September 28, 2015

Have you Ever Heard an Alphorn?

If you haven’t hard an alphorn before, here’s your chance! There are only a few more days to go until Saturday’s Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, we hope you’ll come along!

More information about the concert, written by organizer T. Paul Rosas:

Date and time: Saturday, October 3rd 2015 at 3:00pm

Place: LAUMC Sanctuary, 655 Magdalena Ave., Los Altos (at the corner of Foothill Expressway and Magdalena)

This year’s concert includes compositions by two of the Bay Area’s favorite composers, Sondra Clark and Brian Holmes. Sondra’s piece, “That Time of Year” is a setting of one of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Anne Janzer sings it beautifully. Brian Holmes will demonstrate and play the Alphorn for us. He has written two delightful pieces, “Amazing Grace” for Alphorn and organ and “Twilight in the Alps” for Alphorn and vocal trio. Casie Walker, Anne Janzer and Mayo Tsuzuki are the trio.

The program also includes a groovy piece for jazz organ and percussion, played by Paul Rosas and Dylan Damonte; evocative piano and organ duets by Dirk Damonte and Paul Rosas and the extraordinary dancing bells of Bay Area handbell duo, Larry and Carla Sue. The program will end with a “Jig for Handbells and Organ” written by Paul Rosas that will have everyone dancing.

It promises to be unique and entertaining event given to support the ongoing research into Alzheimer’s disease as well as the home services provided by the organization. Please invite your friends and family to come. It really is going to be a special concert.”

Admission to the concert is free, but a collection will be made to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. If you can’t come to the concert, but would like to support our fundraising efforts for this important cause, please visit our Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraising page and make an online donation there.

January 26, 2015

Thank You to Everyone Who Came to the Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert

A huge “thank you” to everyone who came to the Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert in Menlo Park last Friday! We had a great evening, and very much enjoyed the opportunity to hear Angela Kraft Cross on the organ. Dr Kraft Cross has given over four hundred concerts across the United States. She has also performed in Canada, England, Holland, France, Hungary, Lesotho and Guam. To say she’s an experienced performer would be an understatement!

It was encouraging to have such a large audience in the church on Friday evening. These benefit concerts are a wonderful way to support the valuable work of the Alzheimer’s Association. We’re grateful to T. Paul Rosas, organist at Los Altos United Methodist Church, for inviting us to be a part of this fundraising effort.

Here’s a picture of us in the church before the concert, with Angela Kraft Cross.

concert in Menlo Park - handbells and organ

Over the next few days we’ll be posting more photos and video excerpts from the concert in Menlo Park. You’ll be able to see them here on our website, and on Facebook and YouTube. If you couldn’t attend the concert, it’s not too late to make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. Contact us to find out how, and we’ll put you in touch with the concert organiser. Alternatively, you might enjoy taking part in a local Walk for Alzheimer’s event near you!

We’re looking forward to the next Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert. We’ll let you know when it will be happening!

January 14, 2015

Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert on January 23rd!

Don’t miss the Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert on Friday, January 23rd!

If you love handbells… or if you love organ music… or if you know someone with Alzheimer’s Disease… these are all great reasons to come to this concert. In fact, who needs a reason to go to a concert? Even if you have no particular reason to leave your house on that Friday evening, we’d still love to see you at St Bede’s Episcopal Church in Menlo Park.

We’ll be teaming up with talented organist Angela Kraft Cross to present a varied selection of music. You’ll hear handbell pieces ranging from classical arrangements to hymns and Irish jigs. This Alzheimer’s Benefit Concert is sponsored by the San Jose and PA/Peninsula chapters of the American Guild of Organists. Admission is free, and there will be a free-will offering to support the work of the Alzheimer’s Association.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact us. If we can’t help, we’ll be happy to put you in touch with someone who can. Please feel free to share the concert flyer. Tell your friends and family about the performance, and help us spread the word. We look forward to seeing you on Friday evening!