OUR LAGUNA
Chamber music returns to Laguna Beach April 6 to 13 with a
weeklong festival of performances and events throughout the city.
The festival will feature concert pianist Claude Frank, the Calder
Quartet and Trio Movado performing the music of Brahms and Schumann
in weekend concerts April 11 through 13 at Laguna Beach High School
Artists Theatre, the former home of the Laguna Beach Chamber Music
Society.
"Chamber music was popular in Laguna for many years, and we know
our supporters will be happy to have it back, as we are happy to
return to Laguna," said Heather Goss, society president.
The society and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County present
a series of chamber music at the Barclay Theatre. The two groups will
join with Laguna Beach Live! to present the festival.
Laguna Beach residents Joan Halvajian and John Arnold will chair
the volunteer festival committee. The committee includes locals Diane
Arnold, John Benecke, Joe Bryne, Sam Goldstein, Judith Jelinek and
Dick Schwarzstein.
Goss, Jacki Hanson, Alex Maradudin and Nancy Posch will represent
the chamber music society on the committee.
Laguna Beach Live!, a nonprofit organization, began presenting
free chamber music concerts in the "First Sundays" program at Laguna
College of Art and Design in 2001, sponsored in part by the
Philharmonic Society.
The logo for the festival was designed by Nic Banda and Kelly
Zeimet, recent graduates of the Laguna College of Art and Design. It
was the first project of a new company, GLU, which the college
created to connect graduates with businesses that need design
services.
Hotel Laguna will host pianist Frank and provide the site for
teaching sessions and many of the special events, including a gourmet
fund-raising gala dinner before the first concert.
The college will host an opening reception on April 6, after a
First Sundays concert by harpsichordist Eric Kinsley at 3 p.m. It is
open to the public. Admission is free.
The Chamber Music concert tickets are available through the
Philharmonic Society at 553-2422, online at
www.philharmonicsociety.org or at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna
Canyon Road. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $45 for three
concerts; and $10 for full-time students.
Winter Fantasy
closes on a high note
Fantastic show, said the artists in the Sawdust Festival's Winter
Fantasy.
"We have fun doing the show, and that makes it fun for the
customers," exhibitor and committee member Dennis Junka said. "And we
saw a lot of people."
