The Music Guild at St. Matthew’s has announced its 2026-2027 concert season, bringing seven months of world-class chamber orchestra performances, renowned international guests and classic masterworks to Pacific Palisades. All performances in the upcoming series will take place at St. Matthew’s Church, located at 1031 Bienveneda Avenue, providing Palisadians with direct access to top-tier musical programming.
Founded in Pacific Palisades in 1985, the Music Guild has presented more than 300 concerts across four decades. Its chamber orchestra comprises elite Los Angeles musicians who regularly record for major film and television productions and perform with the region’s premier orchestral ensembles. Many of the musicians are Grammy Award winners. Recognized in August with a Favorite Chamber Performance Award from the San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards, the Music Guild at St. Matthew’s continues to pursue its vision to enrich, inspire and serve the greater Los Angeles community through high-quality live music.
The 2026-2027 lineup features an expansive repertoire ranging from Baroque favorites to modern compositions, including special engagements with international ensembles and guest artists:
October 2, 2026: Opening Night: Works by Handel, Mozart, and Respighi
November 13, 2026: Mozart and Poulenc featuring pianist Albert Cano Smit
December 11, 2026: Holiday Concert featuring The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
February 26, 2027: Violinist Oliver Neubauer performs Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”
March 19, 2027: Shostakovich featuring pianist David Kaplan and trumpeter Jens Lindemann
April 16, 2027: Virtuosi from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
June 4, 2027: Season Finale: Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” and Schumann’s Cello Concerto
All concerts begin at 8 p.m. Attendees are invited to arrive early for free preconcert talks starting at 7:10 p.m., which offer historical context and insight into the evening’s program.
Beyond its main stage offerings, the Music Guild maintains a deep commitment to community engagement and dynamic new art. The organization regularly commissions original works by L.A.-based composers and sponsors more than 30 annual free community concerts throughout Los Angeles for audiences with limited mobility or resources.
Concertgoers experience these performances in a unique architectural setting. The St. Matthew’s sanctuary, recognized on the cover of Architectural Digest in 1984, features a semicircular layout with just seven rows of seating, ensuring intimate sightlines and dynamic acoustics from every seat in the house.
Season passes covering all seven performances are available for $273, while individual concert tickets cost $49. Walk-in tickets may also be purchased at the door on concert nights. Patrons enjoy free on-site parking, complimentary refreshments during intermission and opportunities to socialize with fellow music lovers before and after each performance.
Special donor perks are also planned for the upcoming season, including a picnic dinner for Gold Level donors on opening night and an al fresco sit-down dinner on the evening of the season finale. In addition, the organization is continuing work on its postfire organ restoration project.
For season pass purchases, ticket bookings or further details regarding the organ restoration, visit musicguildonline.org.