Happy Birthday, Hurricane Mama! USC Thornton faculty and alumni celebrate the LA Phil’s famed organ this weekend

Beginning on Thursday and running through the weekend, the Los Angeles Philharmonic celebrates the anniversary of the Walt Disney Concert Hall’s famous organ, Hurricane Mama, with a series of concerts. As Mark Swed wrote in the Los Angeles Times, “But no other organ looks like French fries, a thrilling trademark of the Frank Gehry hall’s design. No other organ of this scale benefits from bellowing in the surround-sound of Yasuhisa Toyota’s magnificent acoustic. And no other organ is named Hurricane Mama, as Terry Riley dubbed it when he gave his memorably psychedelic first recital on the instrument in 2008.”

On Thurs., Nov. 20, the Los Angeles Philharmonic presents the world premiere of Composition faculty Stephen Hartke’s Symphony No. 4 for organ and orchestra featuring Cameron Carpenter.

On Sun., Nov. 23, Organ Studies faculty Cherry Rhodes and alum Christoph Bull (MM ’93, organ performance) join an elite group of organists for a birthday celebration.

For more information, visit the LA Phil’s website.