Best of 2001: Best Opportunity To Hear Young Classical Musicians

La Jolla Chamber Music Society's Discovery Series
Sherwood Auditorium, La Jolla
858-459-3728

To most concertgoers, the performers in the La Jolla Chamber Music Society's "Discovery Series" have been relatively unknown. Of next season's musicians, how many among us have heard of Icelandic violinist Judith Ingolfsson (November 11), the Kungsbacka Piano Trio (December 16), or Romanian tenor Marius Brenciu (April 21)? Devotees of the Society's SummerFest will remember the Amelia Piano Trio (February 3) as a workshop ensemble-in-residence last summer, but that has so far been their only appearance in San Diego. The only name likely to evoke a wider local recognition is that of cellist Felix Fan (March 24), who grew up in La Jolla, has often performed here, and himself directs one of our most interesting music series (Muzik3). Previous editions of the Discovery Series have proved that name recognition is not a prerequisite to an exciting musical experience. The performers have all been trained professional musicians with busy careers, and because they are young and still have their reputations to make, they seem to try harder to choose stimulating programs, to communicate with the audience, and to throw themselves into the music they perform as though their whole future depended on the success of this one concert. If you don't recognize their names as you go into Sherwood Auditorium on those Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p.m., you certainly will remember them as you come out. Furthermore, this is one of the cheapest high-quality series in town: the five-concert subscription is $75 (and -- amazingly -- only $25 for full-time students). The tickets may be cut-rate, but the performances are anything but.