San Diego Master Chorale & Jahja Ling Celebrate Haydn

During Jahja Ling’s tenure as San Diego Symphony Music Director, we have come to expect a major choral work in December such as Handel’s “Messiah” and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Happily, the maestro ignored that stale tradition and with the San Diego Master Chorale offered Haydn’s magnificent “Mass in Time of War,” also known by its German name “Paukenmesse” . . .

Read More

DiLisi the Crafty Soloist in Rare Timpani Concerto

One of San Diego Symphony Music Director Jahja Ling’s laudable traits is affording the virtuoso players within his orchestra opportunities to appear in solo concertos. This Friday Principal Timpanist Ryan DiLisi amazed and pleased the Copley Symphony Hall audience with his solo turn in William Kraft’s Timpani Concerto No.1 . . .

Read More

Ending Their Season in a Blaze of Sonic Glory

Jahja Ling and the San Diego Symphony climaxed their 2013-2014 season Friday (May 23) with a stirring account of the Brahms First Symphony, complemented by Russian violinist Vadim Repin’s vivacious lead in Sergei Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No 2 in G Minor. . .

Read More

Gerstein and Symphony Rock Rach 3

We know the end of a San Diego Symphony season is approaching when audience attire takes a decidedly casual turn and Music Director Jahja Ling pulls out the barnburner Russian piano concertos. Friday (May 16) Ling offered Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto in D Minor featuring the young Russian pianist Kirill Gerstein. . .

Read More

Ling Conducts Bold Schumann Second Symphony

This past weekend (Dec. 13 – 15) San Diego Symphony music director Jahja Ling made a compelling case for Schumann’s mighty Second Symphony in C Major, complementing it with Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, featuring Russian pianist Yefim Bronfman.

Read More