Shota Homma struggled with the fast and arpeggiated movements of Robert Schumann’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor. But on Sunday, the second-year music student played the piece in front of thousands of audience members at Carnegie Hall. Read more...

Photo: Second-year piano performance student Shota Homma played Robert Schumann’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor in front of a Carnegie Hall audience. He started taking lessons at the age of 4 and after moving to the United States from Japan and became interested in making classical music more available. (Courtesy of Shota Homma)

Mount Eerie’s “Now Only” confronts personal tragedy with dry yet remarkably vivid lyrics. Performing under the moniker “Mount Eerie,” singer and producer Phil Elverum breathes humanity into his lyrics, evoking a tone of sincerity and thoughtfulness unrivaled by most contemporary musicians. Read more...

Photo: (Courtesy of P.W. Elverum & Sun)

Pulsing EDM and rhythmic vibrations fill the sweaty and vibrant air of warehouse rooms at Understated’s dance events. The project’s series include night-long EDM parties that draw from the culture of underground dance music, said UCLA alumni and founders Micah Smith and Andrew Conde. Read more...

Photo: Alumnus Micah Smith, co-founder of Understated, and Michael Frazier play at Union Nightclub on New Year’s Eve. Understated hosts underground EDM performances and will throw its sixth party Friday in Downtown LA. (Courtesy of Jamie Adam Rosenberg)