Mozart at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Piece discussed:

MOZART   Overture to The Magic Flute

MOZART   Piano Concerto No. 27, K. 595

MOZART   Symphony No. 41, "Jupiter"


See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2021/22 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Jun 02, 202338:41
Dudamel Leads Beethoven and Smith with Brian Lauritzen • LA Phil 2022/23

Dudamel Leads Beethoven and Smith with Brian Lauritzen • LA Phil 2022/23

KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen is joined by composer Gabriella Smith to discuss her latest concerto.

This talk was given at a performance of Dudamel Leads Beethoven and Smith at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Ellen REID   West Coast Sky Eternal

Gabriella SMITH   Lost Coast: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra

BEETHOVEN   Symphony No. 7


See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

May 26, 202330:04
Salonen, Stravinsky, and Bartók with Thomas Neenan • LA Phil 2022/23

Salonen, Stravinsky, and Bartók with Thomas Neenan • LA Phil 2022/23

Professor of music at Caltech Thomas Neenan is joined by guest artist Esa-Pekka Salonen to discuss the process behind his new concerto.

This talk was given at the first performance of Salonen, Stravinsky, and Bartók at Walt Disney Concert Hall.


Pieces discussed:

STRAVINSKY   Petrushka (1947 version)

Esa-Pekka SALONEN   Sinfonia concertante for organ and orchestra 

BARTÓK   The Miraculous Mandarin Suite


See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

May 22, 202343:42
Beethoven and Strauss with Paul Gibson • LA Phil 2022/23

Beethoven and Strauss with Paul Gibson • LA Phil 2022/23

Composer Paul Gibson explores the music of Beethoven, Thorvaldsdóttir, and Strauss.

This talk was given at a performance of Beethoven and Strauss at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

BEETHOVEN   Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58

Anna THORVALDSDÓTTIR ARCHORA   (U.S. premiere, LA Phil commission with generous support from Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting)

STRAUSS   Der Rosenkavalier Suite

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

May 12, 202337:33
Dvořák and Bruckner with Russell Steinberg • LA Phil 2022/23
May 06, 202340:54
Tchaikovsky and Adès with Marc Bolin • LA Phil 2022/23
Apr 29, 202337:02
Schumann and Scheherazade with Asadour Santourian • LA Phil 2022/23

Schumann and Scheherazade with Asadour Santourian • LA Phil 2022/23

Educator Asadour Santourian explores Robert Schumann’s brilliant Piano Concerto and the thrilling tall tales of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade.

This talk was given at a performance of Schumann and Scheherazade at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Anna CLYNE   This Midnight Hour

SCHUMANN   Piano Concerto

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV   Scheherazade


See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Apr 21, 202340:49
Paul Jacobs with Thomas Neenan • LA Phil 2022/23

Paul Jacobs with Thomas Neenan • LA Phil 2022/23

Professor of music at Caltech Thomas Neenan guides you through a collection of Bach’s organ sonatas.

This talk was given at a performance of Paul Jacobs at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

BACH   Trio Sonata in E-flat major, BWV 525

BACH   Trio Sonata in C minor, BWV 526

BACH   Trio Sonata in D minor, BWV 527

BACH   Trio Sonata in E minor, BWV 528

BACH   Trio Sonata in C major, BWV 529

BACH   Trio Sonata in G major, BWV 530


See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Apr 17, 202334:31
Payare Conducts Brahms with Russell Steinberg • LA Phil 2022/23
Apr 14, 202340:25
Sibelius and Brahms with Paul Gibson • LA Phil 2022/23

Sibelius and Brahms with Paul Gibson • LA Phil 2022/23

Composer Paul Gibson is joined by soloist Inon Barnatan and composer Donghoon Shin to explore the music of Brahms and Sibelius.

This talk was given at a performance of Sibelius and Brahms at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

BRAHMS   Piano Concerto No. 1

Donghoon SHIN   Upon His Ghostly Solitude (world premiere, LA Phil commission)

SIBELIUS   Symphony No. 3

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Apr 08, 202332:40
Tchaikovsky and Sibelius with Henry Michaels • LA Phil 2022/23

Tchaikovsky and Sibelius with Henry Michaels • LA Phil 2022/23

Henry Michaels discusses Tarrodi, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius.

This talk was given at a performance of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Andrea TARRODI    Liguria

TCHAIKOVSKY    Violin Concerto

SIBELIUS    Symphony No. 2

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Mar 31, 202340:00
Mälkki Leads Dvořák with Patrick Posey • LA Phil 2022/23

Mälkki Leads Dvořák with Patrick Posey • LA Phil 2022/23

Saxophonist and educator at the USC Thornton School of Music Patrick Posey explains music by Dvořák and Lara.

This talk was given at a performance of Mälkki Leads Dvořák at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

DVOŘÁK   Slavonic Dances, Op. 46

Felipe LARA   Double Concerto (U.S. premiere, LA Phil commission)

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Mar 24, 202339:54
LA Phil New Music Group with John Adams with Rachel Iba • LA Phil 2022/23

LA Phil New Music Group with John Adams with Rachel Iba • LA Phil 2022/23

Musician and conductor Rachel Iba explores music by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Anthony Cheung, Katherine Young, and John Adams.

This talk was given at a performance of LA Phil New Music Group with John Adams at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Esa-Pekka SALONEN
   Objets Trouvés for solo viola


Anthony CHEUNG
   Parallel Play (world premiere, LA Phil commission)


Katherine YOUNG
   Spores (world premiere, LA Phil commission)


John ADAMS
   Hallelujah Junction

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Mar 15, 202337:28
Symphonie fantastique with Mehta with Alan Chapman • LA Phil 2022/23

Symphonie fantastique with Mehta with Alan Chapman • LA Phil 2022/23

KUSC’s Alan Chapman delves into one of George Crumb’s most important pieces and Berlioz’ timeless fantasy.

This talk was given at a performance of Symphonie fantastique with Mehta at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

CRUMB Ancient Voices of Children

BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Mar 11, 202336:46
Stephen Tharp with Sarah Cahill • LA Phil 2022/23

Stephen Tharp with Sarah Cahill • LA Phil 2022/23

Pianist and writer, Sarah Cahill guides you through the organ works of Handel, Bach, Beethoven and more!

This talk was given at the performance of Stephen Tharp at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

HANDEL (trans. Stephen Tharp)Overture to Music for the Royal Fireworks

BACH"Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr’," BWV 662

BACH (adapted by Stephen Tharp)Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, BWV 903

BEETHOVEN (trans. Stephen Tharp)Scherzo from Symphony No. 3, Op. 55, “Eroica”

George BAKERVariations on the hymn tune “Rouen”

WAGNER (trans. Stephen Tharp)"Ride of the Valkyries" from Die Walküre

VIERNEAdagio from Organ Symphony No. 3, Op. 28

Stephen THARP Improvisation on a submitted theme

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Mar 06, 202330:15
Mehta Conducts Mahler 3 with Asadour Santourian • LA Phil 2022/23

Mehta Conducts Mahler 3 with Asadour Santourian • LA Phil 2022/23

Educator Asadour Santourian explores Mahler’s Symphony No. 3.

This talk was given at a performance of Mehta Conducts Mahler 3 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

MAHLER Symphony No. 3

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Mar 03, 202340:22
Lang Lang Plays Grieg with Christopher Russell • LA Phil 2022/23

Lang Lang Plays Grieg with Christopher Russell • LA Phil 2022/23

Associate Professor and Chair of the Music Performance department at Azusa Pacific University Christopher Russell discusses the music of Grime, Grieg, and Brahms.

This talk was given at a performance of Lang Lang Plays Grieg at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Helen GRIME  Meditations on Joy (world premiere, LA Phil commission)

GRIEG  Piano Concerto

BRAHMS  Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Feb 24, 202341:51
Yuja Wang & Dudamel: Rachmaninoff Concerto 3 with Kristi Brown-Montesano • LA Phil 2022/23

Yuja Wang & Dudamel: Rachmaninoff Concerto 3 with Kristi Brown-Montesano • LA Phil 2022/23

Chair of Music History at the Colburn Conservatory of Music Kristi Brown-Montesano explains Rachmaninoff’s virtuosic Third Concerto and haunting choral.symphony.

This talk was given at a performance of Yuja Wang & Dudamel: Rachmaninoff Concerto 3 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, op. 30

RACHMANINOFF The Bells

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Feb 17, 202340:35
Yuja Wang & Dudamel: Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody with Thomas Neenan • LA Phil 2022/23

Yuja Wang & Dudamel: Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody with Thomas Neenan • LA Phil 2022/23

Caltech Professor of music  Thomas Neenan discusses the story behind the music of Rachmaninoff.

This talk was given at a performance of Yuja Wang & Dudamel: Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

RACHMANINOFF Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Feb 10, 202336:25
LA Phil New Music Group with Paolo Bortolameolli with Daniel Allas • LA Phil 2022/23
Feb 08, 202326:06
Ray Chen plays Mendelssohn with Christopher Russell • LA Phil 2022/23

Ray Chen plays Mendelssohn with Christopher Russell • LA Phil 2022/23

Associate Professor and Chair of the Music Performance department at Azusa Pacific University Christopher Russell delves into the works of Mendelssohn, and Brahms.

This talk was given at a performance of Ray Chen plays Mendelssohn at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto

BRAHMS (orch. Schoenberg) Piano Quartet No. 1

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Feb 04, 202337:46
Ensemble intercontemporain with Sarah Cahill • LA Phil 2022/23

Ensemble intercontemporain with Sarah Cahill • LA Phil 2022/23

Pianist and writer Sarah Cahill reflects on contemporary score for a 1924 silent film, Die Stadt ohne Jude.

This talk was given at a performance of Ensemble intercontemporain at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Pieces discussed:

Olga NEUWIRTH Die Stadt ohne Juden (The City Without Jews)

See this year’s Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2022/23 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

Jan 31, 202325:12