Welcome to LA's COMMUNITY BAROQUE ORCHESTRA! Join us at our early music lab for community, professional and student musicians.
Los Angeles Baroque (LAB) is LA's only community baroque orchestra, directed by violinist Lindsey Strand-Polyak.
Interested in playing in LAB? Who is LAB for?
Musicians ages 16 to 86! We welcome professional players who want to study historical performance practices, students who want to explore music of the Baroque era, pre-professionals looking for playing/performance experience and amateur musicians eager to play. Basically, if you like (or think you might like) old music, join us!
Started in 2016 by founding artistic directors Alexa Haynes-Pilon and Lindsey Strand-Polyak, 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 typically 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 Programs page to find out more about playing and learning with us.
Next concert! 6th Season opener:
Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 4 PM
at St James' Episcopal Church, South Pasadena
Save the Date!
Words from our audience...
We just returned from Leipzig, where we heard Bach's St. John Passion performed at St. Thomas Church. The performance was done from the balcony, which was behind us. Very historic, but when we craned our necks, we could only see the back of the conductor, not the choir or musicians. Honestly, we thought tonight's LAB concert was much more engaging and enjoyable. —Rhonda Rundle and Michael Thacher
When I lived in upstate New York my husband and I went to the city several times for early music concerts, then when I lived in Washington, DC, I subscribed to the Folger Consort. When I moved to Los Angeles I was bemoaning the shortage of early music in LA until I heard about LAB. Some friends and I attended one of LAB’s concerts and were hooked—the wonderful music, the welcoming and comfortable atmosphere, and the introduction to composers we'd never heard before. A real find, and we're fans forever! —Chris Williams
And from one of our newest members - Tali Rubenstein (recorders):
Thank you so much for a wonderful season! It was an honor to take part, and I'm lucky I got to try out [baroque] music from different perspectives. Thanks for your positive and encouraging energy, and for organizing everything so meticulously! I love making music in such an embracing, kind and inclusive way - it is how the best music is made, I think. I missed playing with people and this has been so uplifting. The group is also so excellent in so many ways. I truly feel part of a family!
#earlymusicLAB
HIGHLIGHTS
June 2022
Let the musical fireworks fly! LAB members take center stage in our final Pop-Up courtyard concert "Almost Famous: A Concerto Concert!" Learn more on our Concerts page. LAB members also participated in our Chamber Challenge program presenting a concert at the John Muir Branch Library in South LA.
April 2022
"Big band" and the LAB Consort Club joined forces for: Alsatian Spring, a Pop-Up concert, on May 1st.
November 2021
LAB kicked off 2021-22 with an outdoor pop-up concert at St James' South Pasadena. Meet a member is back this season — first up, theorbo-player extraordinaire, Ted Stern!
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!
November 2019
Meet Artistic Director Lindsey Strand-Polyak, in conversation with managing director Joan Lounsbery.
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 the beautiful John Muir branch library in South LA.
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.
May 2018
Come Together! — LAB's first consort music workshop — was held on May 28, 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.