CELEBRATING SPRING and SUMMER 2016 with Music Section Friends at UCLA's Royce Hall and Schoenberg Hall, Disney Hall, and more

Happy Spring 2016 !!

Spring blooms

UCLA's Faculty Women's Club has been busy attending music performances and other cultural programs, working for the next 2016-2017 Music Section Season, participating in planning of the FWC Centennial 2017-2018, and celebrating various members' achievements. Some of these highlight are captured in a few annotated photos below.

Our last 2015-2016 Music Section Season was on June 2 at the Macgowan Little Theater on the beautiful UCLA campus. UCLA Department of Music and School of Theater, Film and Television presented The Tragedy of Carmen

This opera is a 20th adaptation of Georges Bizet's 19th century classic opera by Marius Constant, Jean-Claude Carriere, and Peter Brook. We enjoyed an excellent cast of four opera singers and two actors. The principal singers on June 2nd were:

       Joanna Lynn-Jacobs as CARMEN
           Thomas Thompson as DON JOSE
                Ian P. Walker as ESCAMILLO
                     Emily Scott as MICAELA

Main opera singers were: Micaela, Don Jose, Carmen, Escamillo
with two actors on each side

Debby, Mireya, Jarka, Tom, Milos
Photo credits: Zorana

This was our first opera event; based on the amazing performance and the production, we decided to incorporate at least one opera in the following year. We will be back at TFT.

Photo credits: Zorana Ercegovac

Cave temples of Dunhuang -- Buddhist art on China's silk road, displays great murals, now reproduced at The Getty Museum in Los Angeles, May 7 through September 4, 2016. Here are just two fragments with China's musicians and musical instruments.

Aspara playing music (Dunhuang) from the 780s

Aspara playing an old Chinese lute

Our recital on May 18th at Shirley's residence in Brentwood is captured in a few annotated photos below.

From left: Helen, Amelita, Mireya, Roma, Zorana, Simone, Joy

Jarka and Debby with our hostess and vocalist Shirley in the center

May 12th marked a special treat for all of us who attended the UCLA Philharmonia All-Star Concert with Neal Stulberg, conducting the flagship orchestra of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music is featuring its Ethnomusicology Department music performances, so check their daily event programs for specific regions, including musics of the Balkans, India, Bali, Africa, JAZZ, and more !!

Several friends were introduced to several rarely performed pieces: Martinu's (1890-1959) Cello Concerto No. 1 (1955) performed by Sol Gabetta (b. 1981). Her encore piece was Petris Vaska (b. 1946) a Latvian composer. Hear her play "Dolcissimo"

A few of us attended UCLA's Hear Now Festival by contemporary Los Angeles composers at Schoenberg Hall (April 22). Prior to the concert, we chatted about super rich cultural programs in LA, had fun, and planned the next season.

Zorana, Mireya, Debby, Simone, and Helen (photo credits: Milos)

The program included four LA-based composers: Ben Phelps, Bill Kraft, Cieri Torjussen, and Dan Kessner; each of them was in the audience, happy to chat with us and answer questions. Justine Aronson, soprano, was featured in Kraft's Settings from Pierrot Lunaire (1994).

Justine Aronson, soprano

William Kraft, composer (b. 1924 )

Works by John Adams (b. 1947), Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921), and Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1849) were on the program at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Behzod Abduraimov, a 26 year old amazing pianist performed the piano concerto (No. 2 in g minor Op. 22). As Washington Post notes, we will "keep our ear on this one."

WDCH (just before the Adams/Saint-Saens/Mendelssohn concert)

Morning walk in Santa Monica Beach

If you are lucky, you can begin your morning with a walk along the beach, a visit to a gallery, and then start off the day with your essential daily commitments.

Start a walk in Santa Monica

Noguchi (bronze) at Getty Museum

UCLA Faculty Women's Club Music Section friends celebrated Spring 2016 by attending a special performance at the Royce Hall. We met at the foyer to enjoy a moment, to sip, chat, and photograph. More friends were scattered throughout the historic building, but here is the dedicated small but important group who attended last night's concert: G. Wolfgang and Wolfgang A. Mozart (two Austrian composers 200 years apart from one another).

From left: Ross, Zorana, Joy, Rochelle, Gerry, Mireya

Pre-concert happy and relaxed moment: Ross, Mireya, and Rochelle

Pre-concert moments: Joy with Gerry and Milos

Joy with Gerry and Zorana

The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra 5 Program was conducted by Kahane, Music Director of LACO.

Clarinet Concerto in A major featured Jashua Ranz, LACO's principal clarinetist. Has anyone noticed that the soloist played a basset clarinet, longer and heavier than a standard A clarinet?

Except at the last night's performance, the same program was held at the
UCLA's Royce Hall, March 20th at 7 PM

Gernot Wolfgang's http://www.laco.org/blog/?c=12 Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds featured David Shostac (flute), Allan Vogel (oboe), Kenneth Munday (bassoon), and Richard Todd (horn).

Great performance review is in Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-laco-review-20160323-story.html

Why STRAVINSKY Moves Us?

"Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): The power of renewal, the primacy of rhythm, the pillar of the 20th c. music," was the title of our February 17th MUSIC SECTION presentation and discussion. The group met at Zorana's home. We celebrated numerous important markers in our lives.

The meeting consisted of three parts: the social with refreshments brought by Debby Kennel, Olga Merkurev, and Simone King. Beverage and champaign were freely flowing throughout the socially lively and intellectually interesting meeting.

Social Hour: Getting ready for the presentation
Olga, Joy, and Simone with Zorana

The group at our February 17th Music Section Meeting
Arlene, who attended the meeting, is not in this photo

From left: Debby, Simone, Joy, Rochelle, Helen, Olga
Jarka, and Mireya
Milos was also a part of our group as a special tech support enthusiast

The second part consisted of Zorana's introductory to Stravinsky's life and work; our participants had important questions and comments from various viewpoints (historical, psychological, and Olga's commentaries about the rituals from the Pagan Russia).

An early era of Igor Stravinsky and his work in his SPB

Catherine (Katya) Nossyenko and Igor. They announced engagement in 1905.
The wedding was in 1906 just outside of SPB

Sergey Diaghilev (1872-1929) was an important impresario who commissioned
numerous avant guard composers, choreographers, dancers, including Debussy, Ravel,
and Stravinsky's RITE OF SPRING -- in Paris 1913

Then we turned to Stravinsky's RITE OF SPRING performed by the San francisco Symphony with Michael Tilson Thomas, conducting. He took us to the Saint Petersburg around the turn of the century when Stravinsky lived there; we also visited his mentor's salon where Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) promoted concerts written and performed by his students, colleagues, and visitors. We also heard individual SFS performers who commented on the revolutionary ballet of 1913 which still moves us!

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

Concert by Ivan and Tzvetanka Varimezova

The UCLA's Faculty Women's Club was honored earlier today by the presence of Ivan and his wife Tzvetanka's live concert. Here's a very brief sample of their superb performance of a Bulgarian folk song accompanied by bagpipe and tamboura.

Tzvetanka and Ivan sang, played, and answered questions regarding oral tradition as a way of learning folk heritage including songs and dances. Tzvetanka commented on lyrics, explained rhythmic structures, and melodic characteristics of different regions.

Tzvetanka Varimezova, May 20th 2015

Ivan and Tzvetanka were dressed in authentically embroidered costumes of the region their music originated from. Here is the article which was published in Daily Bruin on December 3, 2015 under the headline of "Sounds of Schoenberg" http://dailybruin.com/2015/12/03/sounds-of-schoenberg-the-gaida/

Ivan Varimezov, May 20th 2015

Music Section attendees (from left):
Noel, Rochelle, Fabio (guest), Jo Knopoff (special guest)
Zorana (music section chair), Arlene, IVAN, TZVETANKA,
Jarka (Hostess), Debby, Sandy, Shirley, Madonna, Joy

Here are a few additional photos of the Music Program -- 2014-15 inaugural season:

Jarka, Zorana, Ivan, Tzvetanka

Much appreciated bottle of Czech's "becherovka" strong herbal liqeurs)

Madonna's Birthday! She created a time to beautifully express her feelings in a letter below.

We also danced "kolo": Shirley, Madonna, (not in the photo are also Jarka and Zorana)

Arlene and Shirley

Rochelle, Sandy, Joy

Jo, Zorana, Arlene, Rochelle, Sandy, Joy, Shirley

Superb artists

Someone has said that an image is worth a thousand words, so yesterday May 19th, we celebrated our Spring Luncheon 2015, and here are just a few photos from that celebratory event and program, ENJOY these unique moments:

Carol Betti, UCLA FWC President 2015-2016

Claudia Mirchell-Kernan, VP-Programs, introduces our speaker Marla C.Berns

Claudia and Marla at the UCLA's FWC 2015 Spring Luncheon

Jo Knopoff (middle) with Penny Hutchinson (right) and Maria Runnegar

The roses are presented to the FWC past presidents

Sonny Harris is named Outstanding FWC member

Table #3: Debby, the Bettis, Geraldine, Joy, Jarka, Zorana, Marla, and Claudia

Marla C. Berns--our invited speaker (from right), Zorana (President 2012-2013), Jarka, Joy