La Mirada Symphony celebrates naming of Frelly as director; Cogan guest soloist

There was a packed house of more than 1,200 people at the Jan. 14 performance by the La Mirada Symphony Orchestra at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, held in celebration of the recent naming of Robert Frelly, D.M.A., associate professor of music and director of music education at Chapman University, as the symphony’s music director.

La Mirada board president Pat Ruiz said, “Robert Frelly’s qualifications, honed by his involvement with community, university and youth orchestras, have made him an ideal choice to bring the La Mirada Symphony Orchestra to an exciting new level for its 48th season and well beyond.”   Dr. Frelly will continue his duties at Chapman’s Conservatory of Music while serving as director of the La Mirada Symphony.   He also is in his 28th season as the artistic director of the Southern California Youth Philharmonic and Chapman’s Conservatory of Music.

For this concert with the La Mirada ensemble, Dr. Frelly featured guest soloist Jeff Cogan, Chapman University associate professor of music and director of the Chapman guitar studies program.  The orchestra’s program, titled “Viva Espana!,” included Fannin’s “Fanfare Nueve” for winds and percussion, Chabrier’s “Espana,” Bizet’s Suite No. 1 from “Carmen,” Turina’s “Danzas Fantastics” Op. 22, Rodrigo’s “Fantasia para un Gentilhombre” (with Cogan soloing), and Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnol,” Op. 34.