Out West Arts: Performance at the end of the world

Conductor David Afkham Photo: Horschülr für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar

Now here’s some exciting news. The Los Angeles Philharmonic has just announced that David Afkham will be the last minute replacement for Jaap van Zweden in this weekend’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Prokofiev's Sinfonia concertante. Afkham has won a number of big conducting programs including the inaugural 2010 Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award. He’s a protégé of Valery Gergiev and has worked as Assistant Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra since 2007. The 28-year-old German maestro is in town conducting some of the Toyota Symphonies for Youth programs and was tagged to fill in for this previously scheduled program as well. Word is that he’s the next big thing and in a twist, actually has the talent to back it up, so his mainstage appearance should be worth seeing.

Labels: LA Philharmonic 10/11