Mark Your Calendar NOW for this opportunity to be completely captivated by these gifted young talents. This annual program is proudly presented to you by La Jolla Pres Church Concert Series in collaboration with our good friends of the Muscial Merit Foundation of Greater San Diego.

Spend Sunday afternoon with us,
November 15th, 4PM.
Doors open at 3:30. (Arrive early to claim your favorite seat!)

Daring technical mastery, emotional expression, the unharnessed joy of making music. You will be awestruck and inspired. Does this bold claim sound familiar? In fact, prior Musical Merit Foundation award winners, known to you and the LJPC family, have ascended into the ranks of professional musicianship. Think back to your first experience hearing the artistry of:

• Acclaimed international concert organist and “LJPC’s own” Chelsea Chen: 4-time Musical Merit award winner

• SD Symphony Orchestra associate concert-master Wesley Precourt: 8-time MMF winner

• Mezzo-soprano Emily Weinberg, currently in the role of Giovanna in SD Opera’s Rigoletto, and upcoming soprano soloist with LJPC Chancel Choir in Saint-Saens’ Christmas Oratorio (Dec. 13, 2027): 3-time MMF winner

• “LJPC’s own” Baritone Søren Pedersen, now singing the role of Marullo in SD Opera’s Rigoletto, and soloist in Mendelssohn’s Elijah with LJPC Choir (June 6, 2027): 2-time winner

• LJPC Orchestra and local Violin Studio owners Annelle Gregory, 8-time winner, and 2-time MMF winner Christian Gonzales who is featured regularly in LJPC’s Christmas Eve

Yes, you heard them here first! Please BRING A FRIEND and attend this superb Showcase.

Plan Now to Share Christmastime with Your LJPC Community!

December 13, 2026  4PM / 7PM

For more information, contact the Concert Series office via an email to CandaceM@LJPres.org.

Save the Date for LJPC’s 4th Annual BRILLIANT BRASS Weekend!

February 13, 2027 BRASS MASTERCLASS
February 14, 2027 BRASS CONCERT

Plans for “Brilliant Brass” 2027 are set with our guest artists, educators from The Juilliard School, ready to offer top-tier coaching and guidance to local San Diego-area university and high school musicians.

Students: Speak with your teacher to participate or observe the process in preparation for your own coaching session in future.

Others: Family, friends, educators, aspiring Brass musicians: You’re invited to come and observe, as the American Brass  conduct a brilliant Brass Masterclass on Saturday, February 13 from 10am-12 noon. Participants and observers alike are provided a rare opportunity to absorb the wisdom and marvel at these artists at work, mentoring young musicians. 

No charge for admission, ever, for concerts or masterclasses.

Free-will offering and donations throughout the year are graciously accepted to sustain this exemplary Community Outreach. We thank our many donors and supporters who make this glorious weekend possible. For more information, contact the Concert Series office via an email to CandaceM@LJPres.org. 

Reflecting on LJPC’s 3rd Annual BRILLIANT BRASS Weekend (February 2026)

All present on Sunday, February 1st, 2026, enjoyed an utterly unforgettable afternoon with Spanish Brass. One of the world’s most celebrated brass quintets, this free LJPC concert showcased the brilliance, energy, and artistry that have made Spanish Brass an international favorite for more than 35 years. The ensemble provided an extra boost of inspiration to keep this fantastic program going!

COMING SOON:

Stay tuned for the story behind one family’s touching memory of wife/mom/trumpeter and their subsequent creation of a Foundation to support this Brilliant Brass weekend. Express your own interest in providing financial support to the LJPC Concert Brilliant Brass weekend by contacting the Series office at (858) 729-5520 or by email to the director: CandaceM@LJPres.org.

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Tell your friends and invite your neighbors! All are welcomed to enjoy great music plus the many great BENEFITS OF ATTENDING LJPS CONCERTS ~ LIVE IN-PERSON OR ONLINE.

Here are just a few great reasons, to share:

• FREE! No charge for admission, ever. No ticket needed, no subscription is required.
• FREE! Convenient, complimentary, accessible parking in the church’s parking structure (enter on Kline Street).
• FREE! A warm, welcoming Artists Reception follows the performance, so come and meet the artists in person.
• PRICELESS. Truly! Come enjoy our engaging, enlightening programs and world-class musicianship along with our world-famous La Jolla Pres HOSPITALITY.

Your free-will offering sustains this community outreach and is always graciously appreciated.
Your attendance, encouragement, enthusiasm, and financial support help us keep great music coming to La Jolla. Thank you!

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ENCORE PERFORMANCE:
Enjoy the recording of your LJPC Chancel Choir with orchestra in Concert!

Originally presented on Sunday, June 7 at 4pm

Hear your LJPC Chancel Choir with professional chamber orchestra as they present the gorgeous choral Illuminare by Elaine Hagenberg, and the exciting, uplifting Robert Ray Gospel Mass accompanied by gospel-jazz ensemble.

Using lesser-known sacred Latin, Greek, and English texts, Hagenberg’s Illuminare takes us through a season of beauty and goodness that has been disrupted by darkness and confusion. But as Light gradually returns, hope is restored, illuminating our future and guiding us in peace. Your heart will be soothed and encouraged by the sheer choral beauty of this piece.

Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass has the improvisational feel of gospel, yet is also scored in detail with a restraint that lends the music not only gravitas but the timelessness of a classic. Ray’s gospel idiom is leavened with many other genres, including rock, jazz, funk, blues and pop. The publisher of the score describes it as “hip,” an appellation that seems almost quaint these days, even while the Mass itself fully retains its ability to fascinate listeners with a freshness of vision that has not dimmed in the decades since its premiere.

LJPC Concert Series ENCORE
Annual Organ Program with Piano presented live on 4/26/26