Date/Time
Date(s) - 04/19/2026
4:00 pm
Location
South Pasadena Public Library
Category(ies)
South Pasadena Restoration Concert April 19: Clarinet & Strings Quintets (Photo – painting by Laurie Hendrick, courtesy of Friends of South Pasadena Library)
For a uniquely transformative Sunday afternoon, join classical music fans in-the-know for a rare performance of quintets by Mozart and Brahms on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 4:00 pm. The quintets are widely considered the greatest chamber works for clarinet and strings in the repertoire.
By Melanie Hooks
The Joshua Ranz & Friends performance marks the penultimate event of this season’s Restoration Concerts, which will feature a unique ensemble of clarinet and strings. The ensemble consists of: Joshua Ranz on clarinet, Roger Wilkie on violin, Ana Landauer on violin, Connie Kupka on viola, and David Speltz on cello.
The concert is presented by the Restoration Concerts Committee of the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library and will be held in the beautiful historic Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro St. in South Pasadena. Tickets will be available at the door ($25) or online at https://www.friendsofsopaslibrary.org/restoration-concerts ($26).
The final performance of the season takes place May 10, 2026, with long-time principal artist Robert Thies on piano with a guest collaborator.
The Musicians
Hailed in the Los Angeles Times for his “stunning rendition” of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto and an “exciting” version of the Copland Clarinet Concerto, Joshua Ranz is principal clarinet of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the New West Symphony.
Violinist Roger Wilkie has been the beloved concertmaster of the Long Beach Symphony for over 27 years. He has appeared as a soloist throughout his career with the Symphony, performing the concertos of Brahms, Mendelssohn, Bruch, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and more recently Sibelius to critical acclaim.
A winner of several national violin competitions in her native Armenia, Ana Landauer made her debut with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia at the age of 14. Ana is currently Principal Second Violin of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and is an active chamber musician in the greater Los Angeles Area.
Violist Connie Kupka‘s lifelong passion for chamber music inspired her along with now-husband, cellist David Speltz, to form their own ensemble, the Arriaga Quartet which won the Grand Prize at the prestigious Coleman Competition. She has also been a member of the Escher String Quartet, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
As a member of the ensemble Musical Offering, David Speltz performed at the Library of Congress, Lincoln Center, the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, and recorded for the Nonesuch label. He was a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra under Sir Neville Mariner and principal cellist of the California Chamber Orchestra. He has been active in the motion picture industry, playing in studio orchestras for over 1,000 movies.
Restoration Concert: Joshua Ranz & Friends Sunday, April 19, 2026 4:00 pm Location South Pasadena Public Library Friends Community Room 1115 El Centro St. South Pasadena, CA 91030 $26 tickets available here.
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