St. Matthew’s Music Guild to Open 40th Season With Saxophonist Jan Berry Baker

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

St. Matthew’s Music Guild will open its 40th season of concerts with the Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Dwayne Milburn, on Friday, September 27, beginning at 8 p.m. with “renowned saxophonist” Jan Berry Baker.

“The Chamber Orchestra and Music Guild began in 1985 when a group of professional musicians came together to play in the newly erected St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades,” read a statement from Music Guild. “Realizing that the building by famed architect Charles Moore was both visually striking and acoustically ideal for music, concerts began to attract a larger audience and soon a subscription season was offered.”

Baker—professor of saxophone and head of woodwinds at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music—will perform Jacque Ibert’s “Concertino da Camera” and William Grant Still’s “Romance for Alto Saxophone and Strings.” The saxophonist performs with LA Philharmonic, Chicago and Atlanta symphonies, and a “variety of new music ensembles throughout the U.S. and Europe.”

The September 27 program will also feature a new Music Guild commission: “Celebration Triptych” by Milburn, which was composed for the occasion.

“Milburn promises a sonic spectacular that will fill every corner of St. Matthew’s stunning interior space as members of the brass and woodwind sections perform from various locations around the church,” the statement continued. They will be joined by the church’s 2,000-pipe C.B. Fisk pipe organ, also celebrating its 40th anniversary season.”

The program will conclude with “one of the most beloved symphonies in the repertoire,” Felix Mendelssohn’s “Italian” symphony.

The concert will take place at St. Matthew’s Church, located at 1031 Bienveneda Avenue. Tickets are $45 or available as part of a Music Guild season pass, which is available for all eight concerts beginning at $285.

“Our 40th Anniversary Season touches every corner of the classical canon and offers new works by outstanding composers, all presented by musicians of exceptional artistry in an intimate and casual setting and at an affordable price,” Milburn said. “No need to drive across town when you have ‘World-Class Music Close to Home.’ Save money by subscribing today—and don’t miss a single note.”

For more information, visit musicguildonline.org or call 310-573-7422.