By Ted AYALA When Taiwanese-born conductor Mei-Ann Chen last appeared on the Ambassador Auditorium’s stage, she left an indelible impression in Pasadena. Delivering a rousing, square-jawed Tchaikovsky 5th that left audiences cheering and people speculating that the Pasadena Symphony’s search for a permanent music director – currently its season operates under a rotating roster of […]
The streets will be closed but welcoming arms open to the crowds expected for the annual German celebration. By Ted AYALA If you’ve made a commitment to eating right after gorging yourself on Labor Day, you may want to consider taking a break this Saturday because Oktoberfest is returning to Montrose on Oct. 6. From […]
By Ted AYALA Steve Zurn, the city’s newly appointed head of Glendale Water & Power (GWP), wasted no time in tackling the problems the utility faces. Zurn explained to the GWP Commission at its Monday meeting how he will seek to restructure the agency in order to stave off the budget gap it faces. “To […]
By Ted AYALA There were moments of poignancy, but no tears. Only smiles, laughter and the shared delight of audience and musicians alike in good music – no mournful elegies here. The Pasadena Symphony and Pops’ tribute concert on Saturday evening on the steps of Pasadena’s City Hall gathered several hundred music lovers to honor, […]
By Ted AYALA At Camerata Pacifica’s inauguration of its 23rd season at Zipper Hall last Thursday, audiences were welcomed not with a tepid, toe-dip into the musical waters, easing some of their listeners into the organization’s always lively programming. Rather, artistic director Adrian Spence and friends cheerfully dunked their audience into an aural experience that […]
By Ted AYALA Smokers looking to take a puff of their nicotine fix in the comfort of their own apartments may want to light up as much as they can for the time being. Glendale City Council voted Tuesday to look further into drawing up an ordinance that would create smoking-free areas in existing apartment […]
By Ted AYALA Four months after being named interim general manager of Glendale Water & Power (GWP), Steve Zurn was appointed to the post on a permanent basis by the Glendale City Council on Tuesday. Zurn assumed the position in May after the resignation of former general manager Glenn Steiger. Previously he had been the […]
By Ted AYALA The Dilijan Chamber Series will return to its home in Zipper Hall in Los Angeles for an eighth season beginning Sept. 30. Dilijan is opening its season after winning success and acclaim for its summer Dilijan Festival in Armenia in June. The eight concerts presented then were met with high praise and […]
By Ted AYALA The sudden death of composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch last month reverberated not only in musical circles across the country, but hit particularly hard in the local music scene. At the time of his death Hamlisch had been the Pasadena Pops’ music director and had just signed a three-year extension to his […]
By Ted AYALA Capital improvements to the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale were saved after the city’s Oversight Board for the Redevelopment Successor Agency voted during its meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 22. The board also approved to ensure the survival of the Museum of Neon Art and a parking structure for the as-yet unbuilt Laemmle […]