First-Class Music Has Arrived

Letter-writer Elliot Kaplan (Feb. 20) must have been in cultural hibernation for the past few years if he still believes “the Valley has only amateur or training (music) ensembles.” While Mr. K. slumbered, the “fully professional, first-class” symphonic ensembles of his dreams have been coming of age in the Valley under the direction of Maestro James Domine and the L.A. Civic Orchestra Assn. Their Camerata Orchestra, for example, is certainly comparable in quality to the Pasadena Symphony, L.A. Chamber Orchestra and L.A. Philharmonic, since (I read in the program notes) musicians from all these groups perform with the Camerata as well.

I urge Mr. Kaplan to wake up and attend the orchestra’s Sunday concert in Canoga Park (when the eminent Charles Fierro will be piano soloist in Beethoven’s “Emperor Concerto”) so that he can lay to rest his pessimistic assumptions about the current state of the arts in the Valley. Let ‘er rip, Van Winkle! This is no “bedroom suburb” anymore.

R. HERRERA

Canoga Park