Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • SPRING 2018 • PAN PIPES 13 SAIS IN ACTION American Music Celebrated at Composers Concert C ars began arriving at the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills on November 4th, 2017, against a backdrop of brilliant green hills, sprawling grass, and sparkling headstones, opposite the large landscape of the San Fernando Valley. Inside, members of the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter (PAC) and other local performers from the Los Angeles area were readying themselves backstage, as PAC's first American Composers Concert was about to begin. We were honored to have some of the best musicians in the area perform on our concert, and to include the works of five talented local composers. Gibran Mahmud, tenor, and Kristen Baum, piano, kicked things off with America the Beautiful to lead our program of American composers. Jaqueline Stong, oboe, and Jo Ann Haycra, piano, both members of the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter, performed Salutations by SAI Member Laureate Gloria Swisher, who won an SAI Inter-American Music Award for this composition. Pasadena Alumnae Chapter member Lauren Eliason, soprano, was next with a pair of American compositions, accompanied by Fern Fay: Winter Song from Songs for Leontyne by Lee Hoiby, and Ski Song by SAI member Pauline Delmonte. Monika Beal, soprano, stepped up next to sing Les Couleurs from Petit Reve, written by local composer Genevieve Vincent. e Valley Woodwind Quintet closed the first half of the program with Five Dances by Denes Agay, and Pastoral for Wind Quintet by Vincent Persichetti. PAC member Victoria Sabonjohn, oboe, performed with her colleagues: Kathy Marsh, flute; Darryl Tanikawa, clarinet; Steve Ades, bassoon; and Janeen Apodaca, horn. e first half concluded with a special presentation from SAI Philanthropies, Inc Treasurer, Kimberly Ann Philips, on how donations from the concert would benefit music in the community and throughout the nation. Aer intermission, the second half of the program picked up with PAC members Kristen Hirlinger, flute, and Liska Yamada, harp, performing Seaside Reflections by Howard J. Buss. Following was another local composition by UCLA student Jake Boring, Exit Two, performed by Pedro Gomez, clarinet, and Mitsuko Morikawa, piano. ree world premieres closed out the concert program. Kelly Kasle, bassoon, who recently affiliated with the chapter in January, performed PAC member Katerina Lynch's new composition Beautiful Paths, written for the concert. Gibran Mahmud and Kristen Baum returned to the stage to premiere Baum's composition, Oh Moon. e final piece was Introspective by local composer Ghiya Rushidat, specifically written for the concert to accommodate an eleven-person ensemble of PAC performers. At the end of the day, our concert brought in over $1,000 in donations to SAI Philanthropies, Inc. Our five local composers lined up, beaming, to have their picture taken. We were extremely pleased with the program, and thanked the local performers and composers who contributed. Special thanks were also due to PAC member Sandra Tully, who served as M.C.; Lolita Ritmanis, president of the Alliance for Women Film Composers for promoting our call for scores to composers in the organization; and Kimberly Philips for the making the trip out from Las Vegas to present at our concert. A few months later, the chapter presented the Rose of Honor to PAC member Gail Brow, who came up with the idea for the American Composers Concert and led the committee that The five local composers whose works were showcased on the program (from left): Katerina Lynch, Ghiya Rushidat, Kristen Baum, Jake Boring, and Genevieve Vincent.

• Cover