The Methodist Church on Via de la Paz, which burned, used to be home for the Palisades Symphony when performing with the Brentwood Palisades Chorale. A new venue had to be found for the spring concert.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
By BERNICE FOX
Spring is choral concert season. And three choral groups with singers from Pacific Palisades have concerts in the next few days. In order by date and time, the concerts are:
Sunday, May 18, 4 p.m. – Concert Choir with L.A. Concert Orchestra
First United Methodist Church
1008 11th St., Santa Monica
Faure Requiem and Choral Masterpieces
Free – Donations are Welcome
Sunday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. – Brentwood Palisades Chorale with Palisades Symphony
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
3400 Sawtelle Blvd., Mar Vista
Verdi Requiem
Free – Donations are Welcome
Sunday, May 25, 4 p.m. – Angel City Chorale with Orchestra
Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach
People Get Ready
Purchase tickets at https://accsings.ticketspice.com/people-get-ready
Because of January’s wildfire, one of these choral groups with orchestra wasn’t certain until just a few weeks ago where or when their concert would take place.
The Brentwood Palisades Chorale normally holds its concerts at the Community United Methodist Church of Pacific Palisades on Via de La Paz. Tragically, the church was destroyed by the Palisades Fire.
Dr. Maxim Kuzin leads the Palisades Symphony Orchestra.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
In an interview this week with Circling the News, Maxim Kuzin, music director of the Palisades Symphony, who is conducting Sunday evening’s concert with the symphony and the Brentwood Palisades Chorale, said the uncertainty began with the fire.
“We were devastated,” Kuzin said. “We were ready to stop performing because we lost one of the churches – Community United Methodist on Via de La Paz. It’s completely gone.
“And although Palisades Lutheran Church survived, it’s not available to us for rehearsals or symphony performances for an indefinite time.”
But the decision was made to move forward.
“We didn’t stop,” he said. “And the reason we didn’t stop is because our orchestra and choir members contacted us asking ‘when are we going to have rehearsal?’”
He told CTN that some of those asking when the music would start up again were players and singers who lost their homes in the fire.
“We realized that people need this music to find solace, some kind of remedy,” Kuzin said. “And we continue, and we press on.”
So, rehearsal spaces were found elsewhere. The symphony has been rehearsing in a space at the Belmont Village Senior Living in Westwood. The chorale’s rehearsals moved to Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s Resnick Campus – formerly University Synagogue – in Brentwood.
While Kuzin conducted the symphony’s rehearsals, Susan Rosenstein trained and conducted the Brentwood Palisades Chorale during the rehearsal phase. Then she’ll sing with the chorale for the performance.
That still left the question of where this Sunday’s concert would be. First of all, it initially had been set for May 4. That date was tossed when venues were unavailable.
Sunday evening, May 18 at 7:30 p.m, was selected when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offered their Mar Vista location at 3400 Sawtelle Boulevard.
That date and time worked for just about all involved, including the professional soloists. The program is one powerful piece: the Verdi Requiem.
Although the Verdi Requiem was selected last year for the May 2025 concert, Kuzin felt it was appropriate for the grieving Palisades community.
He explained to CTN “It’s a deeply, deeply moving piece. This is one of the most gorgeous pieces in the entire repertoire for choir and orchestra. It’s one of the pinnacles, if not the pinnacle.
“Verdi knew how to write for voices, voices with orchestra,” Kuzin said.
Several singers in the Brentwood Palisades Chorale also are singing with the Concert Choir a few hours earlier on Sunday. That concert will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Santa Monica, 1008 11th Street, Santa Monica.
Jim Smith
That program will begin with another beloved piece: the Faure Requiem. It, too, is appropriate for what the fire-ravaged community is going through. Music director, Jim Smith, has selected a number of other pieces to follow. Calling them Choral Masterpieces, they are individual movements from Carmina Burana, Mozart Requiem, Vivaldi Gloria, Randall Thompson’s Alleluia, Brahms Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Verdi Requiem, Bach Magnificat, Handel’s Messiah and more to complete the program.
A free dessert reception follows to honor Jim Smith’s 60 years as music director at the Santa Monica church. In addition to his position at the church, he is the retired chairman of the music department at Santa Monica College.
Sunday afternoon, May 25, Memorial Day weekend, finds the Angel City Chorale in concert at its new location – the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Redondo Beach.
Sue Fink
The concert begins at 4 p.m. Founder and Artistic Director, Sue Fink, is calling this concert People Get Ready. This program is described as “a powerful concert and call to action. With music that inspires hope, joy, and unity,” the chorale “will explore themes of empowerment, peace, environmental care and working together for a better world.”
There also will be a special appearance by the Angel City Youth Chorale. Find out more about the adult chorale and the youth chorale at angelcitychorale.org.