DOWNTOWN — The Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra is back in action.
After announcing that it would have to cancel its 2012-13 season because of a need to reorganize and raise funds, the Santa Monica Symphony Association this week announced that it will produce three concerts, including the annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.
The association also announced the hiring of Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist/conductor Guido Lamell as the orchestra's new music director. The Santa Monica resident received his master's degree in violin performance and conducting from the University of Michigan and has served as associate concertmaster of the Louisville Orchestra and concertmaster of the Mexico City Philharmonic.
The first performance of the resurrected season is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Barnum Hall on the campus of Santa Monica High School. The program features the "Egmont Overture" by Beethoven, "Variations on a Theme of Haydn" by Brahms, and "Scheherazade" by Rimsky-Korsakov.
The second concert will be held on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 3:30 p.m. at the SGI Auditorium on Wilshire Boulevard in honor of the civil rights leader King.
The third concert is scheduled for May 25 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. It is being billed as a tribute to the Civic, which is projected to close in June of 2013. Since the inception of the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra 68 years ago, the majority of their concerts have been held at the Civic Auditorium.
The association's goal is present admission-free concerts and this will continue, officials said.
Those who wish to support the orchestra can donate by visiting www.smsymphony.org/index.html or by calling (310) 395-6330.
kevinh@www.smdp.com
