Randy Porter, guitar

Dan Plonsey, saxophone

Irene Sazer, violin

Jessica Ivry, cello

Ward Spangler, percussion

This virtuosic ensemble presents original compositions and spontaneous improvisations by master composer-improvisers. A reunion nearly four decades in the making, Plonsey, Sazer, Spangler, and Porter reunite after nearly 40 years of performing together in various ensembles.Joined by Jessie Ivry, the group blends traditional, extended, and prepared techniques to create adventurous, expressive, and unpredictable music.Inspired by Frank Zappa, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and Olivier Messiaen, the music is rooted in East Bay life and shaped by an era marked by rising authoritarianism and threats to democracy in the United States, turning those tensions into a powerful, deeply personal experience.

Ticket Link

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

Hear about our upcoming concerts for the rest of 2026:

July 31st 7:30PM, The Randy Porter Show:

Randy Porter, guitar

Dan Plonsey, saxophone

Irene Sazer, violin

Jessica Ivry, cello

Ward Spangler, percussion

This virtuosic ensemble presents original compositions and spontaneous improvisations by master composer-improvisers.

August 23rd 4PM, Evan Kahn, cello, and Amy Zonrosso, piano:

Vaughan Williams: Six Songs in Folk Style

Martinu: Cello Sonata No. 1

Rachmaninov: Cello Sonata

September 27th 7:30PM, Town Quartet:

Puts: Credo

Montgomery: Strum

Patzner: Short Quartet 3, new quartet pieces

Kabalevsky: String Quartet No. 2.

October 25th 4PM, Gabriela Calderón-Cornejo

Solo Piano Music by Immigrant Women

November 22nd 4PM, Founders Concert: The Viennese Schools

Glenview Classical Series founders, Lewis Patzner (cello) and Derek Sup (piano), perform music from the 1st and 2nd Viennese Schools (picking from Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, The Mahlers, Schoenberg, Berg, Webern), in addition to original compositions by both.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

The Bridge Music Collective is performing at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Oakland on Sunday March 8th at 4pm, featuring world premieres by 8 local composers:

MONICA CHEW

MARISSA DIETZ

EMIL MARGOLIS

LEWIS PATZNER

DEREK SUP

NATHAN SWEDLOW

SEAN EMMETT THOMPSON

ARIEL WANG

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

Jacob Hansen-Joseph talks about Berkelium String Quartet in the Key of F 2/6/26 7:30PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Oakland.

Ending Music: Berkelium String Quartet performs Beethoven String Quartet in E Minor Op. 59 No. 2, Movement 3: Allegretto - Maggiore, Thème russe.Glenview Classical Series presents Berkelium String Quartet, as they make their way through the Beethoven quartet cycle. Their current program consists of 3 Beethoven quartets, one from each of his style periods, and all in the key of F. Program:Op. 18 No. 1Op. 95IntermissionOp. 135Daniel Darmesin Flanagan - ViolinKaren Shinozaki Sor - ViolinJacob Hansen-Joseph - ViolaMichael Graham - CelloSt. Paul Lutheran Church of Oakland1658 Excelsior Ave. 94602$20 Suggested Donation NOTAFLOFberkeliumquartet.comTickets: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/glenview-classical-series/berkelium-quartet-in-the-key-of-fglenviewclassicalseries.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

Members of Women Composers Collective talk about their music on the upcoming concert, Saturday January 31st, 7:30PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Oakland. As part of the Glenview Classical Series, which presents accessible concerts featuring a wide variety of music by local Bay Area musicians, Women Composers Collective presents a program featuring music for piano trio, with select pieces incorporating voice and percussion. There will be an intermission with a reception.

Works by:

Ariel Wang*

Lillian Yee

Rebecca Hass

Irene Sazer

Laura Klein*

Gail Gallagher*

* premieres of new works

Performed by:

Irene Sazer, violin

Jessica Ivry, cello

Rebecca Hass, piano

Laura Klein, piano

Lillian Yee, percussion, voice

$20 NOTAFLOF (no one turned away for lack of funds)

Reserve tickets here: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/glenview-classical-series/women-composer-collective

Ending music:

Incendio by Laura Klein

Brazilian Trio #1 by Rebecca Hass (Mvt. 3: Samba) at Throckmorton Theatre 3/26/25

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

Origin Stories and Neal Donovan talk about their upcoming concert on Friday, October 17th, at 7:30 PM. Origin stories is performing a set of jazzy originals, and Neal is performing a solo guitar set. Ending music is Quando Me’n vo’ from Puccini’s La Boheme, performed by Lewis Patzner.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

Molly McCann from Hensel Pushers talks about her upcoming lecture-concert with Town Quartet and Monica Chew on Sunday September 7th at 4PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Oakland, 1658 Excelsior Ave. The program is:

String Quartet

Unfinished Piano Sonata (which got adapted into the string quartet).

4 arrangements for string quartet. 3 pieces originally for solo piano, and 1 originally for piano and voice.

Remarks by Molly McCann.

Ending music: “Warum willst du and're fragen” by Clara Schumann, arranged for string quartet by Lewis Patzner, performed by Town Quartet.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

The concert is at 7:30Pm on Saturday August 16th at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Oakland. 1658 Excelsior Ave.

In 'DEAR CAMILLA,', violinist Patrick Galvin honors the profound influence of his former teacher, Camilla Wicks, through a heartfelt program of works for violin and piano. Joined by pianist Jennifer Hou, Galvin performs music by Sibelius, Chopin, Kroll, Chausson, Higdon, Pärt, and Beach in a moving tribute to a mentor whose guidance shaped his musical path.

A San Francisco–based violinist known for his wide-ranging repertoire and engaging performance style, Galvin has toured extensively across North America, Europe, and Australia. He has premiered numerous contemporary works, and his debut album Violin Alone features solo pieces by Telemann, Bach, and Ysaÿe. Galvin studied under Wicks, Wei He, and Simon James at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and with Barbara Gorzynska in Vienna.

Pianist Jennifer Hou, based in Sydney and Canberra, brings her rich interpretive voice to this collaboration. Known for her passion for French Impressionist, Russian Romantic, and contemporary music, Hou has performed at venues including the Sydney Opera House and Steinway Hall (NYC), and was a concerto soloist with the North Sydney Symphony Orchestra. A graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she earned her Master’s in Piano Performance with the 2022 President’s Award and support from several foundations. Hou also holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and a law degree from UNSW, and is an admitted solicitor in New South Wales.

Ending music: Bach Largo form the 3rd solo sonata, performed by Lewis Patzner.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

Glenview Classical Series Presents: Magdalene Nuxia Peng影昱琴In ConcertSaturday July 19th 7:30PMSt. Paul Lutheran Church of Oakland1658 excelsior avePlaying music by:Debussy- Ravel - Strayhorn - & original compositions$20 NOTAFLOF

Music at the end of the episode is “I Had to Run” by Nuxia Peng.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com

Here’s the audio feed of some of the composers talking about their pieces for the July 6th concert. Ending music is Etude 4 by Lewis Patzner.

The concert is New Music by Local Composers on Sunday July 6th at 4PM at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Oakland, featuring music by Monica Chew, Marissa Deitz, Mary Fineman, Dmitri Glickman, Andrew MacIver, Emil Margolis, Lewis Patzner, Sean Emmett Thompson, and Ariel Wang, and performed by Town Quartet and Monica Chew.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glenviewclassicalseries.substack.com