WELCOME TO OUR 2025-2026 MUSIC IN CULTURAL CONTEXTS SEASON

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY, SAFE, AND ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY SEASON

JOIN THE STANFORD EARLY MUSIC SINGER tonight at 7:30 PM

THE CONCERT IS FREE & LIVE STREAMED: December 3rd 2025, 7:30 PM

We can organize one of our sessions on William Byrd, 1540-1623. For more details on his life and work, visit the entry HERE.

SEASONS' GREETINGS

Dear Friends,

I want to share sad news with you. Our dear FWC member Deborah Kennel (1940-2025) is no longer with us. We all remember Debby as a major contributor to our Music in Cultural Contexts section. We will share anecdotes at one of our sessions in early 2026. Here's a photo of Debby with friends:

From left: Gloria, Mireya, Helen, Simon, Rochelle, Joy, Zorana, Jarka
Jo, Olga, Debby, June

Debby gave outstanding presentations of composers, including

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741); Stephen Foster (1826-1864); Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and The Threepenny Opera; and she proposed to work on Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677). We might try to offer a program dedicated to Debby and the baroque, her specialty.

Debby Kennel 1940 - 2025

 

Welcome back to our very special MUSIC in CULTURAL CONTEXTS 2025-26 SEASON (since 2013).

Our November invited presenter is Caroline Scheaffer Arnold.

The presenter and our own FWC member Caroline will take us to Milan and a Road Trip to the Alps. She will share their experiences with us via zoom. Caroline is an award-winning writer and illustrator of books for children. She has been an active FWC member, especially in the tennis section, since the 1970s.

Caroline Arnold
B.A., Grinnell College; M.A., University of Iowa

Cover page from her latest book titled
Settlement House Girl, 2023
 

The Takacs. Quartet gave another outstanding performance of signature works by Joseph Haydn, Beethoven, and Debussy. The Quartet is celebrating their 50th celebration together (founded in 1975).

The TAKACS QUATTET

A surprise piece was written by the Brazilian American artist composer and pianist CLARICE ASSAD.

Clarice Assad, b. 1978. The piece we were introduced to, titled NEXUS.
More information is here:

We invite you to join us for a chamber concert featuring Jillian Risigari-Gai and the Thai Ensemble

Jillian Risigari-Gai, harpist, Doctor of Musical Arts student
UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music
President - American HARP Society, Los Angeles Chapter
Artist Teacher of HARP - University of Redlands
Executive Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Music Company

Jillian and her ensemble will take us to the musical roots of the HARP: from Latin America (Arpa de Lianera and Jarocho) to the British Isles, Ireland and France. We will hear harp traditions of Southeast Asia: Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia: Double Action Harp and Saung-Gauk (Myanmar). 

A subset of performers and the FWC audience -- October 15th 2025
University Club with Jillian Risigari-Gai and Thai ensemble 

                                             Mariachi artists accompanied by Jillian Risigari-Gai

>>Cambodian Boat Festival Song, arranged by Sastra  Moon with Rane Prak (Ethnomusicology Ph.D. student) on Wot and Mel Liu (UCLA alumna) on percussion. 

>>Where the Wind Covers the Sky, arranged by Sastra Moon with Rane Prak on Wot and Mel Liu on percussion.

>>Bai Sri Su Khwan, a traditional song from Thailand, arranged by Sastra Moon with Rane Prak on Wot and Mel Liu on Electric Bass. 

Finally, we travel to China and listen to A Drunken Fisherman's Song at Sunset, Joan Huang.

We close our exceptional music performance with Shere of Influence from Space. Suite Galactique: Exosphere, with Caroline Lizotte.

This is a one-time opportunity to go around the world from the University Club Library (Faculty Club)

Wednesday, OCTOBER 15th 2025 at 12 Noon. The attendance is FREE.

RSVP: please email Zorana Ercegovac to let her know you are attending.  THANK YOU.

Here is a map of our venue for the October 15th Music Concert
Located in the University Club LIBRARY

           ~~~ MORE great NEWS for our music & culture in general -- all this in Los Angeles 

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN returns to LA PHIL in innovative role