By Eileen Wingard
LA JOLLA, California– This Sunday afternoon, Nov. 21 at 2:00 p.m., two talented young musicians from our community will be presenting the first program of “Musicians In the Making” at the Lawrence Family JCC in the Astor Judaica Library. It is sponsored by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s Music Series Committee under the chairmanship of Sylvia Bendelstein.
Jonathan Sussman, a twelve year old flutist, who also plays violin, viola and piano, will perform pieces by Handel and Bloch. Fifteen–year- old clarinetist Robin Muckerman will present works by Arnold and Crusell. The program will conclude with a duet for flute and clarinet by Saint-Saens.
This program, as were its predecessors at LA’s Westside JCC and the 54th St. JCC in San Diego, is free to the public and showcases young talent during their formative years.
The series was originated by Anneliese Landau (1903-1991), a German-born musicologist who escaped Nazi Germany in 1940 to settle in Los Angeles. At the Westside JCC in LA, she initiated Musicians in the Making. Its alumni include conductor Andre Previn, the late viola virtuoso Myra Kestenbaum, first violinist of the Guarnari String Quartet Arnold Steinhardt, USC Piano Professor Daniel Pollock, and concert violinist Zina Schiff.
At the 54th St. JCC in San Diego, Doris Koppelman, renowned Suzuki piano teacher, chaired the program. Participants included pianists Kenneth Bookstein and Gustavo Romero, and professional violinists Beth Farkas Folsom, Nancy Henderson and Myla Wingard.
Sussman is an eighth grade student at the San Diego Jewish Academy who studies flute with Jane Mazur, and clarinetist Muckerman is a sophomore seminar student at University City High School who is a student of Charles Ellis-MacLeod. Sussman will be accompanied by his father, Alan Sussman. Muckerman’s pianist will be Lynn Sundfor-McPherson.
The Astor Judaica Library is on the second level of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla.
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Wingard is a freelance writer based in San Diego