Pianist O'Riley to appear with New West Symphony

Christopher O'Riley

Pianist Christopher O'Riley will perform with the New West Symphony for the fourth Masterpiece Series concert of the 200607 season. The concert is at 8 p.m. Sat., Jan. 20 at the Countrywide Performing Arts Center, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

The program will include "The Moldau" No. 2 from "Ma Vlast" by Bedich Smetana, Alexander Borodin's Symphony No. 2 in B Minor and Johannes Brahms' Concerto No. 1 in D Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 15.

New West Symphony music director Boris Brott will conduct. O'Riley will be the soloist for the Brahms' Piano Concerto.

An award-winning pianist O'Riley has performed with major orchestras throughout the United States and Europe. In addition to the standard repertoire, he regularly performs works of contemporary composers in concert and on recordings.

Known for his transcriptions for piano of the music of the pop group Radio Head, he is also host of NPR's classical music program, "From the Top." O'Riley last appeared with the New West Symphony in May of 2004.

Complete program notes for this concert are available on request or online at www. newwestsymphony.org.

Tickets priced from $20 to $88 are available by phone at (800) 639-9378.

Tickets are also available in person at the New West Symphony office, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and at the concert hall box office during regular business hours. Tickets are also available through the symphony website at www.newwestsymphony.org.

Pre-concert discussions known as informances, led by music raconteur Charles McDermott and joined by members of the orchestra, begin at 7 p.m. on concert nights. Informances are free and open to ticket holders for the evening's performance.