Music Center Staff Memories of 2014

One of the best things about The Music Center is our amazing team of employees.  Everyone that works here – from administrators, ushers, programmers, security, developers and more – each person brings a passion for art and a love for Los Angeles that shines through in our events and day to day happenings.

So as we bid farewell to 2014, it seemed only fitting to highlight a few of our staff’s favorite moments from the past year…  Here are 4 of our staffers answering the apropos question of the day – What was your favorite Music Center moment of 2014?

Amber Scott & artists of The Australian Ballet in Swan Lake Photo by Jeff Busby

Lusine Vardanyan – Marketing

That’s a tough question…This year, I especially loved The Australian Ballet’s Swan Lake.  Not only was the show beautiful, working with the dancers and marketing team at The Australian Ballet was so much fun!  But it was also such a special experience to be part of our 50th Celebration and help in putting together such a landmark event for The Music Center.

Next 50 Party at The Music Center Photo by David Buchan

Melissa Joseph – Programming

The Next 50 Party was unlike anything I had ever worked on at The Music Center. We brought people onto the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to enjoy catered food stations and KCRW DJ sets peppered with pop up presentations from several artists that have performed in our theaters and outdoor spaces previously. It was wonderful to see our stage filled with patrons who have supported The Music Center for years and others that were more newly introduced. One incredible moment occurred when attendees participated in a Bollywood dance lesson. Never have I seen so many smiling faces of people who can now say they’ve “performed” at The Music Center.

RNZB with Gillian Murphy and Qi Huan Photo by Evan Li

Heather Toner – Social Media

There were so many amazing moments at The Music Center this year, and being a part of the 50th anniversary was truly an honor and highlight of my professional career.  But if I had to choose one event that stood out like no other, it would have to be Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Giselle.  That company was so much fun to work with and the dancers were amazing.  Plus, it was such a thrill getting to see Gillian Murphy dance the title role.  Her performance is one I will remember forever.

Abigail Hollingshead – Development 

My favorite Music Center event of 2014 has to be the 50^th Anniversary Gala.  Plans for the Gala were already in the works when I moved to Los Angeles and started working at The Music Center over 2 years ago, and seeing it all finally happen was incredible. In the weeks leading up to the event, it warmed my heart to see everyone coming together and working so hard to make sure we put our best foot forward and make this place look better than ever. The evening of the Gala, I heard so many people say how much they love The Music Center and how much it means to them. The Music Center was really my first introduction to the arts in Los Angeles—so it means a lot to me as well. Seeing it celebrated and honored at the Gala is an experience I was proud to be a part of and one I will never forget.

 

What was your favorite show or event at The Music Center in 2014?  

Leave a comment and let us know! 

Lil’ Buck Performing at our Next 50 Party

You have probably seen Lil’ Buck in one of the many viral videos of his dancing shared across the internet, and we have one more to add to the mix…. Here’s just a snippet of Memphis Jookin a la Lil’ Buck style at our Next 50 party on December 7th.  Enjoy!

 

Want more?  See more pictures and fabulous moments from the night (truly it was an amazing party) in our Facebook album!

And be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more super cool videos and Music Center moments!

Moments from the Red Carpet

A parade of stars, supporters, artists, performers and patrons walked our 50th Anniversary Red Carpet before our Gala and spectacular show.  Here’s a photo recap of some of our favorite red carpet moments….

 

All photos by Will Tee Yang

#Throwback Thursday – Ballerina memories…

We have a very cool #ThrowbackThursday to share with you today…

In anticipation of our 50th Anniversary this weekend, we received a lovely collection of photos from a former member of George Balanchine’s Ballet of Los Angeles, taken in between rehearsals of Swan Lake at The Music Center in March 1965 – Just after our Pavilion opened!

Here’s a few of the snapshots sent to us by dancer Diana Soltesz (formally Diana Reese) that show her and fellow dancer Margaret Lauermann on our Grand Staircase, Diana getting ready in our dressing rooms, and a full company picture with George Balanchine and Maria Tallchief!

Additionally, here are some snaps of a program from the show, as well as a newspaper clip about the Ballet of Los Angeles featuring a photo of Diana Soltesz getting tips from prima ballerina Maria Tallchief..

“I will never forget the excitement of being an ‘insider’ at this grand new establishment, which meant so much to my home city of Los Angeles: The Music Center.”  

Thank you Diana for sending these our way!

10 Must-See Moments at our Anniversary Show this Weekend

Marking our 50th anniversary, we are pleased to present a celebration that has truly been 50 years in the making. Our gala show this Saturday, December 6th, will be the first time The Music Center and all its resident companies will be performing together on stage in one show.  There are still just a few tickets left for this once in a lifetime production and here are just 10 reasons(of many) that you will want to snag yourself a seat…

#1. The LA Philharmonic is performing a concert that night in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, which includes Helix, composed by Esa-Pekka Salonen that will be simulcast live into our show.  Meanwhile, LA Dance Project will perform a world premiere, set to Helix on the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage during the live simulcast, choreographed by Justin Peck, commissioned by The Music Center with lead sponsorship from Center Dance Arts.

The Music Center commissioned LA Dance Project’s first performance and helped the company launch in 2012,  and we are very proud to have them represent our dance programming in the gala.

#2. The Academy Awards were presented 25 times from 1969-1999 at The Music Center. See a compilation of Oscar’s greatest moments at The Music Center including rare broadcast clips, hosted and narrated by Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.

#3. Center Theatre Group presents the 2nd act pas de deux’s from Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, with company dancers Christopher Marney and Chris Trenfield!  Definitely one of our favorite renditions of the classic pas!

#4. We’ve got a huge group of singers all on stage at once! John Adams’ Nixon in China premiered in Los Angeles in 1990. See the collaboration between LA Opera and LA Master Chorale of the banquet scene featuring a chorus of 48 singers!

#5. Another trip down theatrical memory lane, Davis Gaines and Dale Kristien will be reprising their roles from Phantom of the Opera which ran a record-breaking four years at the Ahmanson from 1989 – 1993.

#6.  Get a taste of what The Music Center and our resident companies do to help arts education in LA with performances from our Spotlight Awards alumni.

#7.  The Taper has been the site of so many iconic plays and moving performances from the brightest actors in the biz.  See Phylicia Rashad perform her acclaimed monologue from Gem of the Ocean, David Henry Hwang and Tzi Ma perform a scene from Yellow Face, and even see an excerpt from Angels in America with John Glover.

#8. And to keep your heart singing, LA Opera will present arias by famed mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, including “Non So Piu” from Le Nozze di Figaro, “Fascinatin Rhythm,” and “La Vie En Rose.” Oui!

#9 From solo singer, to a fleet of voices, LA Master Chorale’s full 110-member chorus will also perform, conducted and directed by Grant Gershon.

#10. Maybe our favorite part of the show; there will also be a beautiful retrospective on the history of The Music Center and how Dorothy Buffum Chandler succeeded in building her dream for a performing arts center in LA into a reality with the help of hundreds of donors and patrons.

Photo from Otto Rothschild Photographic Archive

 

So get your ticket and get ready for the show of half a century, filled to the brim with amazing moments!

Our Anniversary Guest Book

Turning 50 is no small feat (especially when you’re an arts organization!) But in celebration of The Music Center’s 50th Anniversary, we asked some of our email subscribers and generous donors if they’d be kind enough to leave a note in our “digital guestbook” with their own memories of The Music Center and best wishes for our future.  And well, shucks, we were blown away by all the sweet notes, and amazing comments that you all left!

So here it is, our anniversary guest book filled with YOUR memories and comments…

Thank you all so much for your well wishes and making The Music Center a part of YOUR Los Angeles!  If you didn’t get to sign the book,  you can still leave your message for our 50th by clicking here:  SUBMIT YOUR MEMORY

Our 50th Anniversary

With an anniversary comes a history… A history of shows, artists, amazing moments, little memories, date nights, curtain calls, dress rehearsals, standing ovations and so much more.

The Music Center is celebrating its 50th Anniversary on December 6th and 7th.  We have some incredible events lined up for the occasion, including an all-star performance and gala on the 6th, which will highlight all of our resident companies, and the Academy Awards long tenure in our Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, as well as all the extraordinary individuals like Dorothy Chandler, who, with their dedication and contributions, have made the last 50 years possible.

Following that will be a celebratory party inside the Pavilion on December 7th that toasts the future of The Music Center and all the amazing things the next 50 years will no doubt bring.  Tickets and more information on both events are available on our website.

But beyond the celebration, this anniversary is also about the many people who have come to The Music Center over years – The performers, the employees, the patrons and the audiences.  It’s about what this cultural landmark means to THEM, and how the things they’ve seen and experienced at The Music Center have effected their lives and what it means to Los Angeles…

What’s your Music Center story?  Leave a comment below and let us know! 

#Playlist – Ep. 2 – Take A Dip!

Subscribe for more Music Center fun! http://bit.ly/1p7kVvk

In Episode 2 – Take a Dip! Our friends at The Music Center explore the Grand Park splash pad and discover a world worthy of Jacques Cousteau!

Grand Park’s splash pad is a hugely popular weekend destination for families. Don your swimsuit and splash it up while the weather is still warm (despite how much we long for Autumn!)  Take a photo of yourself in the fountain and share on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with #50ThingsDTLA @MusicCenterLA and you’ll be automatically entered to win amazing prizes as part of our 50 Things to Do at The Music Center challenge!

New Episodes of The Music Center #Playlist every Tuesday & Thursday!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MusicCenterLA
Instagram: http://instagram.com/musiccenterla
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicCenterLA

50 Things to Do At The Music Center Challenge!

In honor of our 50^th Anniversary, we’ve put together a challenge of 50 Things to Do at and around The Music Center (many of which are some of the best kept secrets in LA!) Each time you do something on the list share a photo, video, or just text on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the hashtag #50ThingsDTLA @musiccenterla.  You can do the items in any order, but we’ll be sharing a new one each day on our social channels if you want to follow along! 

 

Each time you share you’ll be entered to win all kinds of prizes – From t-shirts to tickets.  The more you share the more chances you have to win! Complete as many items as possible and you’ll be entered to win our Grand Prize –

A package of tickets to the must-see shows of the 2015 season from the LA Philharmonic, LA Opera, The Los Angeles Master Chorale, Center Theatre Group,  Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center and REDCAT!

Check out the full list of items here and follow along with a new challenge posted each day on our social media channels!