In Sunday’s (4/17) San Diego Union-Tribune, James Chute writes, “You had to wonder what the La Jolla Music Society would do for an encore after bringing the renowned Vienna Philharmonic to San Diego this year. With today’s announcement of the 2011-12 season, the answer is clear: Present three of America’s ‘Big Five’ orchestras—Chicago, New York and Cleveland—with their music directors. ‘The orchestra series is the star in our crown,’ said Christopher Beach, president and artistic director of the La Jolla Music Society. Even if the membership of the ‘Big Five,’ which dates back to the 1960s and includes Boston and Philadelphia, has been argued for decades, few would question the primacy of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which performs at Copley Symphony Hall on Feb. 19 with its new music director, Riccardo Muti. … The Cleveland Orchestra (No. 7 in Gramophone) performs at Copley on April 20 with its music director, Franz Welser-Möst; and the New York Philharmonic (No. 12) performs May 15 with [music director] Alan Gilbert.”
Posted April 21, 2011
