L.A. Master Chorale

It was gratifying to read Martin Bernheimer’s favorable comments about the recent performance of Mozart’s Requiem and “Ave verum corpus” motet by 48 members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Gerard Schwarz as part of a memorial concert on the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s death (“Schwarz’s Mozart for the Masses,” Dec. 7).

What Bernheimer did not mention, and may not know, is that the Master Chorale prepared its superb performance in only one piano rehearsal and only one rehearsal with the orchestra, something only a chorus of true professionals could accomplish.

This drastic limitation of rehearsal time was agreed to between Chorale and Philharmonic management because of the difficult budget situation faced by the Philharmonic during the recession. Chorale agreement was the only way to avoid replacement by an out-of-town, non-professional community chorus.

The American Guild of Musical Artists hopes that Southern California audiences will realize their great good fortune in having resident at the Music Center one of the finest professional concert choruses in the world--the Los Angeles Master Chorale--and will support it at the box office.

BURMAN S. TIMBERLAKE

Inglewood

Chair, Southern California

Executive Committee

Member, National Board

of Governors

American Guild of Musical Artists