[photo credit: Mount Wilson Institute]
The five-piece ensemble — Eleanor Dunbar and Megan Shun on violins, Rita Andrade on viola, Zach Reaves on cello and Karl McComas-Reichl on bass — will perform at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The program, titled “High Ground, New Sound,” is the latest in a concert series cellist Cécilia Tsan co-founded in 2017 to make use of the dome’s unusual acoustic properties. The 20th-century steel-domed space, designed by Chicago architect D.H. Burnham, produces reverberations the observatory likens to those of European cathedrals.
The Rogue Lemon Collective is a Los Angeles-based group of classically trained string players whose work strays from conventional repertoire into genre-bending arrangements and original collaborations. The ensemble has performed at Mount Wilson before, with a 2024 appearance generating enough enthusiasm to bring them back to the dome series.
A reception with light refreshments will be held outside the dome at 4 p.m., between the two performances. Tickets to the concerts include access to the observatory’s exhibit space.
Attendees should be prepared for the practical realities of a concert held atop a 5,710-foot mountain: the dome’s performance level is reached by a 53-step staircase with no ADA-compliant access, the thinner air at altitude is noticeable, and the temperature drops sharply once the sun starts to set. Children under 6 are not permitted. The observatory recommends purchasing tickets in advance, as seating in the dome is limited.
Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome featuring the Rogue Lemon Collective will run on Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Mount Wilson Observatory, Mount Wilson Circle Road, in Mount Wilson. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.google.com/url?q=
