LA's COMMUNITY BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
Cancelled performances due to COVID-19:
Dear Friends,
It is with heavy hearts that we must announce the cancellation of our 19/20 season finale "Across the Pond" on May 3, and our appearance at the Berkeley Early Music Festival Fringe in Blow's "Venue and Adonis" on June 12, due to the continuing COVID-19 situation. Please know that we are thinking of you all—musicians and supporters alike—and hope that all of you are first and foremost staying safe and healthy. Even as there are so many “what ifs” in the world around us, the most important thing is that we all stay well. Tell friends and musicians that you’re thinking about them. Play music that makes you happy—whether that is on your instrument or putting on an old-school vinyl record. Enjoy a good book and a cup of tea.
When shelter-in-place orders are lifted, and we begin to see what the world will look like on the flip side, LAB will be back to planning new projects and experiences for our members and audiences. We will be doing all we can to best meet the needs of our community and to adjust to the state of the world—whatever it will look like—when the dust settles.
Until then, stay safe and healthy, and know we miss you all.
Lindsey Strand-Polyak & Alexa Haynes-Pilon, Artistic Directors;
Joan Lounsbery & Zen Edwards, Administrative Directors
Los Angeles Baroque
Los Angeles Baroque (LAB) is LA's only community baroque orchestra, directed by violinist Lindsey Strand-Polyak and cellist Alexa Haynes-Pilon.
Founded in 2016, LAB gives dedicated community, student and professional musicians from across greater Los Angeles regular opportunities to explore repertoire, learn baroque playing style (suitable for music composed c.1600-1750) and perform. LAB gives three main season concerts a year at its home of St James' in South Pasadena, hosts workshops, and undertakes community outreach projects and performance collaborations. LAB's goal is to encourage, support and expand the early music community in Los Angeles, and to be inclusive in reach to give all highly motivated players the opportunity to participate.
Visit our Members page to find out more about playing with us, and our Donate page for ways to support us in our fourth season.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our concerts soon,
Alexa Haynes-Pilon & Lindsey Strand-Polyak
Artistic Directors, Los Angeles Baroque
#earlymusicLAB
PERFORMANCES
Sunday, May 3, 4PM - CANCELLED
Across the Pond
Glories of the English Baroque, with instrumental music by John Blow, Henry Purcell, Charles Avison and Pieter Hellendaal.
Friday, June 12, 12noon - CANCELLED
Blow's Venus & Adonis @ BFX Fringe
We revive our John Blow opera of the LAB 18/19 season at Berkeley Early Music Festival's 2020 Fringe. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details. VENUE: University Lutheran Chapel, 2425 College Ave, Berkeley.
Our one-hour main season afternoon concerts at St. James', South Pasadena are free and open to all. Donations at the door are appreciated but, of course, optional. We look forward to enjoying our fourth season events with you! Visit our Concerts page for more performance information.
N E W S
April 2020
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders in California the remainder of our 19-20 season is cancelled. We look forward to making music with you again in 20-21. Meanwhile, stay safe and keep listening, and appreciating, the music you love!
March 2020
We were honored to be a recipient of an Early Music America Mini-Grant for our "Game of Tones" concerts in San Diego and South Pasadena earlier in March. Thank you EMA!
February 2020
As we gear up for our "Game of Tones" concerts for #EarlyMusicMonth in March, meet a man of many talents in our latest "meet a member" interview — Steven Pranoto!
January 2020
Happy new year from all at LAB. We kick off 2020 with our "Game of Tones" set, with rehearsals beginning January 27 and concerts March 7 & 8. This collaboration with Kensington Baroque Orchestra of San Diego is partially funded by an Early Music America early music month mini-grant.
November 2019
Meet our co-artistic director Lindsey Strand-Polyak, in conversation with managing director Joan Lounsbery.
August 2019
We open our 2019-20 season with "Surf 'n' Turf" on November 24. Join us for our regular free one-hour afternoon concert at St James' South Pasadena for music on the themes of earth and water by Telemann, Vivaldi, Rebel and French Renaissance composer Guillaume Costeley (1530/31-1606).
June 2019
Our first LAB:Fest! We held a weekend of concerts, a play-in and socializing with wonderful music May 31-June 2. Stay tuned for more special events by subscribing to our newsletter on our home page.
May 2019
May 5 saw our first opera — Blow's "Venus and Adonis" — with a stellar cast.
March 2019
We were proud to be an EMM partner again this year. Our #EarlyMusicMonth performances included an outreach event at beautiful John Muir branch library in South LA. A trio of LAB members played chamber music from Byrd to Bach, and LAB's co-directors also put in an appearance.
February 2019
A LAB viol consort performed to hundreds at LA's Natural History Museum on February 1st as part of "Night of Ideas" on the theme of climate change. Visit our gallery for a short video.
October 2018
Meet a member! Meet a director! Artistic Director Alexa Haynes-Pilon was featured in our interview series this month.
May 2018
Come Together! — LAB's first consort music workshop — was held May 28, on Memorial Day. We are grateful to The Viola da Gamba Society of America for supporting this event.
December 2016
"A breathtaking, furious performance". LAB's inaugural concert on November 13 was reviewed by Early Music America.
