Last chance to hear First Sundays music

Suzie Harrison

It will be the last time for a while that music lovers can gather to

enjoy live chamber music, as part of the “First Sundays” free monthly

concert series at Laguna College of Art and Design.

“The Brass Connection,” a brass quintet led by Alfred Lang will

perform the season finale from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 1. Its

repertoire is expansive -- playing pieces form many diverse genres.

“This show has five musicians, it’s a brass quintet and will be

really dynamic,” President Cindy Prewitt said. “It’s going to be from

classical to Fats Waller, so it will feature shorter pieces -- a

greater variety in that sense.”

Lang was the principal trumpet for the Pageant of the Masters

Orchestra for eight years; he knows Laguna Beach well and is enjoying

putting the show together. He has also performed in Laguna as part of

“Music in the Park,” and has been a musician and educator in Orange

County for 25 years.

“When they are good it’s lucky to get them and they like to come

back,” Prewitt said.

“First Sundays” was a vision of Alan Barkley, director of Laguna

College of Art and Design, wanting to make a day of art and music for

the community at the college.

“It began last year, and he asked me to do the music part,”

Prewitt said. “Once a month art and music are combined -- there’s

always a new choice.”

It runs from October to June with seven or eight concerts for its

season. Most of the concerts are inside the studio with about 80

concert-goers attending. In June and October, the concert is outside

with more than 100 in attendance and room for more Prewitt said.

To book premiere musicians, Laguna Beach Live! at times works in

conjunction with the Philharmonic Society or a local musician’s union

to find high-caliber talent to perform.

“We meet a lot of musicians and hear CDs too,” Prewitt said.

“Because they are free concerts a member of a union will sponsor a

percentage of it from their trust fund.”

“As we do with every concert, it will be casual,” Prewitt said.

“The musicians will talk about the pieces and music. It makes it

interesting, as well as great for children to come.”

She said it’s meant as an introduction to chamber music but

enjoyable for those who are sophisticated in music.

The college art gallery will open at 2 p.m. before the concert to

allow the public to view the “Collector’s Choice” exhibit, an

exhibition by 65 artists, featuring original works.

Laguna College of Art and Design is located at 2222 Laguna Canyon

Road. For further details, go online to www.lagunabeachlive.org. The

concert will be outside, so guests are encouraged to bring lawn

chairs and people are welcome to picnic before or after the

performance.