From the moment the Debbie and Friends band launches into their first song, “I’m Glad You’re Here,” the children in the crowd understand their role: to participate, sing, dance, jump and interact with the Debbie and Friends band. As the lyrics suggest, “you’re part of the show.” From that high-energy opener to the ecstatic ending, the pacing of a Debbie and Friends show perfectly aligns with the attention spans of their young audience. They’ll rock out and get the kids dancing in a theatre-sized conga line, and then they’ll bring them down gently to relax and engage in more attentive ways. Drawing heavily from fairytales that kids will already be familiar with, Debbie and Friends presents enough lyrical updates to keep these stories fresh, and to keep everybody tuned in and laughing, including the parents! Debbie and Friends has been honored with 25 national awards including the 2011 Grammy Award for their part on the Best Children’s Album that year with their anti-bullying song, “Walk Away.” 

We explore “Romantic Riches” with music by Mendelssohn (two movements of his beautiful Psalm 42) and Brahms – the great motets “Nanie” and “Schicksalslied” (Song of the Fates). Neither Mendelssohn nor Brahms ever wrote a musical line that was not wonderful to sing; these works explore the eternal quest for meaning and reassurance in the midst of the uncertainties of the human condition. In addition, we will revisit his “Four Songs for Women’s Chorus, Two Horns and Harp”( Vier Gesange), the epitome of Romantic expression.

The youngest cellist to win a Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, 24-year-old Zlatomir Fung enjoys a busy and varied international career. His appearances with renowned orchestras have showcased canon works and new commissions, demonstrating the breadth of his technique and musical insight.

Fung, a passionate film fan, has chosen works that conjure iconic moments from opera and screen, including a new fantasia on Bizet’s Carmen, written for him by Marshall Estrin.

Program Details:
Johannes Brahms | Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108, arr. for cello and piano
Justin Dello Joio | Due Per Due for cello and piano
Bernard Herrmann | “Scène d’amour” from Vertigo, arr. Zlatomir Fung
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | “Lensky’s Aria” from Eugene Onegin, arr. Mikhail Bukinik
Marshall Estrin | Fantasia Carmen, for cello and piano

Join us for a rare opportunity to experience a special Concert Hall collab with three Grammy-winning jazz artists who rarely tour together.

One of the most lyrical voices of contemporary jazz piano, Brad Mehldau’s unique path embodies the essence of jazz exploration, classical romanticism and pop allure. He has worked with artists including Pat Metheny, Renée Fleming, and Joshua Redman, and garnered awards and admiration for his own compositions and re-workings of songs by The Beatles, Cole Porter, Radiohead, Paul Simon, and George Gershwin.

Bassist, composer, and bandleader Christian McBride fronts acclaimed ensembles including Inside Straight and The Christian McBride Big Band. From a kaleidoscope of jazz styles to R&B, and pop/rock, Latin, and hip-hop/neo-soul to classical, McBride’s expansive skills have produced nine Grammy awards. In addition, he is Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz Festival, Creative Chair for Jazz with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and hosts National Public Radio’s Jazz Night in America.

Drummer and composer Marcus Gilmore – grandson of iconic drummer Roy Haynes – can be heard on the soundtrack for the film “Soul.” He has worked with Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Robert Glasper, Vijay Iyer, Derrick Hodge, Jill Scott, Norah Jones, Terrence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, and Terrace Martin.

Dweezil Zappa was born on September 5, 1969, in Los Angeles, the son of the iconic musician Frank Zappa. Over the past three decades, Dweezil has carved out an eclectic and illustrious career that spans music, television, film, and entrepreneurship.

A Grammy-winning guitarist, Dweezil has left an indelible mark on the music industry with over 2000 concerts performed worldwide. Known for his masterful performances and deep connection to his father’s music, he’s returning to concert stages in 2024 for the first time since the 2020 Hot Ratz Live! Tour, continuing to guide fans through the thrilling and sophisticated world of his father’s music. 

His virtuosity on the guitar is matched only by his prolific compositional skills, which have generated numerous original works spanning multiple albums including “Confessions of Deprived Youth” (1991) and “Via Zammata” (2015). Notably, his compositions have even been performed by a 100-piece orchestra in Holland, showcasing his versatility and command of orchestral arrangements. His music effortlessly traverses genres, seamlessly weaving together elements of rock, fusion, and experimental sounds, all while maintaining a signature style that is unmistakably his own. In addition to his solo work, Dweezil has collaborated with an impressively varied roster of artists, including Edward Van Halen, Deep Purple, Lisa Loeb, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Steve Vai, among others.