Behind Abel: The Dream Gallery‘s outstanding voices was the La Brea Sinfonietta conducted by Sharon Lavery!
Sharon Lavery
Sharon Lavery’s extensive career has led her to conduct in preeminent concert halls across the United States, including Carnegie Hall in New York City. Currently, she serves as resident conductor of the Thornton Symphony, Chamber Orchestra and Wind Ensemble at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. This position has allowed her to collaborate with such renowned conductors as H. Robert Reynolds, Carl St.Clair, Michael Tilson Thomas and John Williams, just to name a few. She has led the USC Thornton ensembles in concert on many occasions and, for seven years, served as music director of the Thornton Concert Orchestra. In addition to these duties at USC Thornton, Lavery teaches instrumental conducting classes.
Outside of USC, Lavery enjoys a distinguished career both locally and internationally. Since December 2007 she has been music director of the professional Downey Symphony Orchestra (CA), and since 2004 has held the post of cover conductor for the Pacific Symphony Orchestra of Orange County (CA). She has led the La Jolla Symphony in concert, served as assistant conductor to the Pasadena Symphony and as cover conductor to the San Diego Symphony, and for many years was associate conductor of the Herbert Zipper Orchestra of Los Angeles. Previously, Lavery served as music director of the MUSE International Music Day festival in Chiba, Japan. Performances of works she has conducted—both orchestra and wind ensemble—are frequently aired on the largest non-profit classical music station in the country, Classical KUSC (91.5).
Hailing from Ossining, New York, Lavery received her bachelor of music education degree from Michigan State University and master of music in clarinet performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. She also earned a master of music in orchestral conducting from USC Thornton, receiving the Leonard Bernstein Memorial Scholarship for two consecutive years.
The Dream Gallery: Seven California Portraits
Mark Abel
Artists: Mary Jaeb; David Marshman; Janelle DeStefano; Delaney Gibson; Carver Cossey; Martha Jane Weaver; Tom Zohar; La Brea Sinfonietta; Sharon Lavery (conductor)
The New California Classical?
Paul McCartney’s tried it; Elvis Costello, too. So have Sting, Peter Gabriel, and even Leonard Bernstein. But a maverick California composer named Mark Abel has created what may be the most elegant and persuasive attempt yet to marry classical and rock. So get ready for a unique and powerful listening experience.
“Well, this is quite the unique piece of art that just might succeed where others have failed. A former New York/New Jersey music producer from 30 years ago since decamped to journalism in San Francisco, Abel ventures into song cycle territory with classical overtones painting his portrait of California. With the pop shadings of Andy Webber, the art rock sensibilities of David Ackles, a certain Broadway theatricality and chops that let him know how to get where he wants to go, the result is an ambitious work that doesn’t fail in making you sit up and pay attention. A must hear kind of date for those looking or a cinematic listening experience, Abel hits it out of the park ands slays others who have tried harder and had a longer reach to waste. Killer stuff.” — Midwest Record
Listen to an excerpt from Helen (Los Angeles) in the new Delos Radio Track:
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