The Norton Simon Museum’s Popular Summer Concert Series Returns

The Norton Simon Museum is pleased to announce its 2017 Summer Concert Series. Featuring musical performances held in the Museum’s theater on select Saturday evenings at 5:00 p.m., the series includes favorite performers such as Polli Chambers-Salazar, the Odeum Guitar Duo, the California String Quartet and the Greg Reitan Trio, as well as a special performance of “Altadena Reprise” with the Richard Sears Septet featuring Albert “Tootie” Heath. Performances are free with Museum admission and no reservations are required. Stickers for ensured seating are distributed in the Main Entrance gallery starting at 4:00 p.m. Members enjoy early seating between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m.; general admission seating begins at 4:45 p.m.

The series includes:

Ships and Skyscrapers: Lyonel Feininger and the Music of His Time
Dr. Polli Chambers-Salazar
Saturday, July 15, 5:00–6:00 p.m.

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At the bottom of one of his paintings, Lyonel Feininger wrote, “Poetry is difficult, painting more so.” His pictures frequently depict tall buildings or sailing ships, painted in an elegant style that combines realism with abstraction. Interesting connections may be found between the visual and musical arts of the early 20th century. Pianist Polli Chambers-Salazar presents a program focusing on the works of Feininger and on piano works from the time period.

Shades of Tone Burst
Odeum Guitar Duo
Saturday, July 22, 5:00–6:00 p.m.

The Odeum Guitar Duo returns to the Museum with another lively program of Spanish guitar compositions. Robert Wetzel and Fred Benedetti present music designed to imbue the hearts and minds of the audience with an awareness of varied musical intricacies, from delicate tonal shadings to robust clarity. 

Shared Vision: Jazz and the Galka Scheyer Collection
Greg Reitan Trio
Saturday, August 12, 5:00–6:00 p.m.

Pianist Greg Reitan and his trio (Jack Daro, bass; Dean Koba, drums) present an evening of original compositions and music by Billy Strayhorn, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans. The concert explores shared themes and provides insight into the work of artists promoted and collected by Galka Scheyer, including Lyonel Feininger, Imogen Cunningham, Paul Klee, Alexei Jawlensky and others.

The Early and Late Romantic Periods: Schubert and Hindemith 
California String Quartet
Saturday, August 19, 5:00–6:00 p.m.

Schubert and Hindemith represent the two ends of the romantic era—that is, the early 19th century (the end of the classical era and start of the early romantic era) and the early 20th century, which marks the beginning of the modern era but still maintains the richness of passion of the romantic period. The California String Quartet performs Schubert’s String Quartet no. 15 in G Major, D. 887, and Paul Hindemith’s String Quartet no. 2, Op. 10.

Altadena Reprise
Richard Sears Septet featuring Albert “Tootie” Heath
Saturday, August 26, 5:00–6:00 p.m.

Pianist and composer Richard Sears brings his septet to the Museum to reprise his Altadena Suite, commissioned by the Los Angeles Jazz Society in 2013 to honor legendary jazz drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath. Heath, a longtime resident of Altadena, is among the last of the living drummers to have performed with golden age jazz musicians, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Lester Young and many others. The septet features both Tootie Heath and renowned trumpet player Ralph Alessi. The program also includes new music composed for the occasion.