Mark O' Connor to perform at UCLA May 14

WHAT: The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music presents Mark O’Connor on Thursday, May 14, 2009, at 8 p.m., at UCLA’s Schoenberg Hall, in a concert celebrating the culmination of his academic year-long residency as the inaugural Herb Alpert Artist in Residence. The event features the individuals and groups with whom O’Connor has performed, presented master classes, and instructed during his residency at UCLA: UCLA faculty members Jens Lindemann (trumpet), Movses Pogossian (violin), Antonio Lysy (cello), Guillaume Sutre, (violin), and Neal Stulberg (conductor), plus extraordinary ensembles: UCLA String Quartet, UCLA Brass Ensemble, UCLA Bluegrass Ensemble, directed by Anthony Seeger, and members of the UCLA Philharmonia.

The program includes Mark O’Connor’s works: String Quartet No. 3, Wide Open Spaces, Brave Wolfe Duet, Macedonia, and the critically acclaimed Appalachia Waltz. The chamber version of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring will also be performed.

Background: Grammy Award-winning Mark O'Connor, UCLA's Herb Alpert Artist in Residence for the 2008–09 academic year, presents a varied program of many of his own compositions, influenced by such diverse traditions as folk, flamenco and jazz. O'Connor has "crossed over so many boundaries, his style is purely personal" (Los Angeles Times). O'Connor regularly conducts residencies, lectures, demonstrations and workshops at various music schools and programs, including Juilliard, Harvard, the Berklee College of Music, the Eastman School of Music, Rice University, the State University of New York–Fredonia, the University of Texas, the Curtis Institute of Music, Tanglewood and the Aspen Summer Festival.

In June-July 2009, he will bring an outstanding music program to the UCLA community: The Mark O’Connor String Institute, open to high school students and adults. He generously donates his time in support of a number or organizations that promote music education and outreach, including Opus 118, Midori & Friends and Sphinx, and serves on the advisory panel for the selection of the Kennedy Center Honors.

WHEN: Thursday, May 14, at 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Schoenberg Hall, UCLA

COST: $15 general admission, $7 seniors and non-UCLA students (with ID); $5 UCLA students with BruinCard

For more information, call (310) 825-2101, or visit www.tickets.ucla.edu

PARKING: Campus parking is available for $9 in Lot 2 (enter the campus at Hilgard and Westholme avenues).