New Musical Seasons Dawning in ’97

When a new year kicks in, attentions shift from what’s past to what’s ahead. In Ventura County’s classical music scene, the second half usually represents the stronger, busier part of the season, and 1997 is no exception.

Assuming center stage in that scene is, of course, the New West Symphony, which continues its second official season with a concert under the heading “Basically Baroque” on Jan. 10 and 11, in Oxnard and Thousand Oaks, respectively.

The program, which includes Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and music by Mozart and Telemann, will also feature the world premiere of Ventura-based composer John Biggs’ Concerto for Cello and Chamber Orchestra.

Later in the season will be a concert featuring pianist Jerome Lowenthal, on Feb. 28 and March 1, and an all-Mozart program on April 4 and 5. On May 30 and 31, there will be a concert entitled “Exotic Adventures,” with music by Mahler, Ravel and a world premiere by composer Joe Curiale, featuring Karen Hua-qi Han on the Chinese violin, the erhu.

In other world music-related news, the Symphony’s “Music’s Alive!” series starts up for the fourth consecutive year. The series, which gamely blends contemporary classical music and indigenous music from around the world, was instituted under the aegis of the now-defunct Ventura County Symphony and continues in the New West era.

“China Alive!” will be presented Feb. 23 at the GTE World Headquarters in Thousand Oaks, and Feb. 25 at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura. “Iberia Alive!” on March 25 will focus on the music from that region the Spain, which spawned flamenco.

“Winter Weekend in Ventura,” a chamber music mini-festival, is slated for Jan. 31-Feb. 2. The three-concert series is produced by the Ventura County Chamber Orchestra, which will play Feb. 1 at Ventura College.

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On the choral music front, the Los Robles Master Chorale will present “Music Through the Ages” at Moorpark College on Feb. 22 and 23, with a program of Thomas Tallis’ epic motet “Spem in alium,” and works by living composers Henryk Gorecki of Poland, and the acclaimed Estonian Arvo Part. Part’s “Te Deum” is the centerpiece of the April 22 concert at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

West of the Conejo grade, the Ventura County Master Chorale will present the Easter-themed concert “Eternal Peace-Triumphant Victory” on March 22 and 23, with music from Durufle and Handel. On April 12 and 13, they’ll perform a program titled “Chapel, Court and Countryside.” The programs will be presented in Camarillo churches and in the picturesque space of San Buenaventura Mission. On May 3, the chorale will end its season with Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor, at Sacred Heart Church in Ventura.

Other musical offerings include the afternoon concerts in the “Five Sundays at Four” series at St. Columbia’s Episcopal Church in Camarillo. On Feb. 9, the Descanso Players of Thousand Oaks will perform, and organist Albert Campbell will give a recital March 9. A confluence of choirs will conclude the series May 4, when choirs from Episcopal churches across Ventura County perform.

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At the tail end of the classical season, on June 6-8 in Ojai’s Libbey Bowl, expect more inspiration from the annual Ojai Festival. This will be the first year the festival is run by new executive director Ernest Fleischmann, who comes to the job after ending his 28-year run as executive director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. This year’s musical program will be designed and conducted, also for the first time, by pianist-conductor Emanuel Ax in the artistic director role.

In jazz, as always, check out 66 California in Ventura, or for those more inclined to go north, proceed to the intimate Jazz Hall in Santa Barbara. Owner Ridah Omri is also branching out into larger-scale concerts, beginning on Jan. 13 with the great pianist Kenny Barron, an underdog-making-good, who will be at the Lobero Theater. The Chick Corea Quintet appears at the Lobero on March 20.

For music lovers, it looks like a good year.