Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers helped plan the concerts held on January 7 and also performed.
Photo: ROSALIE HUNTINGTON
St. Matthew’s Music Guild hosted two concerts on January 7 called “Healing and Renewal: Concerts of Remembrance” at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. Prior to the concerts at 1 and 7 p.m. community prayers were offered.
The church was full at the 1 p.m. concert that featured Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers and members Los Angeles Master Chorale with conductor Grant Gershon.
The 7 p.m. concert, also packed, featured Meyers, with the Pacific Strings, conducted by Lucinda Carver.
“The afternoon concert was excellent — absolute top-notch performers,” one resident wrote to CTN. “It felt good being in a positive environment with the community and the music.”
One person wrote that her spouse found the concert “comforting.”
A Grammy-winning violinist and a Palisadian, Meyers led the planning for the concerts, which also served as a fundraiser for four community artistic organizations impacted by the fires: Chamber Music Palisades, Palisades Symphony and Chorale, St. Matthew’s Music Guild, and Theatre Palisades.
Gershon is currently in his 17th season as Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. He also serves as resident conductor for the LA Opera.
Members of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, with Gershon, included sopranos Elissa Johnston, Addy Sterret and Chloe Vaught: altos Anna Caplann, Carmen Edano and Julia Metzler: Tenors Casey Breves, Matthew Brown and Michael Lichtenauer: Bass Michael Bannett, John Buffett, Ben Han-Wei Lin, with pianist Lisa Edwards.
That concert included “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” “Air” and “Sheep May Safely Graze” by J.S. Bach, “Seal Lullaby” by Eric Whitacre and “O Magnum Mysterium” by Morten Lauridsen. Additionally, two members of the Theatre Palisades Youth Group read poems.
The 7 p.m. concert included Meyers and was conducted by Lucinda Carver, featuring The Palisades Strings. Carver, a conductor and harpsichord player, has worked with acclaimed symphonies, festivals, and operas in LA, around the country and the world.
The musicians who performed were Lisa Dondlinger, Concertmaster, Elizabeth Dickernson, Jennifer Takamatsu and Steve Zander on Violin 1; Alexander Kalman, Principal, Shelly Ren and Amy Tang on Violin 2; Viola players were David Sage, Principal, Briana Bandy and Ilona Geller; on the cello were David Mergen, Principal, and Robin Guyett-Neenan; on bass was Will “BJ” Johnson, Principal.
Songs featured included “Ave Maria” “Concerto No. 1 in A minor” and “Air” by J.S. Bach, “The Pacific Has No Memory,” and two anonymous poems read by TYP Youth.
Prior to the afternoon concert State Senator Ben Allen made remarks about the anniversary of the January 7 Palisades Fire, as a day of remembrance, healing and renewal. A representative of Allen’s office gave remarks at the evening concert.
The concerts were free, but if one was able, a $45 donation was asked and all proceeds went to the Palisades-based music and theater organizations.