Musica Angelica is once again opening doors to history, harmony, and community with the return of its free community concert series, launching this Saturday, Oct. 18.

The beloved series features five free concerts across Long Beach and the Los Angeles area through June 2026, offering audiences a rare chance to experience authentic Baroque music played on historically accurate period instruments — just as it would have sounded 300 years ago.

Each intimate performance showcases soloists or small ensembles from Musica Angelica, followed by a discussion and Q&A session where musicians dive into the music, its composers, the instruments, and the cultural context of the Baroque era.

“The intention of our free community concerts is to make the music and artform of historically informed performance available to everyone in our community,” said Musica Angelica’s executive director Matthew Faulkner in a recent press release.

“We aim to enlighten and educate our audience about baroque music using period instruments that replicate the sound of this music as it was originally heard.”

The first concert theme is “Italian Baroque” and features an all-star trio: Associate artistic director Gonzalo Ruiz (oboe), concertmaster Cynthia Roberts (violin), and principal cellist Alexa Haynes-Pilon.

Attendees at the Saturday concert will receive a special promotional code for discounted tickets to the main stage concert “Quattrocento,” which will be performed in Long Beach that same evening or the following day in Los Angeles. The winner can decide which show they’d like to attend.

Here’s the full schedule of upcoming free Musica Angelica community concerts:

Sat, Oct. 18, Dana Neighborhood Library,  12 p.m.
Sat, Nov. 8, Billie Jean King Main Library, 12 p.m.
Sat, Feb. 28, Harte Neighborhood Library, 12 p.m.
Sat, May 16, Santa Monica Main Library, 12 p.m.
Sat, June 6,  The Wende Museum, 3 p.m.

This free series is just one facet of Musica Angelica’s expansive education and outreach efforts, which also include partnerships with the Long Beach Unified School District.

For more information, head over to musicaangelica.org

Spooktacular

Cal State University Long Beach’s Bob Cole Conservatory of Music  is bringing the Halloween spirit to life with Concert Band: Spooktacular — an evening packed with thrilling tunes and ghostly fun — on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

The Daniel Recital Hall will transform into a Halloween haunt filled with symphonic surprises, seasonal classics, and plenty of bumps (of the goose variety).

A team of talented conductors — David Blackinton, Matthew Garza, Benjamin Maley, Jennifer Sosa, and Josue Valle — will lead the festivities, showcasing the talents of both the Hughes Middle School Wind Ensemble and the BCCM Concert Band.

From eerie melodies to high-energy fanfares, the program promises something for every Halloween lover.

And because no Halloween celebration is complete without a little costume magic, audience costumes are encouraged, with a costume content starting at 6:45 p.m.

As a special treat, children under 13 in costume get in free.

This Spooktacular concert, courtesy of Hughes Middle School Wind Ensemble and the BCCM Concert Band, is a charmingly spooky way to shepherd in the end of October.

Bruce Russell

The First Congregational Church of Long Beach’s Board of Cultural Arts will welcome acclaimed pianist Bruce Russell for an afternoon recital in the church’s stunning sanctuary this Sunday, Oct. 19.

The performance begins at 3 p.m., with doors opening at 2:30 p.m., and a free-will donation is encouraged.

Bruce Russell is a highly trained musician with a master’s in performance from right here at Cal State Long Beach — and a professional certificate from the Manhattan School of Music. His pedigree includes study with notable instructors such as Mark Uranker, Edith Hirshtal (a student of the legendary Leon Fleischer), and Los Angeles-based teachers Kevin Fitz-Gerald, Neil Stannard, and Jim McCormick.

A native Southern Californian and Long Beach resident, Russell has served on the music faculty at Cerritos College and performs both as a soloist and collaborative pianist.

Locally, Russell is also a familiar face — and voice — as a member of the Sanctuary Choir at First Church every Sunday.

Beyond the music, the venue itself is a meaningful part of the experience.

First Congregational Church, part of the United Church of Christ, is a designated historic landmark and a proud cultural hub in Downtown Long Beach.

Known for its commitment to social justice and the arts, the church regularly opens its doors to the community for concerts, recitals, exhibitions, and weekly 10 a.m. worship services.

This recital offers a rare opportunity to enjoy masterful piano performance in one of Long Beach’s most beautiful settings, while supporting a space that continually elevates the arts in our city.

For more information, visit firstchurchlb.org.

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