Classically Trained: Vienna Philharmonic to make rare appearance

The Pacific Symphony hosts its second "Music Unwound" concert Thursday through Saturday with an examination of Austrian composer Anton Bruckner's ninth and final symphony. Each night's performance begins at 8 p.m., with a 7 p.m. pre-concert chat and post-concert conversation.

The Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall lobby will take on a "cathedral-like" environment of lighting effects, a candlelight procession and Gregorian chants by the Nobertine Fathers of the Trabuco Canyon-based St. Michael's Abbey.

The Costa Mesa-based orchestra, under the direction of Carl St.Clair, is dubbing the series "Cathedrals of Sound" as part of its education-themed Music Unwound project.

The featured organist of the evening is the 34-year-old American virtuoso Paul Jacobs, who last week won a Grammy for a solo instrumental performance. The young Juilliard faculty member is also famous for his 18-hour, nonstop marathon performance in Pittsburgh of all of Bach's organ works.

The Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra then takes the hall Sunday at 4 p.m. The Irvine-based educational ensemble, under the baton of Maxim Eshkenazy, will have a performance that includes Gershwin's music from "Porgy and Bess" and his "Rhapsody in Blue."

In addition, members of the Pacific Chorale Honor Choir and solo baritone James Martin Schaefer accompany the group in a performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Five Mystical Songs."

Ray Cheng, 16, is the pianist for "Rhapsody in Blue." Already the University High School (in Irvine) student has won a host of awards on piano and violin. He's been with PSYO for four years and is one of the group's concertmasters.

BRADLEY ZINT is a copy editor for the Daily Pilot and a classically trained musician. E-mail him story ideas at bradley.zint@latimes.com.