Rhythmic Pulse, Lyric Flight Swirl In Concert Exploring Movement(s)

The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra inaugurated its 2026-27 season on September 26 with a concert titled “Movement(s),” under the direction of guest conductor Lina González-Granados. The program’s title, deliberately pluralized, captured a layered concept encompassing physical dance, social currents, and institutional change.

The evening opened with Zoltán Kodály’s Dances of Galánta, a vibrant work rooted in Hungarian folk dance rhythms. This piece set an energetic tempo that framed the concert’s exploration of movement as embodied motion. González-Granados led the orchestra through the piece’s rhythmic intricacies, deftly navigating tempo fluctuations that underscored the dance’s character.

Interwoven into the program was a world premiere by composer Carlos Simon titled Afterparty, a song cycle that draws from Harlem Renaissance poetry. The work was performed by countertenor John Holiday, whose voice conveyed a striking blend of richness and delicacy. Simon’s composition interprets social and cultural movements through a fusion of lush melodies and evocative orchestral textures, reflecting on themes of Black identity and historical resilience.

Afterparty’s texts originate from poets associated with a March 1924 gathering at Manhattan’s Civics Club, yet the clarity of the words was not fully discernible throughout much of the performance. One exception was the song based on Gwendolyn Bennett’s poem, where themes of self-affirmation emerged with repeated declarations of identity, delivered with growing intensity by Holiday. The piece’s musical language spans a broad palette, incorporating elements reminiscent of Broadway and classical influences, though it resists easy categorization within a singular stylistic identity.

Complementing Simon’s contemporary work was Gabriela Lena Frank’s Elegía Andina, which introduced a contrasting sound world rooted in the composer’s Peruvian heritage. The piece featured a prominent flute line evoking Andean musical traditions, paired with shimmering violin textures that echoed sonic gestures found elsewhere in the program, bridging cultural motifs within the concert’s overarching theme.

The program’s conclusion brought listeners back to dance with Manuel de Falla’s Suite No. 1 from El sombrero de tres picos. González-Granados’s conducting highlighted the suite’s idiomatic Spanish character, capturing its rhythmic vitality and melodic fluidity. The performance was marked by a seamless rapport with the orchestra, delivering a vivid and spirited finale.

This concert also marked a moment of transition for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. It represents the ensemble’s final season performing at Zipper Hall within the Colburn School before relocating to the newly constructed Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall in fall 2027. Additionally, this season is the concluding chapter for music director Jaime Martín, who will pass the baton to Matthias Pintscher.

Carlos Simon remains active as the Kennedy Center’s composer in residence during a period when the institution faces operational challenges, underscoring his commitment to sustaining artistic morale amid adversity. His work, including Afterparty, continues to resonate by addressing narratives of Black history and oppression with a hopeful musical voice.

Overall, the “Movement(s)” program offered a multidimensional reflection on the concept of movement, traversing physical dance, cultural shifts, and organizational evolution. The evening’s blend of established repertoire and new compositions revealed an orchestra attuned to both tradition and contemporary dialogues. While some aspects of the new work’s textual delivery presented challenges, the concert underscored the LACO’s artistic versatility and its engagement with diverse musical expressions as it steps into a new era.