There are dozens of cultural events programmed at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in 2023. Whether you are looking for sensational guest artists, classical and jazz ensemble concerts, symposia & talks, music festivals, or music from all our global traditions, we have an exciting array of free events for you to attend.
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Guest Artists & Faculty Performers
Latinx Storytellers, Presented by Michael Hernandez, Tuesday, Jan 10, 8:00 p.m., Lani Hall
This new program of works for soprano saxophone will feature the voices of Latinx artists, their stories, their art, and the stories of artists who inspire them. The program includes four pieces written specifically for saxophonist Michael Hernandez, including two world premieres. There will be a masterclass preceding the recital at Schoenberg Hall 1344 at 3:00 pm.
Aperture Duo Residency Concert, Wednesday & Thursday, Jan 18-19, 6:00 p.m., Ostin Ensemble Room
The first concert will feature student compositions written specifically for Aperture Duo, and the second concert will feature faculty works and compositions by Aperture Duo.
Music and Justice performance featuring Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice and world premiere compositions, Sunday, Feb 26, 4:00 p.m., Royce Hall
Dave Brubeck’s three sons will perform—for the first time, together—Brubeck’s monumental cantata The Gates of Justice. Written by Brubeck after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., the work was designed to reflect upon and heal rifts between Black and Jewish communities. Presented by the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience, this concert will also include world premieres by UCLA faculty members Arturo O’Farrill and Dr. Diane White-Clayton. Among the featured soloists will be India Carney, UCLA alum and finalist on The Voice.
A pre-concert discussion with Darius Brubeck, Wall Street Journal critic Larry Blumenfield, and Arturo O’Farrill will be held at Schoenberg Hall at 2:00 p.m.
Second performance: Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice and world premiere compositions, Tuesday, Feb 28, 7:30 p.m., Holman United Methodist Church
Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice will be performed at the historic Holman United Methodist Church, preceded by a program featuring world premieres and contemporary compositions.
Lisa Pegher, percussionist in residency with the UCLA composition area, Friday, Apr 7, 8:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
Lisa Pegher performs works by UCLA composition students. She will also be premiering “Lacrimae Angeli,” written by Richard Danielpour, co-chair of the UCLA Composition area.
Néstor Torres performs jazz flute with the UCLA Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and UCLA Philharmonia, Saturday, April 29, 7:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
Celebrated Puerto Rican flautist Néstor Torres joins the UCLA Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Arturo O’Farrill, and the UCLA Philharmonia, under the direction of Neal Stulberg, for an evening of big band jazz.
Global Jazz Faculty Concert, Saturday, May 6, 7:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
Join the world-class Global Jazz faculty and students for a night of jazz combos, solos, and more.
Ramon Mendez performs in the David L. Abell Piano Recital, Thursday, May 11, 6:30 p.m., Lani Hall
Ramon Mendez has been hailed as the “Spanish pianist of his generation.” Come hear his special recital in the intimate setting of Lani Hall.
Terence Blanchard, Trumpet, Friday, May 12, 7:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
Six-time Grammy winner and two-time Oscar-nominated trumpet player and composer Terence Blanchard takes the stage with students from the Global Jazz program.
Classical & Jazz Ensemble Concerts
18th annual UCLA Philharmonia All-Star Concert, Sunday, Jan 29, 4:00 p.m., Royce Hall
Winners of the All-Star solo competition will perform with the UCLA Philharmonia, the flagship orchestra of The Herb Alpert UCLA School of Music.
Wind Ensemble Winter Concert, Friday, Feb 10th, 8:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
UCLA Wind Ensemble’s first concert of the winter quarter.
Vivaldi in the Rotunda, Friday, Feb 17, 8:00 p.m., Rotunda of the Powell Library
Come hear the evergreen music of Telemann and Vivaldi (yes, including The Four Seasons), performed by students and faculty in the School of Music. The concert is a benefit for The Midnight Mission, an organization providing services for the homeless population in Los Angeles since 1914.
Music and Justice performance featuring Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice and world premiere compositions, Sunday, Feb 26, 4:00 p.m., Royce Hall
Dave Brubeck’s three sons will perform—for the first time, together—Brubeck’s monumental cantata The Gates of Justice. Written by Brubeck after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., the work was designed to reflect upon and heal rifts between Black and Jewish communities. Presented by the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience, this concert will also include world premieres by UCLA faculty members Arturo O’Farrill and Dr. Diane White-Clayton. Among the featured soloists will be India Carney, UCLA alum and finalist on The Voice.
A pre-concert discussion with Darius Brubeck, Wall Street Journal critic Larry Blumenfield, and Arturo O’Farrill will be held at Schoenberg Hall at 2:30 p.m.
Second performance: Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice and world premiere compositions, Tuesday, Feb 28, 7:30 p.m., Holman United Methodist Church
Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice will be performed at the historic Holman United Methodist Church, preceded by a program featuring world premieres and contemporary compositions.
Winter Graduate Composers Concert, Wednesday, Mar 1st, 8:00 p.m., Lani Hall
The graduate-level students of the UCLA Department of Music Composition area showcase their latest works. Join us for a variety of creative, unique, and emotive works.
Jazz Combos and Ensembles Concert, Sunday-Tuesday, Mar 5-7, 7:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
3 days of jazz! UCLA student combos and big bands directed by world-class jazz artists will be performing well-known jazz standards, contemporary works, and pop songs, as well as compositions by the faculty directors and the students. (Day 1) (Day 2) (Day 3)
Winter Woodwind Chamber Music Concert, Tuesday, Mar 14, 6:00 p.m., Lani Hall
Spanning the baroque to the contemporary, the Woodwind Chamber Music Concert features over fifty graduate and undergraduate performers in ensembles ranging from duos to octets, highlighting the range and depth of works featuring woodwinds.
Symphony Winter Concert, Thursday, Mar 16, 8:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
UCLA Symphony Orchestra’s winter concert.
Wind Ensemble Winter Concert, Friday, Mar 17, 8:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
UCLA Wind Ensemble’s second and final concert of the winter quarter. They will be joined by the Symphonic Band.
Philharmonia Winter Concert, Saturday, Mar 18th, 4:00 p.m., Royce Hall
UCLA Philharmonia’s second and final concert for the winter quarter. They will be joined by UCLA Chorale and UCLA Chamber Singers.
Philharmonia Spring Concert, Sunday, April 23rd, 4:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
Conductor Jakub Rompcyzk leads the Philharmonia in its first concert of the spring quarter.
Barbara Morrison Tribute Concert, Saturday, April 29, 7:00 p.m., Lani Hall
Barbara Morrison was a jazz legend in Los Angeles, known for her sultry vocals and lively performances. The Grammy nominee was also a community organizer and a long-time UCLA faculty member. Join us for an evening dedicated to her music and her life.
Music and Justice: Symphony No. 6 “Vessels of Light,” Thursday, May 18, 8:00 p.m., Royce Hall
The Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience presents the west coast premiere of Symphony No. 6 “Vessels of Light”, a large symphonic work with music and libretto by Lera Auerbach featuring solo cello, choir, and orchestra commemorating the incredible and singular heroism of Chiune Sugihara. The performance is presented as part of the Center’s Music and Justice series.
Jazz Combos and Ensembles Concert, Monday-Wednesday, May 22-24th, 7:00 p.m.
3 days of jazz! UCLA student combos and big bands directed by world-class jazz artists will be performing well-known jazz standards, contemporary works, and pop songs, as well as compositions by the faculty directors and the students.
UCLA Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band Spring Concert, Wednesday, May 31, 8:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
The premiere wind band of The Herb Alpert UCLA School of Music programs concerts that honor the rich history of the literature and fosters new composers.
QUAKE world premiere by UCLA Opera, on a double bill with Poulenc, June 2, 8:00 p.m., June 3, 2:00 & 800 p.m., June 4, 2:00 p.m., Freud Playhouse at the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television
Opera UCLA presents the third in a series of world premieres of operas by women composers and librettists: QUAKE, by UCLA Professor Kay Rhie, to a libretto by Amanda Hollander. This wry comedy imagines a retelling of the end of the Odyssey with a particularly Los Angeles twist. On a double bill with Francis Poulenc, Les Mamelles de Tirésias (The Breasts of Tirésas).
Symphony Spring Concert, Wednesday, June 7th, 8:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
UCLA Symphony’s final concert for the 2022-23 school year.
Philharmonia Spring Concert, Thursday, June 8th, 8:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
UCLA Philharmonia’s third and final concert for the 2022-23 school year.
Festivals, Symposia, Talks, and Events
From Bread to Money: Musicking, Labor and Work, Wednesday, Jan 25, 1:00 p.m., Room 1230 (Green Room)
Lecture by Sonia Seeman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology In Middle Eastern Studies, The University of Texas at Austin. Part of the Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy Colloquium Series, this lecture will explore issues of musicking as laboring activity through the lens of four Turkish Romani professional musician families from the late 19th century to the present.
Music and Justice Conference, Monday, Feb 27, 9:00 a.m., UCLA Faculty Center
The Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience will host a public conference featuring prominent scholars and experts exploring the historical and cultural connections of Black and Jewish communities in the United States, intimate analyses of Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice, and the contemporary relevance of music to social justice.
Trevor Reed, with Jessica Bissett Perea, deliver the annual Robert U. Nelson Lecture, Thursday, Apr 20, 5:00 p.m., Lani Hall
Musicologists Trevor Reed and Jessica Bissett Perea discuss indigenous North American music.
International Percussion Festival, Saturday, Apr 22nd, 9:00 a.m., Schoenberg Hall
An all-day event featuring a variety of percussion masterclasses, workshops, and an evening performance featuring students and invited artists.
The Naghash Ensemble of Armenia, Thursday, Mar 2, 8:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
The Naghash Ensemble combines the earthy spirituality of Armenian folk songs, new classical music, and contemporary post-minimalism with the energy of rock and jazz.
LGBTQ+ and the Music Industry, a Conversation, May 3, 4:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
A panel of music industry experts will discuss the industry and LGBTQ+ issues.
Day of Armenian Music, Friday, May 26, 12:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
The third annual Day of Armenian Music at UCLA will begin with workshops and “meet the artists” sessions from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., including an outdoor dance workshop. A concert at Schoenberg Hall will feature the UCLA VEM Ensemble, the UCLA Armenian Music Ensemble, composer/pianist Artur Avanesov, and world-renowned guests.
Spring Festival of World Music, Friday-Sunday, June 2-4, 7:00 p.m., Schoenberg Hall
UCLA’s storied Spring Festival of World Music features ensembles from every corner of the world, from Javanese Gamelan to traditional Turkish music, from Persian classical music to African American spirituals, and from Indian sitar to Old Time String Band.