Rictor Noren & Ellen Deffner

Bruce provides us with yet another performance post, from Sunday, November 18, 2007. This was not a Saturday Club meeting, but the performance featured a former Club member:

Former Junior Saturday Club member, Rictor Noren, gave a recital for Georgetown's Music on the Divide series, on Sunday, 11/18/07. Rictor is a gifted and animated violin and viola soloist and is currently on the faculty at the Boston Conservatory and the New England Conservatory of Music.

Mr. Noren was accompanied by the internationally lauded, Ellen Deffner, pianist.

Pieces performed were: Sonata for Viola and Piano, by Rebecca Clarke; Fantasy Pieces op. 73 bis, by Robert Schumann; Suite No. 1 1007, by Johann Sebastian Bach; and Suite Italienne, by Jiovanni Pergolesi/Igor Stravinsky.




Mr. Noren and Ms. Deffner received a standing ovation, for their gifts, to the audience, of skilled and evocative performances. They provided a peaceful and reflective encore, in the form of Ashokan Farewell, by Jay Unger.



During the intermission, and for the reception following the recital, tasty pastries, beverages, and hot entrees were provided by the women of the Music on the Divide Guild. Of course, I gave Rictor and Ellen applications, to become performing members of SSC.

- Bruce Hubbard

Barbara Wieman & James Gentry

Bruce Hubbard provides our second post for the November Home Concert, Saturday, November 17, 2007:

I begin with an apology: I forgot my camera, so I don't have any pictures for the November Home Concert.

With stars shimmering in the cloudless, black tableau of night, the Sacramento Saturday Club home concert took place on a crisp, cool evening - a declaration that winter is fast approaching.

Members and guests arrived, with rosy cheeks, at the beautiful home of the Anderson family.

Barbara Wieman, accomplished pianist, teacher, and longtime SSC member and supporter, was first to perform for the evening's program. She provided excellent interpretations of M. Ravel's Sonatine (Moderate), F. Schubert's Impromptu, Op. 90, No.4 (Allegro), F. Chopin's Nocturne Op. 15, No. 1, and L.V. Beethoven's Sonata No. 8, Po. 13 (Grave/Allegro Molto). Thank you, Barbara!

Longtime SSC member, James Gentry, baritone, and his accompanist, Melanie Bietz, pianist, completed the evening's program. Mr. Gentry, attired in frontiersman garb, gave a hearty performance of Four Old American Songs, by A. Copland. He then got into character, by changing into Baroque attire, complete with long, blonde hair, for a humerous offering of G.F. Handel's Aria from Acis and Galatea. Mr. Gentry's last selection, J.J. Niles, Four Gambling Songs, saw him back in the lime light, wearing the costume of a riverboat gambler. What creativity, fun, and talent these two artists, James Gentry and Melanie Bietz, provided our audience. Thank you, James and Melanie!

A big thank you to Programming Board Member, Pauline Cazanis, for contacting and scheduling this evening's performance.

A big thank you to the Anderson family, for their hospitality.

And, of course, a big thank you to the hospitality team, Arlene Bradshaw and Joan McCloud (and Merlin and Elliot), for the "yummies."

- Bruce Hubbard


For those of us unable to attend, Bruce's post is a wonderful reminder of what we missed. Thank you!