BeaconMediaNews.com
January 6 - January 12, 2011
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Top Ten Music Groups of 2010 BY BILL PETERS
M
usic groups that top Peters Music News list for 2010 are named because of their importance to the San Gabriel Valley classical music scene—a story that is consistently overlooked by the Southern California media. How often we hear that Arcadia, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, or even Pasadena is too far, or, sometimes, “way over there” our friends west of the 405 say. We strike back happy to attend concerts within our compound. A Santa Monica venue may have a celebrity cachet we lack, but the quality of musicianship and the unique programming is drawing growing attendance numbers but perhaps more important, an attractive younger one as well. Financial support through local participation and those everneeded grants from local philanthropists and others keeps all of them going. The list of music groups keeps growing. In no particular order, here are 10 we liked this year: Pasadena Community Orchestra: not a professional orchestra, its ranks are filled with music teachers and advanced amateurs led by the talented Alan Reinecke. Reinecke is bringing in seasoned professionals as guest artists. It provides a place for families to introduce the classical concert experience and the concerts are free. Classical Kaleidoscope at Arcadia Public Library: Paul Stein, as Artistic Director of the series continues to provide top-flight musicians. Usually a four-concert series, Stein brought along pianist Kevin Fitz-Gerald, violinist Lorenz Gamma and often friends of his from the Los Angeles Philharmonic where he is a violinist. Funded by the very active Arcadia Public Library Foundation, these free concerts always fill the library’s Cay Mortensen Auditorium. This is chamber music at its best in a small venue and a great public service of the Foundation. South Pasadena Restoration Concert Series: The Community Room of the South Pasadena Library must have been “restored” by now, but never mind that. These concerts are a tribute to the lively arts of music as they present such outstanding performers as pianist Robert Edward Thies and violinist Linda Wang, cellist Cecilia Tsan and Martin Chalifour.
Their artists-in-residence, the New Hollywood String Quartet, continues to amaze with their smooth playing. Add the jazz saxophone of Pete Christlieb to the mix for at least one concert during the year and you have one fine series. The Restoration Concerts are sponsored by the Friends of the South Pasadena Library, the epitome of a volunteer group that digs in to get things done for their library. Music in Sacred Spaces: Timothy Durkovic, Music Director at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Arcadia, has developed a series pre-
work playing not only a classic repertoire but also introducing new compositions. This season Carlson had presented over 100 new works. They selected the Neighborhood Church in Pasadena as their center of activity for their San Gabriel Valley concerts and it has been a good match. Carlson doesn’t hanker for the avant-garde but rather the fresh and new in the classical music world. This group consistently presents the best of all worlds. Crown City Symphony: Founder Roberta Wilcox is a classical music advocate parexcellent and she works her
“Our Fish Come from the Finest Schools” The Pasadena Young Musicians Orchestra, conducted by Jo Raquel Stoup, (pictured above) is one of the top youth orchestras in the San Gabriel Valley. sented Sunday afternoons in the church’s chapel. Durkovic, a heralded pianist himself, often works with guest artists to present very elegant music for a nominal donation of $15. Now in its eighth season, the series has featured the Calder Quartet, principal cellist of Pacific Symphony, Timothy Landauer, and pianist Jacqueline Pettito. The small chapel at the United Methodist Church is ideal for these recital type concerts and Durkovic knows the right talent. Pacific Serenades: Artistic Director and founder, Mark Carlson, formed Pacific Serenades in 1982 and since has brought in some of the regions finest musicians to perform incredible ensemble
wiles to see to it that “ability, not age” is the mantra of the Crown City Symphony as a group of local musicians gather together, often with a guest artist, to present the finest music. The orchestra performs at the Altadena Community Center and the First Baptist Church of Pasadena, but also regularly shows up at the Pasadena Senior Center and the Levitt Pavilion in the summer. Conductor Marvin Neumann is the seasoned conductor, educator and spirit for the musicians that make this local effort so important. Southwest Chamber Music: The world-travelling, honored ensemble Southwest Chamber Music is al-
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