Camerata Pacifica will close its 2023-24 season with a program of engaging works by contemporary composers (with one exception, from the Italian baroque).

Cameratans and guests Julien Labro, accordian; Jose Franch-Ballester, clarinet; Nicholas Daniel, oboe; Ani Aznavoorian, cello; and Ji Hye Jung, percussion will play:

“Listen, Quiet ” (2012) by Paola Prestini (b. 1975); the U.S. premiere of  “Remember This Fire” (2022) by Martin Butler (born 1960); “One Study One Summary, for Marimba, Junk Percussion, and Digital Audio” (2005), by John Psathas (born 1966); the keyboard “Sonata in d-minor, K. 1, L. 366” from “Essercizi per Gravicembalo” (1738) by Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757); “Dowland’s Lament” (2018), by Julien Labro (b. 1980); and the world premiere of “Petite Suite for Accordion, Clarinet, Cello & Percussion” (2024), by Clarice Assad (born 1978).

I could drone on about this amazing program, but since we have come to trust, implicitly, the taste and technical mastery of Adrian Spence and the Camerata players, I think I will just pass on Adrian’s gloss, and let it go at that:

“There are lots of reasons to go to this concert, lots, but perhaps top of this list is: it’s going to be really fun — a virtuosic, fun, smile-inducing close to our 34th season.”

“Most who attend these concerts will want to know more about the composers and musicians, and the best way to do that is to pick up and read a copy of Derek Katz’s excellent program notes.

“This program will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 17 at the Music Academy, at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 19 at Thousand Oaks’ Janet and Ray Scherr Forum, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 21 at The Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino, and at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 23 in Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles.”

Tickets to all venues are $35-$75 (additional fees apply at the Scherr Forum), and they can be purchased by phone at 805-884-8410, or online at https://cameratapacifica.org/concerts-23-24/