PHOTO: provided by Friends of the South Pasadena Library | The South Pasadenan | Violinist Roger Wilkie
The Restoration Concert on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. will feature a unique mix of string and winds of 7 musicians. Roger Wilkie – violin. Connie Kupka- viola, David Speltz – cello, Ed Meares – bass, Stuart Clark – clarinet, James Thatcher – French horn, and Ken Munday – bassoon will perform music by Carl Nielsen and Beethoven. Tickets will be available at the door for $25 or online at https://www.friendsofsopaslibrary.org/restoration-concerts. The concert will be held in the beautiful historic Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro St. in South Pasadena.
Southern California native, violinist Roger Wilkie, has enjoyed a rich and varied musical life. He has been the beloved concertmaster of the Long Beach Symphony for over 27 years.
A life-long passion for chamber music inspired Connie Kupka and future husband David Speltz to form their own ensemble, the Arriaga Quartet. The group went on to win the Grand Prize at the prestigious Coleman Chamber Music Competition. Connie has enjoyed being a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for many years. David Speltz has been active for years on many Los Angeles chamber music series in Los Angeles.
Ed Meares has played for Frank Sinatra, Diane Schuur, James Newton Howard, Neil Diamond, Christopher Cross and in groups such as Pacific Classical Winds, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and Jerry Hey String Section. Ed has appeared on many movie soundtracks.
Currently the principal clarinettist of the Los Angeles Opera, Stuart Clark has performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Spokane Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, Pacific Symphony and New West Symphony.
James Thatcher has been the guest principal horn with major symphonies including the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He was the former principal horn with Los Angeles Music Center Opera. But principally he is a studio player, a recipient of the Most Valuable Player Award from the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences and “arguably the most often heard horn player in the world” due to his performances on some 70 to 80 films per year for the last 20 years.
As a founding member of the Baroque ensemble Musical Offering, Kenneth Munday has appeared throughout the United States and Canada. He serves as principal bassoon with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, appointed by Sir Neville Marriner in 1976.
The Restoration Concerts Committee, a committee of the non-profit organization, The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, has a goal to bring world-class music at an affordable price to the concertgoers in South Pasadena and surrounding communities. As the name suggests, net proceeds from the concerts provide for restorations, enhancements and other benefits to the South Pasadena Library and Community Room.
