Three Classical Music Concerts at Two Historic Locations Over One Exceptional Weekend

Lobero LIVE presents The Lobero Theatre Chamber Music Project – 2023 Weekend Concert Series on Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7. Artfully curated by renowned music director/violist Heiichiro Ohyama and the internationally celebrated violinist Benjamin Beilman, eight classical music luminaries from around the world arrive in Santa Barbara to perform best-regarded chamber works for strings and piano.

The thoughtfully chosen members of this special chamber ensemble are classical music stars Lucille Chung (piano), Erin Keefe (violin), Masumi Per Rostad (viola), Robert deMaine (cello), Mayuko Ishigami (violin) and Christine J. Lee (cello), along with Beilman and Ohyama. During two stellar evenings at the Lobero Theatre, and a more intimate afternoon at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, these musical artists will perform classical masterpieces by Dvořák, Bruckner, Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Mozart and Mendelssohn.

Tickets for The Lobero Theatre Chamber Music Project – 2023 Weekend Concert Series are on sale now at Lobero.org and at the Lobero Box Office (805-963-0761). VIP Series Experience tickets are $225 (includes premier seating and VIP receptions for all three concerts); VIP Single Concert Tickets are $75 (premier seating and reception for single concert). Section A 3-concert series ticket is $99; Section A single concert tickets are $45; Groups of six or more single concert tickets are $30 per person; Section B single concert tickets are $30, and Student single concert tickets are $10.

Violinist Benjamin Beilman has won praise both for his passionate performances and deep rich tone which the Washington Post called “mightily impressive” and The New York Times described as “muscular with a glint of violence.” In recital and chamber music, Beilman performs regularly at major halls across the world, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and the Louvre in Paris. In 2016 he released his first disc for the Warner Classics label, titled Spectrum, featuring works by Stravinsky, Janáček and Schubert.

Originally from Canada and making her debut at the age of ten with the Montréal Symphony Orchestra, pianist Lucille Chung has been acclaimed by Gramophone Magazine for her “stylish and refined performances”. A successful recording artist, as well as recitalist and live concert musician, Chung has produced 15 albums and performed with over 70 leading orchestras worldwide.

With both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, Japanese-Norwegian violist Masumi Per Rostad maintains an active performance schedule while also serving on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and giving master classes at The Colburn School, Cleveland Institute of Music, The Aspen Music Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Interlochen and San Francisco Conservatory among many others. As a member of the Pacifica Quartet for almost two decades (2001-2017), Per Rostad regularly performed in the world’s greatest halls.

Among the leading chamber musicians of her generation, violinist Erin Keefe is the recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant, and the Pro Musicis International Award; she has appeared as soloist with the New York City Ballet Orchestra, Korean Symphony Orchestra, Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic, Sendai Philharmonic and the Gottingen Symphony.

Born in Japan, Mayuko Ishigami started playing the violin at the age of five, and was invited to the Rome International Music Festival at the age of eight. She has performed with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra in addition to Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, and the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as many orchestras, music festivals and concerts in the United States and Europe.

Praised by the New York Times as “an artist who makes one hang on every note,” Robert deMaine is the Principal Cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A highly sought-after solo artist and chamber musician, he is a frequent guest artist at many of the world’s premier chamber music festivals, including those of Marlboro, Seattle, Great Lakes, Limoges, Heidelberg Schlossfest, Chamberfest Cleveland, Montréal, and Seoul’s Ditto Festival.

Christine J. Lee began playing the cello at the age of seven, making her debut with the Seoul Philharmonic only two years later. Garnering diplomas from Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School and the Royal Academy of Music, Lee has performed around the globe as a soloist and chamber musician in prestigious venues such as the Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, Musée du Louvre, and Victoria Hall.

Heiichiro Ohyama studied at the Toho School of Music in Tokyo, graduated from London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and entered Indiana University where he studied with classical music greats including William Primrose and Josef Gingold. Winning New York’s Young Concert Artists Award in 1974, Ohyama quickly became in demand as a violist. He was appointed as Principal Violist of the LA Philharmonic in 1979 and began conducting soon thereafter. In 1987, he was appointed Assistant Conductor of the LA Phil by Andre Previn. Over the years, Ohyama was Founding Artistic Director of the La Jolla Music Society’s “Summerfest,” Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and Music Director of the Nagasaki Music Festival. In addition to his long tenure with the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, he was also Professor of Music at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 1973-2003.

Tickets for The Lobero Theatre Chamber Music Project – 2023 Weekend Concert Series are on sale now at Lobero.org and at the Lobero Box Office (805-963-0761).

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Sponsored by The Lobero Theatre Chamber Music Project.