MUSIC SECTION PROGRAMS: 2015-2016

WELCOME TO OUR MUSIC SECTION SEASON 2015-2016

Our January 20th Music Section meeting was created by and hosted at Arlene and Francois Vaillancourt in Santa Monica. Their program consisted of organ works performed on the Hauptwerk Virtual Organ (by Francois) by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1947) and by J. S. Bach (11685-1750). Francois also played piano in the Second Part of the Concert. Arlene sang and provided historical background for the works and the two selected composers.

Part I:
Prelude and Fugue in c minor op 37 by F. Mendelssohn
Andante from the III Sonata for organ by J.S. Bach
Toccata and Fugue in d minor by J.S. Bach

 

Part II: Francois played Allemande, Menuet II and Gugue from the First French Suite (J.S. Bach)
on a Steinway Grand Piano

Arlene and Francois performed selected pieces from Songs Without Words
by Felix Mendelssohn

Our audience included (from left): Margorie Friedlander, Debby Kennel, Joy Frank,
Rochelle Caballero, Shirley Ho, and Mireya Lund

Zorana was away recovering from her hip replacement surgery. I want to thank all in attendance, our hostesses Arlene and Francois, and our Section members for bringing refreshments to the January 20th concert and our kickoff 2016 Music Section meeting.

Our December 16th Music Section meeting was a wonderful Holiday Party filled with Christmas Caroling, great company of our members along with husbands: Tom (the co-host), Francois (our resident pianist), and Ross (our FWC member). A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a few photos of our yesterday holiday gathering.

From right: Ross, Debby, Jarka (the hostess), Shirley, Francois (pianist),
Arlene (lead singer), Simone, Helen, Rochelle, Mireya, and Zorana (chair)
[Photo Credits: Zorana]

A special treat was our own Music Section member Shirley who performed for us, accompanied by Francois. We will make this our Music Section Holiday tradition and expand, by inviting other members to the Music Celebration of Joy, Peace, and Love.

Shirley accompanied by Francois. Next time we will record and preserve!
[photo credits: Zorana] 

Some of carols we sang included: Silent Night, The First Noel, Deck the Hall, Joy to the World, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, Little Town of Bethlehem, and Good King Wenceslas (in Bohemian Vaclav).

Here we prepare for some new Carols, including Good King Wenceslas
honoring our Czech hostess Jarka
[photo credits: Zorana]

We toasted with champaign, yes, at 1:30 PM for another year to be filled with music, hope, joy, love, health, and good friendship.

Our group photo, Tom (co-host) taking the group photo

We started off our 2015-2016 Music Section Season on October 21st with Debby Kennel leading the discussion on Stephen Collins Foster (1826-1864). To get some background reading, visit BLACKFACE MINSTRELSY and Mel Watkins narrating on the American craze in the 1840s. I recommend visiting the American Experience site on Foster.

As a Music Section group, we socialized, planned the calendar year 2015-2016, toasted with champaign (brought by Roma -- not in the group photo below), sang, and discussed Foster's various genres of songs in the context of early 1820s in this country.

From left: Debby (presenter on S.C. Foster), Zorana (Chair, Music Section),
Simone (our new member), Arlene, invited guest Jo, Rochelle, Ida,
Shirley, Mireya, Madonna, and Helen

As above, with Jarka (next to Debby Kennel)

Photo credits: Zorana Ercegovac

Over the past summer, we have been actively working on several fronts.

Firstoff, we have designed this page where we can all go to in order to find HAPPENINGS in the town. Several links are included with an idea to expand in collaboration with you MUSIC LOVERS and ENTHUSIASTS. For example, go often to the Fowler Museum, Hammer Museum, LA Phil, LACMA, MOMA, Los Angeles Theatre Works, Center for the Art of Performance (CAP) at UCLA, Los Angeles Opera, Getty Museum for their programs and special events, as well as the UCLA 17th and 18th-Century Studies and the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library (310.206.8552). Each of these organizations has already announced their programs for the entire 2015-2016 Season, so visit the links above and enjoy music programs and events at UCLA and beyond. Don't forget MET live in HD at the UCLA's James Bridges Theater. The performances typically start at 1 PM on weekends.

--OCTOBER 21 at 1 PM WED FWC MUSIC SECTION -- our first meeting, at Deborah Kennel's place. Debby will be leading a discussion of Stephen Foster (1826-1864) contributions to American music. Will be reminded of his songs and minstrels as well as about the cultural and historical context in which he worked.

Stephen Foster (1826-1864)

My Old Kentucky Home

--NOVEMBER 18th at 1 PM WED FWC MUSIC SECTION at Madonna's place, with Joy and Shirley providing refreshments for our Music Section attendees.

Abhiman Kaushal (TABLA) and Rahul Neuman (SITAR) were performing July 26th 2015 at
The Fowler Museum