Summer Concert Series 2017

Date: July 15, 2017 - August 26, 2017
Release Date: June 20, 2017

Pasadena, CA—The Norton Simon Museum is pleased to announce its 2017 Summer Concert Series. Featuring musical performances held in the Museum’s theater on select Saturday evenings at 5:00 p.m., the series includes favorite performers such as Polli Chambers-Salazar, the Odeum Guitar Duo, the California String Quartet and the Greg Reitan Trio, as well as a special performance of “Altadena Reprise” with the Richard Sears Septet featuring Albert “Tootie” Heath. Performances are free with Museum admission and no reservations are required. Stickers for ensured seating are distributed in the Main Entrance gallery starting at 4:00 p.m. Members enjoy early seating between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m.; general admission seating begins at 4:45 p.m.

The series includes:

Ships and Skyscrapers: Lyonel Feininger and the Music of His Time
Dr. Polli Chambers-Salazar
Saturday, July 15, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
At the bottom of one of his paintings, Lyonel Feininger wrote, “Poetry is difficult, painting more so.” His pictures frequently depict tall buildings or sailing ships, painted in an elegant style that combines realism with abstraction. Interesting connections may be found between the visual and musical arts of the early 20th century. Pianist Polli Chambers-Salazar presents a program focusing on the works of Feininger and on piano works from the time period.

Shades of Tone Burst
Odeum Guitar Duo
Saturday, July 22, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
The Odeum Guitar Duo returns to the Museum with another lively program of Spanish guitar compositions. Robert Wetzel and Fred Benedetti present music designed to imbue the hearts and minds of the audience with an awareness of varied musical intricacies, from delicate tonal shadings to robust clarity.

Shared Vision: Jazz and the Galka Scheyer Collection
Greg Reitan Trio
Saturday, August 12, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Pianist Greg Reitan and his trio (Jack Daro, bass; Dean Koba, drums) present an evening of original compositions and music by Billy Strayhorn, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans. The concert explores shared themes and provides insight into the work of artists promoted and collected by Galka Scheyer, including Lyonel Feininger, Imogen Cunningham, Paul Klee, Alexei Jawlensky and others.

The Early and Late Romantic Periods: Schubert and Hindemith
California String Quartet
Saturday, August 19, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Schubert and Hindemith represent the two ends of the romantic era—that is, the early 19th century (the end of the classical era and start of the early romantic era) and the early 20th century, which marks the beginning of the modern era but still maintains the richness of passion of the romantic period. The California String Quartet performs Schubert’s String Quartet no. 15 in G Major, D. 887, and Paul Hindemith’s String Quartet no. 2, Op. 10.

Altadena Reprise
Richard Sears Septet featuring Albert “Tootie” Heath
Saturday, August 26, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Pianist and composer Richard Sears brings his septet to the Museum to reprise his Altadena Suite, commissioned by the Los Angeles Jazz Society in 2013 to honor legendary jazz drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath. Heath, a longtime resident of Altadena, is among the last of the living drummers to have performed with golden age jazz musicians, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Lester Young and many others. The septet features both Tootie Heath and renowned trumpet player Ralph Alessi. The program also includes new music composed for the occasion.


ADMISSION: All concerts are free with Museum admission. Admission is $12.00 for adults; $9.00 for seniors; and free for Museum members, students with I.D., and everyone age 18 and under. For more information, call (626) 449-6840 or visit www.nortonsimon.org.

WHERE: Norton Simon Museum | 411 West Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena; located on the corner of Colorado and Orange Grove Boulevards at the intersection of the Foothill (210) and Ventura (134) freeways | Parking at the Norton Simon Museum is free.

About the Norton Simon Museum

The Norton Simon Museum is known around the world as one of the most remarkable private art collections ever assembled. Over a 30-year period, industrialist Norton Simon (1907–1993) amassed an astonishing collection of European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century, and a stellar collection of South and Southeast Asian art spanning 2,000 years. Modern and Contemporary Art from Europe and the United States, acquired by the former Pasadena Art Museum, also occupies an important place in the Museum’s collections. The Museum houses more than 12,000 objects, roughly 1,000 of which are on view in the galleries and gardens.

Location: The Norton Simon Museum is located at 411 W. Colorado Blvd. at Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena, Calif., at the intersection of the Foothill (210) and Ventura (134) freeways. For general Museum information, please call (626) 449-6840 or visit nortonsimon.org. Hours: The Museum is open Thursday through Monday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Friday and Saturday to 7 p.m.).  It is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission: General admission is $20 for adults and $15 for seniors. Members, students with I.D., and patrons age 18 and under are admitted free of charge. The first Friday of the month from 4 to 7 p.m. is free to all. The Museum is wheelchair accessible. Parking: Parking is free but limited, and no reservations are necessary. Public Transportation: Pasadena Transit stops directly in front of the Museum. Please visit http://pasadenatransit.net for schedules. The MTA bus line #180/181 stops in front of the Museum. The Memorial Park Station on the MTA Gold Line, the closest Metro Rail station to the Museum, is located at 125 E. Holly St. at Arroyo Parkway. Please visit www.metro.net for schedules. Planning your Visit: For up-to-date information on our guidelines and protocols, please visit nortonsimon.org/visit.

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Press Contacts

Leslie C. Denk
(626) 844-6900
[email protected]

Emma Jacobson-Sive
(323) 842-2064
[email protected]


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High-resolution images from the exhibition may be obtained by emailing [email protected]


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