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First Fridays at First! ~ fff ~ Current Season

CLASSICAL CROSSROADS, INC.
~ and ~
FIRSTSERVE COMMUNITY SERVICES
~ present ~
First Fridays at First! ~ fff
(Formerly, the
Bach's Lunch Recitals in Manhattan Beach)

2013-2014 Concert Series

First Lutheran Church of Torrance

The popular Bach's Lunch Recitals, a favorite in the South Bay community for two decades, are now First Fridays at First! ~ fff, graciously hosted as a gift to the community by FirstServe Community Services, the nonprofit community service partner organization of First Lutheran Church & School – Torrance. The finest artists from Southern California and around the World perform half-hour lunchtime recitals.

First Lutheran Church & School
2900 W. Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90503
(on the south side of Carson Street just east of Maple)
For a Google map, click here.

For information, call Classical Crossroads at (310) 316-5574 or click here.

Free admission - Donations Appreciated

Click to see "First Fridays at First! ~ fff" past seasons:
[2000-2013] [2013-2014] [2014-2015] [2015-2016]
[2016-2017] [2017-2018] [2018-2019] [2019-2020]
[2020-2021] [2021-2022] [2022-2023]

Friday, October 4, 2013 at 12:15 p.m.

BelRose Duo

Belrose Duo

Los Angeles Philharmonic Cellist
DAVID GARRETT

Occidental College Faculty Pianist
JUNKO UENO GARRETT

David Garrett, celloDavid Garrett joined the cello section of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in February of 2000. Previously he was a member of the Houston Symphony, Assistant Principal of the San Antonio Symphony, and a member of the New Orleans Philharmonic. David also appears frequently as recitalist, chamber musician, and soloist, and is a frequent performer on the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Chamber Music Society and Green Umbrella concerts.

Junko Ueno Garrett, pianoJunko Ueno Garrett has captivated audiences around the world with her colorful tone, poetry, expressiveness, dynamic technique, and wide range of repertoire. She began playing piano at the age of three, trained at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, and received a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Rice University with John Perry. Junko is a faculty member of Occidental College and Kawai artist.

Free admission - Donations Appreciated

Friday, November 1, 2013 at 12:15 p.m.

Selections for Organ Inspired by All Saints Day

David York, organ

DAVID YORK
Organist at Lutheran Church of the Master in Westwood

A native of the Pacific Northwest, David York began piano studies at age 7, organ at age 12 and received his first job as a church organist at age 16. After graduating with honors from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, David completed a Master's Degree in Organ Performance at the University of Southern California. His teachers have included Edward A. Hansen and Ladd Thomas.

David is Organist and Minister of Music at Lutheran Church of the Master in Westwood. Prior to this, he has been Director of Music at several churches in Southern California including First Presbyterian, San Pedro and St. Luke's Episcopal, Long Beach. David also is organist at Temple Israel in Long Beach.

Free admission - Donations Appreciated

Friday, December 6, 2013 at 12:15 p.m.

AlmaNova

AlmaNova

ALMER IMAMOVIC guitar JESSICA PIERCE flute

Their live performances are filled with energy and passion creating a "…graceful, intuitively choreographed display of seamless connection." - Fresno Beehive

The innovative AlmaNova duo trained in the classical tradition while exploring other types of music. AlmaNova's great love of all musical genres shines through to their audience by way of their exceptional musicianship and engaging stage presence. AlmaNova has traveled worldwide playing their unique blend of classical repertoire infused with music from the Balkans, Spain, Latin America, and the British Isles.

Flutist Jessica Pierce and guitarist Almer Imamovic began their careers in France while studying at the famed École Normale de Musique de Paris. They both continued their studies at the USC Thornton School, where Jessica earned her doctorate under Jim Walker and Almer earned his Master's under Scott Tennant. AlmaNova performed throughout Europe and North America including Paris's Theatre de Naples, the Tijuana International Guitar Festival, the Juan Serrano International Guitar Festival, and the Dom Armije in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

Among their numerous recordings is the 2012 release of their first holiday album "AlmaNova: The Christmas Album" featuring original and inventive arrangements of beloved Christmas classics. They will perform selections from their holiday album, and the CD will be available for purchase as gifts or to be an instant favorite of your holiday music.

Free admission - Donations Appreciated

Friday, February 7, 2014 at 12:15 p.m.

Sweet Temperament Baroque Ensemble

SweetTemperament

Arthur Omura harpsichord   Katina Mitchell soprano
Amelia Tobiason soprano            Frédéric Rosselet Baroque cello

Members of Sweet Temperament are students and recent graduates of the esteemed Early Music Performance program of the USC Thornton School of Music. The Ensemble was among the winners of the Beverly Hills Auditions.

Free admission - Donations Appreciated

Friday, March 7, 2014 at 12:15 p.m.

Encore Saxophone Quartet

Doug Masek, saxophone    Kenneth Foerch, saxophone
Douglas Masek               Ken Foerch    
soprano saxophone                 alto saxophone     

Damon Zick, saxophone    Dave Brennan, saxophone
     Damon Zick               David Brennan          
baritone saxophone                 tenor saxophone   

The Encore Saxophone Quartet is among Los Angeles' premier ensembles. It is regularly featured on LACMA's prestigious Sundays Live! series. Formed by internationally renowned saxophonist and UCLA and USC Professor of Saxophone Douglas Masek in 1984, the Quartet's extensive repertoire spans original compositions and arrangements that bridge styles from the Classical to Modern Jazz. Individually, all of the members are noted soloists and chamber music artists who perform with all of the leading Los Angeles orchestras including the LA Phil. They can be heard on the soundtracks of numerous movies and TV shows.

The Encore Saxophone Quartet will perform an outreach concert for the students of First Lutheran School later in the afternoon.

Free admission - Donations Appreciated

Friday, April 4, 2014 at 12:15 p.m.

Flute & Piano!

JULIE LONG flute
TIMOTHY DURKOVIC piano

Julie Long, fluteHailed as "a terrific flutist" by Julius Baker and called "the real deal" by Jim Walker, Julie Long has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Music Center Opera Orchestra, and the Master Chorale Orchestra, to name a few. Julie grew up in the musical Schubarth family and went to school here at First Lutheran. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Master of Music and D.M.A. degrees from USC.

Timothy Durkovic, pianoLos Angeles-based pianist Timothy Durkovic is the Grand Prize Winner of the 1996 Los Angeles Liszt Competition, the Beverly Hills Auditions, the Carmel Music Society Competition, the 2001 San Diego Duo Piano Competition, and the 2001 IBLA Grand Prize Duo Award (Sicily, Italy). Timothy is Director of Music and Organist at Church of the Good Shepard in Arcadia.

Free admission - Donations Appreciated

Friday, May 2, 2014 at 12:15 p.m.

Two of Southern California Aficionados' Favorite Artists in Recital Together!

Guillaume Sutre violin  kyung-Hee Kim-Sutre

GUILLAUME SUTRE violin                                  
                          
STEVEN VANHAUWAERT piano

Internationally renowned French-born violinist and UCLA Professor Guillaume Sutre is known worldwide as member of the Ysaÿe Quartet and for his recordings for Sony Classical, Decca, harmonia mundi, Naïve, Aeon, and Ysaÿe Records. Guillaume was only 18 years old when he won three major awards: first prize in the Alberto Curci International Violin Competition in Napoli, the ARD International Piano-Trio Competition in Munich, and the International Chamber Music Competition in South Bend, Indiana. He was awarded the prestigious George Enesco Prize, and in 1999, he was named Chevalier of the Order of Arts and the Letters by the French government.

Grand-Prize winner of the 2004 Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, Belgian pianist Steven Vanhauwaert earned his Master of Music degree from the Royal Conservatory in Brussels and continued his graduate studies at the USC Thornton School. Steven won the USC Concerto Competition with the Schumann Concerto and performed it with the USC Thornton Symphony under the baton of Carl St. Clair. He has also performed as concerto soloist with the Pacific, Flemish, Bryan, Auburn, and Peninsula Symphonies, the Eastern Sierra Chamber Orchestra, and Prima la Musica, amongst others. Steven is a two-time Beverly Hills Auditions winner and frequent pianist on the acclaimed Jacaranda series.

Free admission - Donations Appreciated

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