.png)
A special Restoration concert is lined up for Sunday, April 7, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. featuring the AlmaNova Duo (flute & guitar) and Speltz & Kupka (cello and violin). The program includes music by Petar Georgiev Kalica, Almer Imamovic, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and Franz Schubert. The concert is presented by the Restoration Concerts Committee of the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library and will be held in the beautiful historic Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro St. in South Pasadena. Tickets will be available at the door for $25.
The award-winning ensemble, AlmaNova Duo, is an innovative flute and guitar duo presenting an eclectic program of chamber music. Flutist Jessica Pierce and guitarist Almer Imamovic are both masters of their instruments, elevating the flute and guitar ensemble to the highest level of virtuosity and artistry. Their live performances are filled with energy and passion creating a “…graceful, intuitively choreographed display of seamless connection.” (Fresno Beehive). AlmaNova’s recordings have been described as “…pure musical pleasure” (Flute Focus Magazine) and have received much critical acclaim. Their first CD recording ‘Debut’ features original works by Mr. Imamovic, inspired by the sounds and folk melodies of his native Bosnia. ”…Flautist Jessica Pierce produces a most beautiful clear and pure tone, has impeccable intonation, and an idiomatic and stylish way of ornamenting the melodies….” -Pan – The Flute Magazine (The Journal of the British Flute Society), U.K. AlmaNova Duo has had the privilege to perform extensively throughout the world including recitals in Paris, London, Sarajevo, Stockholm, Tijuana, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Kansas City, and San Diego. To learn more about the Alma Nova Duo, go to http://www.almanovaduo.com/home.html.
Violinist Connie Kupka, a native Angelino, is a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. After graduating from UCLA, she won a scholarship to study chamber music with the Guarneri Quartet at the Yale Summer Festival in Norfolk, Connecticut. The experience created a lifelong passion for chamber music (and orchestras), and inspired her and her future husband, cellist David Speltz, to form their own ensemble, the Arriaga Quartet. The group went on to win the grand prize in the prestigious Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition and was able to tour with a broad range of offerings from the magnificent quartet repertoire.
Cellist David Speltz has been active for years on many Los Angeles chamber music series in Los Angeles and participated in summer festivals throughout the United States. David was a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra under Sir Neville Marriner and served as the principal cellist of the California Chamber Orchestra under Henri Temianka. In 1989 he served as principal cellist for the German conductor Helmuth Rilling at the Bach Collegium Stuttgart. He has also, in the course of 44+ years, played in the studio orchestras of more than 1,000 movies.
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.
For more information about Restoration Concerts, contact restorationconcerts@gmail.com or go to https://www.friendsofsopaslibrary.org/restoration-concerts
