Music Guild at St. Matthew’s opens their 42nd season with “Handel, Mozart, and Respighi”

WHAT: Handel, Mozart, and Respighi featuring organist Haesung Park with the Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s, Dwayne S. Milburn, music director and conductor

WHEN: Friday, October 2 – 8:00 PM

WHERE: St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave, Pacific Palisades, CA 

PROGRAM: Handel, Organ Concerto, HWV 295, The Cuckoo and the Nightingale; Respighi, Botticelli Triptych; Mozart, Symphony No. 39, K. 543

TICKETS: $49 general admission | $10 students with ID at the door | Children under 16 are free

INFO: musicguildonline.org | 310.573.0722 

Pacific Palisades, CA — The Music Guild at St. Matthew's launches its 42nd concert season on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. with brilliance, color, and celebration. Led by Music Director and Conductor Dwayne S. Milburn, the acclaimed Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew's welcomes internationally recognized organist Haesung Park for a program featuring Handel's beloved Organ Concerto in F Major, HWV 295 ("The Cuckoo and the Nightingale"), Respighi's colorful Botticelli Triptych, and Mozart's majestic Symphony No. 39.

"This season opener invites audiences into a world of wonder, beauty, and discovery," said Music Director Dwayne S. Milburn. "This program spans centuries of musical imagination, from Handel's joyful dialogue between organ and orchestra to the luminous colors of Respighi and the profound expressive depth of Mozart. We are especially delighted to welcome organist Haesung Park for Handel’s “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale”."

The Program

The concert opens with Handel's delightful Organ Concerto in F Major, HWV 295 “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale”. Inspired by birdsong, the work blends sparkling orchestral textures with virtuosic organ passages that evoke the calls of the cuckoo and nightingale. Hear organist Haesung Park bring the restored Pardee Memorial Fisk organ to life!

Next, Respighi’s Botticelli Triptych transforms three Renaissance paintings into glowing orchestral scenes. Audiences will encounter a succession of musical images, from the radiant beauty of Spring to the dreamlike atmosphere of The Adoration of the Magi and the dramatic sweep of The Birth of Venus.

The night concludes with one of Mozart's final symphonies, Symphony No. 39. The work unfolds through soaring melodies, graceful dances, and moments of profound emotional depth, culminating in a finale of dazzling vitality. Audiences will experience Mozart at the height of his creative powers, where elegance and expressive intensity coexist in perfect balance.

The Guest Artists

Dr. Haesung Park began her music studies at the age of four in her hometown of Seoul, South Korea. She received her musical training at the Korean National University of Arts, her Master of Music degree from Boston University and her Doctor of Musical Arts degree with outstanding honors from the University of Southern California where she studied piano and organ with Norman Krieger and Dr. Ladd Thomas, respectively. Dr. Park has an extensive career as a collaborative pianist and recitalist and can be heard as the featured pianist on the soundtrack of the documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story, which was recorded at the Capitol Records studio in Hollywood. Dr. Park is currently the organist and pianist at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades as well as at Vallejo Drive Seventh Adventist Church in Glendale. She is also the principal keyboardist for The Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s.

Free Pre-Concert Talk

A free pre-concert talk, “Liner Notes,” will take place at 7:10 PM, offering audiences additional context about the music, composers, and historical figures featured in the program. Members of the ensemble will join Music Director and Conductor Dwayne Milburn. “Liner Notes” is free and open to all ticket holders.

Ticket and Venue Information

Tickets are $49 general admission. Students with ID attend for just $10 at the door. Children under 16 are free. Tickets may be purchased online at MusicGuildOnline.org.

About Music Guild at St. Matthew’s

The Music Guild at St. Matthew’s presents “World-Class Music close to Home” in Pacific Palisades. Now in its 42nd season, the Music Guild is anchored by the critically acclaimed Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s – a 35-member professional ensemble founded in 1985 and under the direction of Dwayne S. Milburn. The Guild presents distinguished guest soloists and ensembles in seven thoughtfully curated programs, complemented by their Choral Arts Initiative, new music commissions and world premieres, and community concerts at local service organizations. Known for intimate acoustics, welcoming hospitality, and accessible pricing, St. Matthew’s Music Guild nurtures a vibrant community of artists and audiences. For programs, tickets, and season passes, visit MusicGuildOnline.org.