South Bay Orchestra Kontrapunktus to Perform in Torrance This Sunday

A New Chapter for Kontrapunktus in Torrance

The South Bay orchestra Kontrapunktus is set to make its debut performance at the James R. Armstrong Theater, located at 3330 Civic Center Drive in Torrance on Sunday, October 12. This event marks a significant milestone for the ensemble, as it will be their first time performing in a concert hall to a large audience.

Kontrapunktus is a chamber orchestra composed of nine to 11 world-renowned musicians who regularly perform across various venues in the South Bay. The Torrance concert, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., represents a new chapter for the group, as they have never before taken the stage in a dedicated concert hall.

“We’ve never performed in a concert hall before,” said Raymond Jacobs, executive director and founder of Kontrapunktus. “This is going to be a major debut for us in taking our music to another part of the public sector and performing for a more mainstream audience.”

All members of the orchestra have a connection to the Colbourn Music School, either as current students or recent graduates. This shared background contributes to the high level of musical excellence that defines the ensemble.

“Every single member is an amazing musician and person,” said violinist and concert master Wenlan Jackson. “We’ve all trained at the most elite level, and this is the next generation of top musicians in our field. We’re young, we’re energetic, and we love what we do.”

The concert in Torrance was organized in partnership with the Torrance Refining Company and the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation. This collaboration aims to bring classical music to the city, which has been without a symphony orchestra since the closure of the Torrance Symphony Orchestra.

“Kontrapunktus benefits the Torrance and South Bay communities by filling a cultural gap and offering access to high-caliber classical music that isn’t frequently presented in our area,” said Chris Wolf, executive director of TOCA. “Their performances not only expose audiences to the beauty and power of classical and Baroque music but also inspire new generations to engage with the arts.”

This is not the first time Kontrapunktus has performed in Torrance. In previous years, the group has played at El Camino College and the Ascension Lutheran Church. However, the upcoming concert in the James R. Armstrong Theater is unique in several ways.

The program will feature music spanning multiple eras of classical music, including Baroque, Romantic, and 20th-century modern classical pieces. This is something that Kontrapunktus has never done before.

“Most classical music concerts are often out of reach for a small nonprofit arts organization like ours due to the high costs involved in presenting them,” Wolf explained. “However, thanks to the support of the Torrance Refining Company and the generosity of Kontrapunktus, we are able to bring this exceptional concert to our community as part of our season. Their partnership makes it possible for us to provide access to world-class classical music at an affordable level, ensuring that the South Bay can enjoy and benefit from an art form that might otherwise be unavailable here.”

Following the Torrance performance, Kontrapunktus will continue its tour with concerts at the Laguna Presbyterian Church in Laguna Beach on October 18 and St. John’s Lutheran Church of Orange in Old Towne Orange on October 19.

Tickets for the Torrance concert are available for purchase online at torrancearts.org/shows/kontrapunktus.