Haroutune Bedelian

Some musicians are born into musical families. Violinist Haroutune Bedelian, who plays the Beethoven Concerto with the Mozart Camerata in two performances this weekend, was born into something more like a dynasty. "The violin was the instrument, if you like, of the family," Bedelian said by phone during a recent break from violin classes he teaches at UCI.

Some musicians are born into musical families. Violinist Haroutune Bedelian, who plays the Beethoven Concerto with the Mozart Camerata in two performances this weekend, was born into something more like a dynasty. "The violin was the instrument, if you like, of the family," Bedelian said by phone during a recent break from violin classes he teaches at UCI.

The Irvine Symphony will sponsor a four-concert series at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa in addition to a previously announced four-concert series at the new Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine. The 1990-91 series at the Center: * Nov. 1, 8 p.m.: A jazz concert with pianist George Shearing, vocalist Joe Williams and guitarist Joe Pass. * April 12, 8 p.m.: Barber's Piano Concerto, with soloist Leonid Kuzmin; and Brahms' Violin Concerto with soloist Haroutune Bedelian.

The Mozart Camerata's 1997-98 season will begin Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre with Ami Porat conducting Beethoven's Violin Concerto (with soloist Haroutune Bedelian) and Schubert's Symphony No. 2. The program will be repeated Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. The ensemble will return to the Irvine Barclay on Jan. 3 at 8 p.m.

During its early years, the Mozart Camerata may have suffered from inconsistencies that plague any fledgling orchestra struggling to build personnel, financial backing and a distinctive identity, but on Saturday night, as the Camerata began its 13th performing season, it offered a vibrant display of technical confidence and musical unity.

Varied works, each written within the past year, by three UC Irvine faculty composers revealed a broad mix of simple tonality and atonality Monday night at the Fine Arts Concert Hall on campus. The presentation provided sporadic interest mingled with more routine, unadventurous moments.

Though its origins can be traced to 1978, a year before the Pacific Symphony was founded, the Irvine Symphony has tended to appear and then disappear, scheduling and later canceling concerts regularly over recent years. Publicity material once described the group as the "oldest fully professional orchestra in Orange County."

Congratulations to the magazine and Duane Noriyuki for the superb article on Rena Weisshaar and her violin ("Secrets Wonderful and Cruel," Aug. 31). As a former subscriber to Strad magazine, I have seen many attempts to describe the challenge facing practitioners of the art of the luthier. But none have equaled Noriyuki's article, which captured, in almost poetic terms, the subtleties involved in each of Weisshaar's moves. His descriptions celebrated not only Weisshaar's mastery of her craft but the music itself.

First is the music of leaves, of branches bowed by incessant wind. Before Bach or Beethoven, before horns or strings or written notes, this concert wafted through the forest like seasons through time. The tree offers song in swell and wane until, in a mighty crescendo, it is felled to the stillness of its winter shadow. Then there is silence.

MAIN EVENTS HOME DESIGN The 2000 Philharmonic Festival of Homes and Gardens continues with a tour of five professionally designed homes from San Juan Hills to Monarch Beach, including the Aliso "rock house." 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $40. Also Saturday. Proceeds benefit the Philharmonic Society's Youth Music Programs. (714) 840-7542. FLEET FEET Ballet Pacifica dances the premiere of "A Streetcar . . ."