Talar Sarkissian
Staff Writer
The Friday Noon Concert Series hosted by the Pomona and Scripps Colleges Departments of Music had their last show on April 25 with a final performance inside the Balch Auditorium in Claremont.
The concert started at 12:15 p.m. and took place at Balch Auditorium at Scripps College, offering students, community members, families and retirees a free musical experience.
Even with the colder weather outside this past Friday, Balch Auditorium was warm and filled with more than 110 people, leaving hardly any empty seats.
“I hope it was an enjoyable break in their day,” Sarah Thornblade, a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and a professor at Scripps, said. “Hopefully it transported them into different colors and made them feel like they traveled somewhere a little different than Claremont for a few minutes.”
Throughout the semester, the concerts had a wide range of performances, bringing different styles and instruments to campus each week. The final concert featured violinist Sarah Thornblade and guitarist Connie Sheu, who played a duet which filled the room with colorful and rich sounds. Thornblade said she enjoyed the freedom and connection she felt performing with Sheu.
The two musicians selected a program that combined familiar pieces with more modern selections. Sheu, who teaches group guitar and private lessons at Pomona College, said she aimed to show the range and versatility of the instruments.
“We’re just trying to find a variety of stuff,” Sheu said. “I tend to dig up a lot of music written by women composers. It’s a nice contrast to the Tango, which is a little more accessible.”
She also said she appreciates performing in an academic setting like Scripps, where the concerts are consistently well attended.
“I love seeing a mix of students and people from the community that come,” she said. “We have such great facilities on our campuses — it’s kind of a treat to play here.”
The Friday Noon Concert Series was a joint effort by the Pomona and Scripps music departments, created to bring free, high-quality performances to both students and the wider Claremont community.
Matthew Cook, the concert manager, said the audience has grown and remained consistent throughout the semester.
“We have a very dedicated group of people who come every week,” Cook said. “You might think certain concerts wouldn’t draw as many people, but because people are excited about the series as a whole, we see pretty consistent attendance. People are just interested in the variety we offer.”
Among those attending the final concert was Claremont resident Leanne Augsburger, who has come to the Friday concerts over the years.
“It’s peaceful,” Augsburger said. “It gives you a quiet break from everything crazy going on. I love thinking of the music in terms of color — like what each piece makes you feel.”
Augsburger said returning to the concerts this year held extra meaning for her after losing her husband, who had attended with her in the past.
“My friends are supporting me, and now I feel like I’ve kind of broken through a little bit,” she said. “I’m starting to do the things we used to do together.”
Talar Sarkissian can be reached at talar.sarkissian@laverne.edu.
Talar Sarkissian is a sophomore communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is a staff writer for the Campus Times and is actively involved in marketing and media.
