Local Musicians, World Class Music

Violinist Philip Ficsor and local composer Emma Lou Diemer perform together Saturday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m. in Santa Barbara Public Library’s Faulkner Gallery, 40 East Anapamu Street. The Santa Barbara Music Club presents the free concert.

Ficsor, professor of violin at Westmont, and Diemer, renowned composer and professor emeritus at UC Santa Barbara, are collaborating on a recording of Diemer’s complete works for violin and piano. Saturday’s performance will include Diemer’s “Catch-A-Turian Toccata” and “Homage á Paderewski.” Diemer transcribed the “Homage,” originally written for viola and piano, specifically for Ficsor. She will perform the piano part.

Diemer taught music theory and composition at UC Santa Barbara from 1971 to 1991 and played the organ for First Presbyterian Church from 1984 to 2002. She was composer-in-residence for the Santa Barbara Symphony from 1990 to 1992, and she has composed hundreds of works for chorus, orchestra, small ensembles and solo instruments.

The Santa Barbara Independent has described Ficsor’s playing as “luminous.” Last year, he released a CD of William Bolcom’s complete works for violin and piano. He also serves as an editorial adviser for publication through E. B. Marks/Hal Leonard Corp. for Bolcom’s works for violin and piano.

Other local musicians will also perform.

For more information about the concert, contact the Santa Barbara Music Club at (805) 683-0811 or info@sbmusicclub.org or visit www.sbmusicclub.org. For information about Ficsor and his collaboration with Diemer, please call (805) 565-6889 or e-mail ssquire@westmont.edu.