South Pasadena Community Room (Photo – Cyndi Bemel)
If you’ve ever been seated in the historic, soaring South Pasadena Library Community Room as violins or piano melodies fill the space, you know how special the Restoration Concerts are. And if you haven’t, here’s your chance to get ahead of the crowd and mark your calendar for the newly announced 2026–27 season.
By Melanie Hooks
The Restoration Concerts Committee of the Friends of the South Pasadena Library is celebrating its 30th anniversary season, running from September 13, 2026, through May 9, 2027.
The esteemed New Hollywood String Quartet, Restoration Concerts’ Quartet in Residence, will open the season on September 13. Immediately after the concert, Restoration Concerts will mark its 30-year milestone with a reception open to all concertgoers.
The eight-concert season will feature several new and impressive ensembles, including the Dave Washburn Brass Quintet, the Restoration Wind Quintet, the Cantilena Trio, featuring flute, tenor and guitar, and the Wade Culbreath Percussion Ensemble. Internationally acclaimed pianist Robert Thies, who has performed with Restoration Concerts since its first season, will appear with violinist Roger Wilkie in October.
In January, audience favorite Rodolfo Leone will perform with a string trio. In April, husband and wife David Speltz and Connie Kupka will be joined by four family members from across the United States, including Bredon Speltz of the Escher String Quartet, to form Ensemble Familia, a string sextet.
Concerts are held in the beautiful, historic South Pasadena Library Community Room, originally built with a Carnegie grant and known for its excellent musical acoustics.
Season tickets are $160 for all eight concerts. Purchasing a season ticket saves concertgoers $40 compared with buying tickets at the door. Individual tickets are $26 and may be purchased at the door.
Purchase series or individual tickets on the Friends website.
The Restoration Concerts Committee is composed entirely of volunteers who work to bring world-class music to concertgoers in South Pasadena and surrounding communities at an affordable price. As the name suggests, net profits from the concerts support restorations, enhancements and other improvements to the South Pasadena Library and Community Room. Past purchases for the library have included new chairs, carpeting, a community room sound system, a digital projector and projector screen, and more.
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