Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra

The Irvine Chamber Orchestra disappeared before anyone heard it give a concert. No news there; lots of cultural dreams go up in smoke. But the nifty trick here is that the orchestra hasn't vanished without a trace. The ensemble, announced with such high hopes by conductor John Elg a year ago, has merged with the Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra, itself a fledgling venture started last fall by violist Carolyn Broe.

By all rights, the Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra should play Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony at its concert Sunday. It has come, gone, come, gone and now, come again. Instead, the Irvine-based group will begin its third life with a Mostly Liszt program. To list the organization's intricate bloodlines, you'd wind up with something looking like one of those genealogical charts that help you get through a Shakespeare history play.

Violist Carolyn Waters Broe was so frustrated by the lack of opportunities to play baroque and early classical music in Orange County that she decided to launch her own ensemble and is risking her inheritance to front the new Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra, which makes its debut Friday at Santa Ana High School.

In the second performance of its brief existence, the Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra continued to display some very rough edges Tuesday night at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Still, while ensemble work may not have coalesced yet, interpretive powers did make forward strides under the direction of John Elg.

By all rights, the Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra should play Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony at its concert Sunday. It has come, gone, come, gone and now, come again. Instead, the Irvine-based group will begin its third life with a Mostly Liszt program. To list the organization's intricate bloodlines, you'd wind up with something looking like one of those genealogical charts that help you get through a Shakespeare history play.

In the second performance of its brief existence, the Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra continued to display some very rough edges Tuesday night at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Still, while ensemble work may not have coalesced yet, interpretive powers did make forward strides under the direction of John Elg.

In 1988, Times reviewer Terry McQuilkin wrote that Mozart Camerata music director Ami Porat "seems to have difficulty maintaining a steady tempo." This spring, reviewer Richard S. Ginell credited him with leading an "impeccably smooth ensemble." An Orange County Register review in February summarized the group's performances as having "moments of excellence and moments of incoherence."

The Friday night premiere of the Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra proved that assembling 16 professional musicians does not, in itself, guarantee a first-rate ensemble. At least not at the outset, after a total of four meetings. The chamber orchestra, founded and primarily funded by music director Carolyn Broe to bring top-notch performances of Baroque music to Orange County, is still wet behind the ears, despite mature components.

"Anyone can form an orchestra who is conceited enough to get it started and (who can) raise the money. Anyone." This statement by a veteran classical musician in Orange County wasn't intended as criticism. Rather, it's accepted as fact by many throughout the county's classical music scene: Any conductor or musician with financial backing can form a performance group--then assign themselves a spot on the podium or in a principal chair.

The year opened with a recital by tenor Placido Domingo to benefit Opera Pacific and closed with a Chanticleer Christmas program that raised money for AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County. Between those extremes, Pacific Symphony music director Carl St.Clair experimented with the seating arrangements of the orchestra to improve its sound markedly.

The Irvine Chamber Orchestra disappeared before anyone heard it give a concert. No news there; lots of cultural dreams go up in smoke. But the nifty trick here is that the orchestra hasn't vanished without a trace. The ensemble, announced with such high hopes by conductor John Elg a year ago, has merged with the Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra, itself a fledgling venture started last fall by violist Carolyn Broe.

Violist Carolyn Waters Broe was so frustrated by the lack of opportunities to play baroque and early classical music in Orange County that she decided to launch her own ensemble and is risking her inheritance to front the new Orange County Four Seasons Orchestra, which makes its debut Friday at Santa Ana High School.

"I would say most orchestras were formed when an insatiable conductor feels the need," says Ami Porat, conductor of the Mozart Camerata. "When that need is matched with the need in the community, then there's a chance (to succeed) . . . The New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony were formed . . . the same way." Several times in Orange County, a conductor or musician has shown "the need" to launch and lead an orchestra.

In 1993, Orange County audiences saw the last ballet choreographed by Agnes de Mille and the first full-length ballet by Kevin McKenzie, artistic director of American Ballet Theatre. They heard the premiere performances of a memorial to a young man killed in a freeway accident and an optimistic celebration of life in response to the Los Angeles riots. Pacific Symphony music director Carl St.