LA's COMMUNITY BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
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
N E W S
January 2020
Happy new year from all at LAB. There are still a few places available for violinists for our "Game of Tones" set, with rehearsals beginning January 27 and concerts March 7 & 8. Click here to register for this collaboration with Kensington Baroque Orchestra of San Diego, partially funded by Early Music America.
November 2019
Meet our co-artistic director Lindsey Strand-Polyak, in conversation with managing director Joan Lounsbery.
Fab Four! As we dive into our fourth season your support is more vital than ever to continue our community-based activities. Donations online can be made here, or contact us to make an offline donation. We value your support.
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.
PERFORMANCES
Saturday, March 7 & Sunday, March 8, 4PM
Game of Tones
Los Angeles Baroque and Kensington Baroque Orchestra team up for a weekend of music-making, Baroque community orchestra style, with performances in San Diego (7th) and South Pasadena (8th) of music by Handel, Bach, Telemann and others, including a specially compiled "Game of Tones" Goldberg Suite. Let the battles of the bands of North and South commence!
Recipient of an Early Music America Mini-Grant and partner in EMA's Early Music Month. Discover early music activities nationwide during March by following #EarlyMusicMonth.
Sunday, May 3, 4PM
Across the Pond
Glories of the English Baroque, with music by John Blow, Henry Purcell, Charles Avison and George Frideric Handel.
Our one-hour afternoon concerts are free and open to all. Donations at the door are appreciated but, of course, optional. We look forward to enjoying our fourth season with you! Visit our Concerts page for more performance information.
