The longstanding music series highlights accessible engaging performances with its upcoming chamber music concert at First United Methodist Church in Pasadena.
A longstanding music series, Third@First, continues its mission to reach out to the community with its next chamber music concert scheduled for Saturday, November 15 at 4:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Pasadena. Organized by founder and artistic coordinator Junko Ueno Garrett, the series presents exceptional, free concerts to the community.
“My goal is always the highest quality music possible, offered free of charge for anyone to attend,” Junko Ueno Garrett said, spotlighting the ongoing commitment to making world-class music available for all.
The Third@First concert season runs from October to June, offering nine concerts annually, each varied in style and theme.
This month’s featured event concert is titled “Drawing Joy of Chamber Music,” showcasing three works by French composers.
“The musicians are Los Angeles Philharmonic players and I will join them to perform two of the pieces. There are three pieces: Debussy’s Piano Trio, Tansman’s Cello Quartet, and Faure’s Piano Quintet No. 2.”
These concerts, free to the public, are held on the third Saturday of each month at the historic First United Methodist Church at 500 East Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. Concerts for the season include performances by the Los Angeles Gay Men’s Chorus, a Christmas Joy Concert, and Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. These mixed offerings are “always free for everybody to come.”
Funding for Third@First comes exclusively from donations, without financial support from church resources. “Yes, I feel so grateful and thank the donors because its all supported by donations throughout the year so we can provide this great music,” Garrett said.
The sanctuary venue, with a seating capacity of 1,500 and a century-old history, is known for its remarkable acoustics, further enhancing the concert experience. “It’s an old church that has a history of a hundred years, with a great acoustic for any kind of music,” Junko Ueno Garrett said.
Reflecting on the concert series’s endurance and relevance, Garrett said, “I’m so happy to say that because sometimes it’s not easy to continue. We went through the difficulty of COVID, we kept going with the online concerts, and we continue now with a diverse mix of live music. I hope to share our wonderful music with as many people as possible.”
Saturday, November 15 at 4 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 500 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. For more call (626) 796-0157 or visit fumcpasadena.org. Free.
