Los Angeles Philharmonic Concertmaster to Perform in Thousand Oaks

Martin Chalifour, Los Angeles Philharmonic concertmaster, will perform the majestic Double Concerto in A minor by Johannes Brahms along with cellist Marek Szpakiewicz in the California Young Artists Symphony’s season opening concert on Sunday, November 10th, at 3:00 PM at the Fred Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks. The Conejo Valley Choral Society will also join CYAS for a rare performance of Debussy’s Nocturnes, a mesmerizing composition for Symphony and female chorus. The program closes with Gyorgy Ligeti’s “Atmospheres", an otherworldly work of art seldom heard in concert halls.

Martin Chalifour has been Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1995. He graduated with honors from the Montreal Conservatory at the age of 18 and then moved to the United States to continue studies at the famed Curtis Institute of Music. Chalifour received a Certificate of Honor at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and is also a laureate of the prestigious Montreal International Competition. Apart from his LA Phil duties, he maintains an active solo career, playing a diverse repertoire of more than 60 concertos. Chalifour has appeared as soloist with conductors Pierre Boulez, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Neville Marriner, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Outside the U.S., he has played solos with the Auckland Philharmonia, the Montreal Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the National Orchestra of Taiwan, and the Malaysian Philharmonic, among others.

Martin Chalifour will share the stage with Polish-born cellist Marek Szpakiewicz who has been described by Yo-Yo Ma as an artist whose “energy, motivation, earnestness and generosity of spirit are evident through his work.” Szpakiewicz’s work, as a soloist with various orchestras in Europe and in the United States, has drawn praise from critics, who have described him as “a gifted player,” “with expansive vision and immense authority,” and “no technical limitation.”

The California Young Artists Symphony (CYAS) is a pre-professional orchestra providing exceptional artist fellowships for the next generation of musicians alongside visionary mentors and directors, bringing monumental music to iconic venues in the Southern California region. Now in its 4th season, CYAS has performed in iconic venues in the Los Angeles area such as Royce Hall and the Ambassador Auditorium, with guest artists from across the country.

Adult, senior, and student tickets are available here: https://cyasymphony.org/concerts/

VIP Reception featuring personal greetings with principal musicians and wine/cheese/dessert preceding concert at 1:15 PM - $250 per VIP ticket (includes exclusive tier 1 seating). VIP event tickets: https://cyasymphony.org/donate/