• FEATURE •
The Pasadena Presbyterian Church was the first church built in Pasadena in 1875 and has since become a home for music and worship in the community.
Pasadena church hosts Good Friday Devotional Concert s the oldest church in the city, the Pasadena Presbyterian Church has been a central part of the community since 1875. It continues its mission with the 24th annual Good Friday Devotional Concert on April 15. The concert is presented by Friends of Music, PPC’s outreach and service arm to Pasadena and its surrounding communities. It holds a series of annual concerts and recitals featuring the resident ensembles, professional Friends of Music Orchestra, and visiting artists. “The Good Friday program is designed to appeal to anyone who wants a meditative moment,” said Dr. Timothy Howard, director of music and organist. “I want people to have a rich experience whether they consider it a religious experience or not. It’s always beautiful music, and who doesn’t want to come and hear beautiful music?” One such piece is Sir Karl Jenkins’ “Stabat Mater,” which Howard came across nearly 14 years ago and performed in Carnegie Hall with Jenkins in attendance in 2011. Bonnie Snell Schindler will be the alto soloist for the Jenkins piece, which is a 13th century Roman Catholic hymn written in Latin by Jacopone da Todi as a portrayal of Mary, the mother of Jesus, standing at the foot of the cross while her son is being crucified on Good Friday. As a musician, Jenkins has been classically trained and delved into pop and rock styles, a diversity that has translated into his writing. For this concert, the church’s choir will sing long phrases that often hold notes for much longer than a singer can hold a breath, so the choir will engage in a staggered breathing technique. “That kind of feeling transports people somewhere not quite earthly in many
cases, which makes it perfect for this particular concert,” Howard explained. “It’s not esoteric music in any way, shape or form. It is very friendly music, and it’s easy to get lost in the combination of the music and the text.” Howard not only hopes to move the audience through the music but through its meaning as well. During the concert, the church will project supertitles above the choir in English and Spanish and Korean, the three languages of PPC, so that guests who don’t know Latin, Aramaic or Hebrew will still be able to understand the message of the pieces. The evening will end with Belgian organist Joseph Jongen’s “Hymne,” one of Jongen’s works that is rarely performed live. The performance will feature PPC’s Aeolian Skinner organ — among the largest and most versatile pipe organs in Southern California with more than 6,300 pipes — played by Michelle Kardos. “It’s about an 8-minute piece,” Howard said. “It’s not in the same exact style as Jenkins, but it’s very complimentary in compositional style and it really gives PPC’s massive Aeolian Skinner organ time to shine.” Admission to the Good Friday Devotional Concert is free, though donations to Friends of Music are encouraged.
24th Annual Good Friday Devotional Concert WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 15 WHERE: Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena COST: Free admission; donations accepted INFO: ppcmusic.org
Pasadena Presbyterian Church/Submitted photo
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By Luke Netzley Pasadena Weekly Deputy Editor
10 PASADENA WEEKLY | 04.14.22
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