The Music Center's Walt Disney Concert Hall
Designed by architect Frank Gehry, The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall (Concert Hall) opened in 2003 as the newest of The Music Center’s four venues. The Concert Hall was conceived when Lillian B. Disney made an initial gift of $50 million to build an additional performance space on Los Angeles County land in honor of her late husband Walt Disney and his dedication to the arts. Home to LA Phil and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Walt Disney Concert Hall is one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world and provides both visual and aural intimacy through its exterior and interior design.
More than 6,000 panels create the curving stainless steel skin of the Concert Hall’s exterior. Resembling silver sails, the Concert Hall’s design plays off the bowed cornice of The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, forging a link between the old and the new.
The use of natural materials and skylights creates a bright and airy interior in the Concert Hall. Gehry’s team visualized the lobby as a transparent and light-filled “living room for the city.” Massive columns within the lobby structure evoke an image of tree trunks. They are clad in vertical grain Douglas fir and serve the functional purpose of housing the lighting, heating and air conditioning systems.
The 2,265-seat auditorium is a concrete box that is structurally independent of the rest of the building. Gehry collaborated with renowned acoustician Dr. Yasuhisa Toyota to design the acoustics. The walls of the auditorium are vertical grain Douglas fir and the floor is red oak. The stage is Alaskan yellow cedar, the same wood often used on the backs of cellos and violas and can be configured to hold larger performing organizations by removing the first rows in Orchestra View. Natural light enhances daytime concerts with a large 36-foot-high rear window and skylights.
The terraced vineyard style seating is designed to bring the audience close to the orchestra and provide an intimate view of the musicians and conductor from any seat. A focal point for the auditorium is the 50-foot organ that houses 6,134 pipes ranging in size from a pencil to a telephone pole. Only two percent of the pipes are visible. The organ weighs more than 40 metric tons and was designed by Los Angeles organ designer Manuel Rosales along with Frank Gehry.
Gehry’s design includes details as specific as the carpet pattern used in the auditorium. Named “Lillian” in Mrs. Disney’s honor, the pattern was designed to bring Mrs. Disney’s garden into the Concert Hall and is featured in the seating upholstery as well. Foam padding, the material and the hollow underside of the seats mimic the human body in reflecting sound; in fact, the sound is the same no matter how full or how empty the auditorium. The only piece of art in the Concert Hall, “Blue”, was created by Los Angeles artist Peter Alexander. It is located above the Grand Avenue staircase between the Garden and Terrace levels.
The Concert Hall includes BP Hall, which is an additional space for performances and can accommodate up to 350 people. Clad in vertical grain Douglas fir as well, the curved room posed an acoustical challenge. To avoid focusing sound in one area of the space, perforations were added to the wood paneling with special material placed behind the panels to give the room proper acoustics.
Located on the second floor of the Concert Hall is the Library of Congress/Ira Gershwin Gallery. Designed by Hodgetts + Fung Design Associates, the gallery was made possible by a gift from the Ira and Leonore Gershwin Trust for the Benefit of the Library of Congress and rotates its collection bi-annually.
The Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT), named in honor of Walt Disney’s brother and partner Roy and Roy’s wife, Edna, is also housed within the Concert Hall. An interdisciplinary contemporary arts center, the theatre is programmed by CalArts, based in Valencia, California. REDCAT features a flexible 200- to 270-seat multi-use theatre and a 3,000 square-foot exhibition space. Its entrance includes a marquee of curvilinear stainless steel and leads directly into an expansive multi-use space that includes a lobby and lounge for meetings, receptions and post-performance events. The REDCAT stage can be transformed into several configurations, from thrust and end stage to completely in the round. The performance space is lined with hinged panels, each with finished wood on one side and sound-absorbent material on the other. To quiet outside noise and prevent transmission of vibrations from the Concert Hall, REDCAT is built as a steel box-within-a box, with the interior box floating on 72 special rubber pads.
Featured at Walt Disney Concert Hall
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Wed Apr 24 8:00 PM
LA Phil Yefim Bronfman
Walt Disney Concert Hall
With a repertoire few can match, the formidable Yefim Bronfman showcases his seemingly infinite range on the piano.
With a repertoire few can match, the formidable Yefim Bronfman showcases his seemingly infinite range on the piano.
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Fri Apr 26 8:00 PM
Sun Apr 28 2:00 PM
LA Phil Bartók and Mozart
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Inon Barnatan is “a true poet of the keyboard: refined, searching, unfailingly communicative” (The Evening Standard). Effortlessly sailing through its melodic yet meticulous runs, Barnatan demonstrates why No. 25 ranks among Mozart’s top ...Show More
Inon Barnatan is “a true poet of the keyboard: refined, searching, unfailingly communicative” (The Evening Standard). Effortlessly sailing through its melodic yet meticulous runs, Barnatan demonstrates why No. 25 ranks among Mozart’s top piano concertos. Karina Canellakis leads Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, universally praised for its thematic dominance, enhanced by shimmering harps and winds, a wistful folk-like intermezzo from the strings, and a spontaneous fugue and fanfare led by the brass.
Please note that Nicola Benedetti, who was previously scheduled to perform Brahms’ Violin Concerto during the Bartók and Brahms program (now titled Bartók and Mozart), has withdrawn from her LA Phil engagement as she is expecting her first child. She will be replaced by Inon Barnatan, who will perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25.
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Tue Apr 30 8:00 PM
LA Phil Pan-American New Music
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Season three of this musical celebration features members of the LA Phil highlighting the music of Costa Rica and Mexico, with two world premieres showcasing the artistry and invention of music across borders.
Season three of this musical celebration features members of the LA Phil highlighting the music of Costa Rica and Mexico, with two world premieres showcasing the artistry and invention of music across borders.
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Wed May 01 8:00 PM
LA Phil Víkingur Ólafsson
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Víkingur Ólafsson performs the 75,000+ notes of Bach’s Goldberg Variations with “a complete show of mastery and virtuosity” (Bachtrack).
Víkingur Ólafsson performs the 75,000+ notes of Bach’s Goldberg Variations with “a complete show of mastery and virtuosity” (Bachtrack).
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Thu May 02 8:00 PM
Sun May 05 2:00 PM
LA Phil Dudamel Leads Beethoven and Strauss
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil lead Strauss’ Don Quixote, an epic tone poem that pits the infamous “Man of La Mancha” against a flurry of windmills and wizards, featuring LA Phil Principal Cello and Principal Viola Robert deMaine and Ten...Show More
Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil lead Strauss’ Don Quixote, an epic tone poem that pits the infamous “Man of La Mancha” against a flurry of windmills and wizards, featuring LA Phil Principal Cello and Principal Viola Robert deMaine and Teng Li as soloists. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 is the composer at the top of his game, a piece that flipped conventional baroque traditions on its head by shining a clear spotlight on the soloist, highlighted here by leading Mozart interpreter Maria João Pires.
This performance is generously supported by the Elaine and Bram Goldsmith Great Artists Fund and the Valerie Franklin Baroque Music Fund.
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Tue May 07 8:00 PM
LA Phil Beethoven and Schumann
Walt Disney Concert Hall
From string quartets and piano trios to wind quintets or a brass ensemble, chamber music concerts feature members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing in small groups, creating an intimate and compelling concert experience. Come early and en...Show More
From string quartets and piano trios to wind quintets or a brass ensemble, chamber music concerts feature members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing in small groups, creating an intimate and compelling concert experience. Come early and enjoy a glass of wine on us to complete the perfect night out.
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Thu May 09 8:00 PM
Sun May 12 2:00 PM
LA Phil Dvořák and Ortiz with Dudamel
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Filled with drama, sweet longing, and unforgettable melodies evoking an American landscape seen through an immigrant’s eyes, Dvořák’s Ninth has become one of the most popular and performed symphonies. But both in recent performances and recordings...Show More
Filled with drama, sweet longing, and unforgettable melodies evoking an American landscape seen through an immigrant’s eyes, Dvořák’s Ninth has become one of the most popular and performed symphonies. But both in recent performances and recordings, Gustavo Dudamel has been praised for “[jolting] the familiar score with vitality and imagination” (The New York Times). When Spanish violinist María Dueñas premiered the concerto Ortiz wrote for her, the Los Angeles Times wrote that “a star was born,” praising her musical depth and effortless virtuosity. Dueñas teams up with Dudamel once more for an encore performance of Ortiz’s Altar de cuerda.
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Tue Mar 05 12:00 PM
Sat May 04 12:00 PM
A TMC Arts Program: Digital Innovation Initiative The Music Center Presents Music off the Wall
Jerry Moss Plaza & Plaza Gallery
For the first time in its 60-year history, The Music Center transforms Jerry Moss Plaza into an interactive augmented reality gallery featuring 16 digital artworks, with accompanying music, brought to life through visitors’ smartphones. This free ...Show More
For the first time in its 60-year history, The Music Center transforms Jerry Moss Plaza into an interactive augmented reality gallery featuring 16 digital artworks, with accompanying music, brought to life through visitors’ smartphones. This free AR exhibit in the heart of DTLA showcases local and global artists and their captivating creations.
Show LessFree
Learn MoreFree
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Thu Apr 25 4:00 PM
A TMC Arts Program: Arts Grown L.A. The Music Center and City of Lynwood Present DIAVOLO - Architecture in Motion
Henning Youth Center, Lynwood, CA
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Seen by over 95 million people on America's Got Talent, the fearless, athleti...Show More
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Seen by over 95 million people on America's Got Talent, the fearless, athletic daredevils of DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion® are even more mesmerizing live and in person. Using benches, doors and ladders, the company builds appreciation for movement by breaking down barriers to dance.
Show LessFree
Learn MoreFree
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Tue Apr 02 8:00 PM
Sun Apr 28 1:00 PM
Center Theatre Group Funny Girl
Ahmanson Theatre
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direct...Show More
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer, this love letter to the theatre has the whole shebang!
The sensational Broadway revival dazzles with celebrated classic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.
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Tue Apr 02 8:00 PM
Sun Apr 28 1:00 PM
Center Theatre Group Funny Girl
Ahmanson Theatre
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direct...Show More
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer, this love letter to the theatre has the whole shebang!
The sensational Broadway revival dazzles with celebrated classic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.
Show Less
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Fri Apr 26 8:00 PM
Sun Apr 28 2:00 PM
LA Phil Bartók and Mozart
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Inon Barnatan is “a true poet of the keyboard: refined, searching, unfailingly communicative” (The Evening Standard). Effortlessly sailing through its melodic yet meticulous runs, Barnatan demonstrates why No. 25 ranks among Mozart’s top ...Show More
Inon Barnatan is “a true poet of the keyboard: refined, searching, unfailingly communicative” (The Evening Standard). Effortlessly sailing through its melodic yet meticulous runs, Barnatan demonstrates why No. 25 ranks among Mozart’s top piano concertos. Karina Canellakis leads Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, universally praised for its thematic dominance, enhanced by shimmering harps and winds, a wistful folk-like intermezzo from the strings, and a spontaneous fugue and fanfare led by the brass.
Please note that Nicola Benedetti, who was previously scheduled to perform Brahms’ Violin Concerto during the Bartók and Brahms program (now titled Bartók and Mozart), has withdrawn from her LA Phil engagement as she is expecting her first child. She will be replaced by Inon Barnatan, who will perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25.
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Tue Mar 05 12:00 PM
Sat May 04 12:00 PM
A TMC Arts Program: Digital Innovation Initiative The Music Center Presents Music off the Wall
Jerry Moss Plaza & Plaza Gallery
For the first time in its 60-year history, The Music Center transforms Jerry Moss Plaza into an interactive augmented reality gallery featuring 16 digital artworks, with accompanying music, brought to life through visitors’ smartphones. This free ...Show More
For the first time in its 60-year history, The Music Center transforms Jerry Moss Plaza into an interactive augmented reality gallery featuring 16 digital artworks, with accompanying music, brought to life through visitors’ smartphones. This free AR exhibit in the heart of DTLA showcases local and global artists and their captivating creations.
Show LessFree
Learn MoreFree
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Tue Apr 02 8:00 PM
Sun Apr 28 1:00 PM
Center Theatre Group Funny Girl
Ahmanson Theatre
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direct...Show More
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer, this love letter to the theatre has the whole shebang!
The sensational Broadway revival dazzles with celebrated classic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.
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Sat Apr 06 7:30 PM
Sat Apr 27 7:30 PM
LA Opera La Traviata
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Violetta Valéry is the queen of Parisian nightlife for now, but she knows that life in the fast lane can't last forever. The arrival of a fresh-faced suitor offers her an unexpected taste of true love, until society’s disapproval threatens to tear...Show More
Violetta Valéry is the queen of Parisian nightlife for now, but she knows that life in the fast lane can't last forever. The arrival of a fresh-faced suitor offers her an unexpected taste of true love, until society’s disapproval threatens to tear them apart.
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Tue Apr 02 8:00 PM
Sun Apr 28 1:00 PM
Center Theatre Group Funny Girl
Ahmanson Theatre
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direct...Show More
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer, this love letter to the theatre has the whole shebang!
The sensational Broadway revival dazzles with celebrated classic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.
Show Less -
Tue Apr 02 8:00 PM
Sun Apr 28 1:00 PM
Center Theatre Group Funny Girl
Ahmanson Theatre
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direct...Show More
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer, this love letter to the theatre has the whole shebang!
The sensational Broadway revival dazzles with celebrated classic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.
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Sat Apr 27 12:00 PM
A TMC Arts Program: Arts Grown L.A. The Music Center and West Athens Victory Garden Present Jazz It Up! With Dr. Bobby Rodriguez
West Athens Victory Garden, 10500 S Normandie Ave. Los Angeles 90044
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Experience the arts in your local community! Our Arts Grown L.A. program brings Music Center Performing Artists to communities and libraries all over L.A. County.
Show LessFree
Learn MoreFree
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Sat Apr 20 10:00 AM
Sat Apr 27 10:00 AM
A TMC Arts Program Gloria Molina Grand Park's Easy Mornings
Gloria Molina Grand Park
Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Easy Mornings offers a calm start to the weekend with relaxing and family-friendly activities for all ages focused on deepening relationships with self, community and the Park. This free four-hour public program...Show More
Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Easy Mornings offers a calm start to the weekend with relaxing and family-friendly activities for all ages focused on deepening relationships with self, community and the Park. This free four-hour public program highlights arts and culture, educational and creative programs, and community health, offering Angelenos ways to experience joyful and creative opportunities to deepen relationships with family, community, parks and their playful selves as well as ways to support local small businesses.
Easy Mornings welcomes the return of the mini maker’s market featuring Los Angeles-based small businesses and nonprofits with activities to inspire children of all ages, adults, families and caregivers to think big. Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Easy Mornings is co-curated in partnership with Streetlet, an opportunity-matching and growth engine for small business owners and makers.
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Learn MoreFree
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Sat Apr 27 11:00 AM
A TMC Arts Program The Music Center's Very Special Arts Festival: Family Day
Jerry Moss Plaza
Join the fun at The Music Center’s Very Special Arts Festival Family Day! This free, inclusive one-day festival is perfect for children of all abilities and their families and a great way to spend a Saturday. Hosted in Downtown L.A. on Je...Show More
Join the fun at The Music Center’s Very Special Arts Festival Family Day! This free, inclusive one-day festival is perfect for children of all abilities and their families and a great way to spend a Saturday. Hosted in Downtown L.A. on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center, the Very Special Arts Festival Family Day celebrates the artist in all of us.
From free performances to family-friendly art making activities, this special event is an opportunity to experience the arts and explore your creativity!
Show LessFree
Learn MoreFree
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Tue Mar 05 12:00 PM
Sat May 04 12:00 PM
A TMC Arts Program: Digital Innovation Initiative The Music Center Presents Music off the Wall
Jerry Moss Plaza & Plaza Gallery
For the first time in its 60-year history, The Music Center transforms Jerry Moss Plaza into an interactive augmented reality gallery featuring 16 digital artworks, with accompanying music, brought to life through visitors’ smartphones. This free ...Show More
For the first time in its 60-year history, The Music Center transforms Jerry Moss Plaza into an interactive augmented reality gallery featuring 16 digital artworks, with accompanying music, brought to life through visitors’ smartphones. This free AR exhibit in the heart of DTLA showcases local and global artists and their captivating creations.
Show LessFree
Learn MoreFree
-
Fri Apr 26 8:00 PM
Sun Apr 28 2:00 PM
LA Phil Bartók and Mozart
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Inon Barnatan is “a true poet of the keyboard: refined, searching, unfailingly communicative” (The Evening Standard). Effortlessly sailing through its melodic yet meticulous runs, Barnatan demonstrates why No. 25 ranks among Mozart’s top ...Show More
Inon Barnatan is “a true poet of the keyboard: refined, searching, unfailingly communicative” (The Evening Standard). Effortlessly sailing through its melodic yet meticulous runs, Barnatan demonstrates why No. 25 ranks among Mozart’s top piano concertos. Karina Canellakis leads Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, universally praised for its thematic dominance, enhanced by shimmering harps and winds, a wistful folk-like intermezzo from the strings, and a spontaneous fugue and fanfare led by the brass.
Please note that Nicola Benedetti, who was previously scheduled to perform Brahms’ Violin Concerto during the Bartók and Brahms program (now titled Bartók and Mozart), has withdrawn from her LA Phil engagement as she is expecting her first child. She will be replaced by Inon Barnatan, who will perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25.
Show Less
Tour The Music Center Campus
Free tours are available of all The Music Center's theaters.