SOUND OF MUSIC; FREE LATIN-AMERICAN PROGRAMS COME TO L.A.

Byline: Marla Matzer Staff Writer

The Los Angeles Philharmonic's Miguel Harth-Bedoya, recently promoted from assistant to associate conductor, has a few things in common with the Phil's music director and principal conductor, Esa-Pekka Salonen. He's a young, handsome, talented, foreign-born conductor. They both have three names. But he's also differentiating himself through his focus on reaching out to new audiences and young people in particular and trying to find innovative ways to do so.

In addition to his Philharmonic duties, the 31-year-old Peruvian native is music director of the Eugene (Oregon) Symphony and a frequent guest conductor with such orchestras the New York Philharmonic, Mexico City Symphony and Seattle Symphony. We caught up with him last week, when he was back in town preparing for a series of community concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic culminating this weekend.

Q: You've been conducting concerts of Latin-American music at the Hollywood Bowl and in these community concerts. Is the Philharmonic doing these concerts to appeal to the large Latino community here, or is there just generally a feeling that Latin-American music has been underprogrammed?

A: I don't think it's really connected to the Hispanic population. The repertoire had not been done for a while. You look for a little variety. But in general, my task here is to work on outreach, community events and youth programs.

I still had to study (the Latin) music, just like any other music; it didn't really come with my heritage. ... There are other conductors, like Michael Tilson Thomas, who have done a lot of Latin-American music. I'm very interested in Russian music. A conductor should have no boundaries.

The variety of Latin American music is so great. We showed that at our concert at the Bowl (in August). We'll demonstrate that at our program at East L.A. College. But there's no more Latin music programmed for the rest of the year, that I know of.

Q: What are some of the other ways that you'll be trying to reach new audiences?

A: We're thinking of putting together concerts with community groups, such as choruses, around the holidays. I think different locations are important also to show that orchestral music isn't just a standard, stiff kind of performance. ...

I was on a TV show where people could call in. One caller asked, ``Why do we feel so intimidated by what you do?'' There's been a perception that what we do is snobbish, only for an elite group. Once you get people comfortable with what we do, get them familiar with it, then they can enjoy it on whatever level they're at. At the community concerts, I like talking to the audiences, telling them a little bit about the music. Because we usually don't speak, we just produce sound, we're often seen as very strange creatures.

Q: What are some ideas for bringing in younger audiences specifically?

A: Sometimes the content of the program alone might not necessarily draw in a younger audience (just because you program more contemporary pieces or performers). Sometimes, it's the format. We have to ask, how do we get them interested in this as a product? What does it do to you, why choose this over other things?

A traditional concert is usually an overture, a soloist, an intermission, then a long piece. Then we leave. We might want to add a surprise element. Have the artist address the audience ... have a surprise number ... those kinds of things can make it exciting to the audience as well.

At a concert I did in Peru, we took questions from the audience during intermission. ... What do the commentators give us on TV sports programs? Little trivia and comments that add to what's going on. Those are the things that I like.

Q: How do L.A. audiences compare to those in other places around the world where you've conducted?

A: I think L.A. is a very alive audience. Very responsive and attentive. I think they're very alert to what music does to them - whether they like it or not. It's fine to argue about taste.

Q: What effect do you think the opening of Disney Hall (expected in fall 2002) will have?

A: I think the expectation of people watching something rise, the building, will already start having them thinking about what's coming. Musically speaking, it will be a great enhancement for the orchestra. The product will become better to the audience.

Beyond that, I think it's important to a community, the same way we're proud of our sports teams here. Look at Hollywood Bowl, it's a worldwide landmark. Everyone's proud of it. We hope Disney Hall will have that kind of an impact, be that kind of an attraction.

The Facts

The event: Los Angeles Philharmonic Free Community Concerts.

Where and when:: 6:30 p.m. today at Hollenbeck Park, 415 S. St. Louis St., Los Angeles; 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Edison Performing Arts Center of East Los Angeles College, 1301 Avenue Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park; 2 p.m. Sunday at MacArthur Park, 2230 W. Sixth St., Los Angeles.

The program: Today: Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducts Stravinsky's ``A Soldier's Story'' with narration in English and Spanish. Saturday: Esa-Pekka Salonen and Miguel Harth-Bedoya conduct a program of Latin-American music, including Revueltas' ``La Noche de los Mayas'' and Galindo's ``Sones de Mariachi.'' Sunday: Salonen conducts ``The Story of a Soldier.''

More information: Call [phone]

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PHOTO``I think L.A. is a very alive audience. ... They're very alert to what music does to them - whether they like it or not,'' says conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya, who leads three free concerts this weekend.