Love Stories

Love Stories

Jun 07, 2025 7:30 PM

RENEW your Classical Subscription here, or Purchase a NEW Classical Subscription starting at just $120.

Individual Tickets will be available soon.

Questions? Call (562) 436-3203 ext. 1

Embark upon this musical journey which recognizes the Symphony’s meaningful relationships and partnerships in Long Beach, including the Cambodian community. This concert is a celebration of who we are. It will open with traditional Cambodian music, the ethereal performances of Cambodian dancers Modern Apsara, and the resounding Pin Peat Ensemble under the guidance of Master Ho.

This carefully curated program unfolds as a tapestry of cultural resonances, an ode to Long Beach’s diverse populace. Chinary Ung’s composition, “Water Rings, Overture,” emerges as a testament to the symbiosis of tradition and innovation, echoing the legacy of his mentor, Chinese-American composer Chou Wen-chung. Ung skillfully intertwines the threads of traditional Cambodian melodies with avant-garde elements, mirroring Wen-chung ‘s groundbreaking fusion with traditional Chinese music in a true cultural convergence. (Many audience members will recall Chinary Ung for Long Beach Symphony’s premiere production of KHMERASPORA.)

The Butterfly Lovers violin concerto, beautifully written as a collaboration by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang will feature guest artist Gao Can on violin.

Concluding this evocative journey (and season) is Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, the same piece that closed Long Beach Symphony (then known as Philharmonic) 1^st season on June 7, 1935! Delving into the depths of Tchaikovsky’s personal tribulations and a poignant expression of the composer’s tumultuous emotional landscape, the symphony unfolds as a powerful narrative that includes the fleeting romance that marked the composer’s tumultuous piece. Not to be understated, it was this piece that Music Director Eckart Preu used for his audition that gained him the prestigious podium with Long Beach Symphony in 2017. This symphony promises to be a grand crescendo, resonating with the transformative evolution of the orchestra under the conductor’s baton.

Audiences will enjoy the Classical Series fun and elegant evening surrounded by the Terrace Theater’s dazzling fountains and fire pits, live ensemble in the lobby, 6:30 PM Pre-Concert Talk to gain greater knowledge regarding the evening programming, and the ability to “Sip & Enjoy” in the concert hall.  Doors open at 6PM.

Get all the PERKS: RENEW your Subscription here, or Purchase a NEW SUBSCRIPTION

Eckart Preu

Eckart Preu, Conductor

Eckart Preu (Eck-art Proy) began his tenure as Music Director of Long Beach Symphony in 2017. Critics, the orchestra, and audiences alike have celebrated his ability to combine well-loved masterworks with rare or newer works in programs offering dimension, sophistication, and spirit. Preu also currently serves as …

Read more...

Gau Can

Gau Can, Violin

Widely recognized as one of the most talented violinists of his generation, Mr. GAO Can enjoys an international career during which he has appeared with major orchestras and at prestigious venues and festivals throughout the world.The orchestras he has collaborated with include the Berlin Symphony …

Read more...

Modern Apsara

Modern Apsara, Dancers

The Modern Apsara Company bridges the modern world to the sacred art of Cambodian classical dance. Through performance, training, and workshops, the Modern Apsara Company honors the legacies of past and current dance masters by showcasing their work in elevated spaces. The company was founded by first-generation Cambodian-American refugee, Reaksmey …

Read more...

Master Ho Pin Peat Ensemble

Master Ho Pin Peat Ensemble, Instrumentalists

Ho Chan plays every instrument of the pin peat ensemble, a form of percussive Cambodian classical music. He began to study at age 16 with his grandfather. In 1975, under the Khmer Rouge regime, Chan was forced into slave labor camps; he fled to Thailand …

Read more...