Pasadena Symphony

Before guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen marks her historic Pasadena Symphony debut with a program that features Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, Grammy award-winning violinist James Ehnes showers the crowd with pulled and stuttered notes in a virtuosic performance of Korngold’s Violin Concerto. Having performed in more than 30 countries and appeared with some of the world’s most renowned orchestras, Ehnes tugs sonic rainbows from his stringed companion in a solo work that earned him Grammy, Juno, and Western Canadian Music awards. Captive audiences seated in Section B will have precious little time to slingshot their rose bouquets onto the stage before Mei-Ann Chen claims her place as the first woman to conduct the Pasadena Symphony’s assemblage of gifted musicians from the motion-picture industry.