St. Matthew’s Music Guild will offer a free neighborhood concert at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 5, in St. Matthew’s Church, 1021 Bienveneda Ave.
Thomas Neenan will conduct the Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s in a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.
Neenan, who teaches music history and theory at Caltech, where he was the recipient of the Outstanding Teaching Award, will offer insights into “The Magic of Beethoven’s Fifth,” complete with musical examples played by the orchestra.
The Chamber Orchestra will be joined by the Paul Revere Middle School Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Lara Jacques for the world premiere of Richard Meyer’s Hemispheres, commissioned for the occasion by the Music Guild.
Los Angeles composer Meyer writes,“This multicultural piece explores world music using a unique format. Two side-by-side orchestras share one conductor, with one group performing traditional American songs and the other playing folk songs from the Middle East. A total of eight songs are presented as each section from the two orchestras is featured. As the piece unfolds, what emerges is not only a tapestry of beautiful music, but an intense commentary on the power of music to unite diverse cultures.”
Visit MusicGuildOnline.org or call (310) 573-7421 for more information.
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