2009
January 31 - New Film Score Ali Helnwein recently scored and recorded music for "A Darker Silence", director Brandon Dexter's film based on a short story.
The score featuring a string quartet, piano, and various other instruments combine with Dexter's striking visuals to tell a dark tale.
Coming to a film festival near you!
Click below to hear samples of the score:
November 21 - Traction Ave Chamber Orchestra Performance The Traction Ave Chamber Orchestra performes to a packed audience in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, with renowned soloists Grace Oh (violin), Garik Terzian (cello) and Maksim Velichkin (cello). September 9 - Writes Music for PSA to air on national TV A PSA by directors Daniel Lir and Bayou Lir, featuring Ali Helnwein's music is scheduled to make it's way to your TV soon. September 5 - Arranges and records strings for the band Secret Empire Ali recently co-arranged, orchestrated and recorded strings on 5 songs for the upcoming album by Secret Empire, produced by Shaun Lopez (produced the Deftones).
Look out for the album, entitled Storm Command, this Fall. September 3 - Performs at Greek Theater in Los Angeles Ali Helnwein arranged and wrote string parts for Juliette Lewis and performed them, with a small string ensemble, at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles - with headlining acts Cat Power and The Pretenders - for a full audience of around 5,000. August 22 - Draco Rosa's first single, featuring Ali's arrangements, gets released The first Draco Rosa single "Paraiso Prometido" from his upcoming album - featuring string, woodwind and brass arrangements by Ali Helnwein, Cody Borden and Tiziano Tucci - is released and available for you to hear! Click HERE or on the image below to hear the song, and listen for the strings, flute and trumpet parts. August 20 - Ali finishes writing his Violin Concerto After more than a year of burning the midnight oil on writing a full violin concerto for solo violin, 10 piece chamber ensemble, winds, brass and strings, the concerto comes to a completion. June 20 - Ali performs his compositions at Notes from Underground show Sponsored by WESC and Asahi Beer, this show was a collaboration between Ali Helnwein and Alex Prager - music composed and conducted by Ali; stage and costume design by Alex. This event continues with Ali's ambition to help create an underground classical scene in Los Angeles. With a packed audience and standing ovations, the show was a big success and calls for more performances in the future.
May 29 - Ali performs his original compositions for fashion show The event was a fashion show and fundraiser for kids in the congo (falling whistles). With a group of 6 string players, a harp and a pianist, Ali's compositions accompanied the models walking the cat walk. May 25 - Traction Ave Chamber Orchestra Performance in Downtown The concert featured J. S. Bach's concerto for 3 Violins and Orchestra, music for the harp by Debussy, an original composition by Jason Turbin and more...too bad you missed it (unless of course you were there). April/ May - Writes orchestral parts for Grammy Winning producer/ songwriter Draco Rosa Ali Helnwein arranged strings, woodwinds and brass for 10 songs on the new record by Grammy nominated and Latin Grammy winning singer/ songwriter/ producer Draco Rosa. Collaborating with Cody Borden and Tiziano Tucci on the arrangements, various ideas and styles of arrangements were combined in the final recording. The arrangements featured various size string ensembles, woodwinds and brass, adding unique orchestral sounds, textures and colors to an exceptional and unique album to keep a look out for. March - Traction Ave Chamber Orchestra Performance in Chinatown Ali performes a special outdoor concert in Chinatown with his chamber orchestra - The Traction Ave Chamber Orchestra. The performance featured the music of Beethoven, Dvorak and Copland. February - Birth of a new Ensemble on the forefront of the underground classical scene
In an intimate basement in Downtown LA, a room too small to fit any classical music egos, comes to life a new chamber ensemble, for the time being named the Downtown Chamber Ensemble.
The performance featured compositions by Ali Helnwein, peformed by 8 string players, conducted by Ali, as well as poetry recited by poet/lyricist Stephen Kalinich. The audience consisted of lots of young people and people new to the classical scene.
January - Premiere with Philadelphia Pops Orchestra
Ali does works with Grammy Winning composer Roger Kellaway, doing the musical copyist work for a composition performed with the Philly Pops Orchestra.
Visions of America is a "Photo Symphony" -- a newly commissioned 3 movement orchestral work for full Symphony Orchestra performed to projections of an expansive collections of photos by Joe Sohm in the theme of America, plus narrations written by Joe and read by Clint Eastwood. The composition also featured lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman which were sung by Patti Austin.
2008
December - Performance for Nikki Sixx and Kat Von D
Ali writes orchestrations of 10 Motley Crue songs for Nikki Sixx, which he conductucted live for an audience including Nikki Sixx and Kat Von D
August - New music for short film "Whistling Past The Graveyard"
Film by Mercedes Helnwein, to be shown at her art show August 30th
At the Merry Karnowsky Gallery, for more information visit www.mercedeshelnwein.com
July - Finished score to Frank Borzage Documentary
Score for new Frank Borzage Documentary finished, to be released soon.
May - Records strings for bands AKW and Tom Wehrle.
Orchestrates string parts and records for AKW and Tom Wehrle.
April - New music for "The Story of Elle"
Directed by Alana Morshead, hear samples of the music under the music section of this site.
May. 4th - Traction Avenue Chamber Orchestra free concert
Join us for a free concert with the Traction Avenue Chamber Orchestra, Sunday May 4th at 7:30pm.
Location is the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 6020 Radford Ave., North Hollywood, CA 91606
The orchestra will be joined by very distinguished guest soloists performing on piano, harpsichord, viola and viola da gambas as well as solos by orchestra members on violin, cello, bass and trumpet.
April 16th - Demo Team at Bordello
Ali's band, Demo Team, performing at Bordello, 901 E. 1st St. Show starts at 9pm.
Feb. 23rd - Performance with soprano Mariana Popzlateva
By invitation of soprano Mariana Popzlateva, the Traction Avenue Chamber Orchestra will perform with her, tenor Nick Palance, composer/ pianist Anthony Michaels (the orchestra premeiring one of his works) and ballet dancers Elan and Zlat Popzlateva.
The location is the Plummer Park Fiesta Hall in West Hollywood.
Presented by Unity In Arts Foundation, European Arts Agency, City of West Hollywood and the Russion Advisory Board.
Feb. 9th - Demo Team CD release show
Ali's band, Demo Team, is having their CD release show at Tangier on Hillhurst and Los Feliz in Hollywood, together with ragtime band Sausage Grinder.
8pm.
Jan. 4th - Ali Helnwein's music in the Disney Concert Hall
Ali's Score to "1st and Hope" by Brian Lotti will be heard in the world renowned Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles as part of the Concrete Frequency event.
2007
May 12th - Traction Avenue Chamber Orchestra 1 Year Anniversary Concert
Ali Helnwein will conduct the orchestra in it's 1 year Anniversary Concert at the Biscuit Factory Lofts.
Featuring violin soloist Jack Krumbein.
Sponsored by Thomas Metzler Violin Shop, Archrival on 349 E. 2nd St., Steve Kalinich Music (ASCAP) and Strayed Dogs, LLC.
2006
Dec. 17 - Debut concert of the Traction Avenue Chamber Orchestra
7:30pm, At the Herbert Zipper Concert Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., right across from the Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles.
The Program will include Bach, Corelli, Pachelbel and the debut of a composition by composer Jason Turbin.
String Quartet for sale on iTunes Music Store
Click icon below to purchase.
Oct. 21st - Traction Avenue Chamber Orchestra performs at skate park
The first ever performance of the Traction Avenue Chamber Orchestra to take place at Steve Berra's skate park for the "1st and Hope" exhibition.
New Chamber Orchestra: The Traction Avenue Chamber Orchestra
The instrumentation:
2 Flutes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Oboes, 2 Bassoons
2 french horns, 2 trumpets
1 Harp
1 percussionist
4 first violins, 4 second violins, 2 violas, 3 cellos, 1 upright bass
Purpose of the orchestra:
To give local musicians a chance to rehearse and perform with other musicians in a chamber setting and to give talented composers the opportunity to have their work interpreted and presented infront of an audience.
If you are interested in joining the orchestra in any of these spots please email - email link under contact page.
