Striking a Chord for Intimate Classical Music

Eugene Golden wants to kill two birds with one stone--strip classical music of its intimidating presence and bring acclaimed chamber ensembles to the San Fernando Valley.

“This has been my dream project for years,” said Golden, executive director of the Los Angeles-based Music Guild for the last six years. “So many of our loyal subscribers are Valley residents, so I thought, ‘Why not bring the very best to their own doorstep?’ ”

Established in 1944, the Music Guild, an organization that promotes chamber music, has made its home at the Wilshire Ebell for the past 30 years.

On Tuesday, the Music Guild presents the first of four concerts at Pierce College, featuring the Guild Trio along with flutist David Shostac. Other scheduled ensembles throughout the year will include the Mladi Wind Quintet, the Montclaire String Quartet and the Endellion String Quartet of London.

“There’s been a renewed interest in chamber music going on for about the last five years,” Golden said. “And this first ensemble points to some of the reasons why. They are relatively young and very passionate about their music. They are breaking some barriers about who enjoys classical music and where it’s played.”

The Guild Trio is considered young by classical music standards--all are in their early 30s.

They are the only chamber ensemble in the country to have their home base at a hospital and health-science center.

“It’s an interesting phenomenon, but a large percentage of physicians are also classically trained musicians,” said Brooks Whitehouse, cellist for the Guild Trio, who was a premed student at Harvard, where he met fellow members Janet Orenstein and Patricia Tao. “Physicians are as obsessed with their work as musicians with theirs. Doctors often take great comfort in classical music; it humanizes their environment.”

The Guild Trio, formed three years ago, is in residence at the State University of New York at Stonebrook. The ensemble performs five concerts and offers several annual workshops for the staff.

It also performs at medical centers throughout the country as well as in traditional chamber music settings. Recently, the members played at the children’s Beethoven Festival in New York. The experience was positive on many levels, Whitehouse said.

“For the untrained person of any age, a symphony orchestra can be overwhelming,” Whitehouse said. “The beauty of chamber music is its intimacy. Like jazz, each instrument has its own voice. There’s a single personality, a language that the audience can follow. It’s a wonderful tool for teaching anyone about classical music.”

The Music Guild presents “Chamber Music at Pierce College” on Tuesday. The Guild Trio, along with David Shostac, perform pieces by Brahms, Mendelssohn and Haydn at 8 p.m. in the Main State Theatre, 6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills.

Season tickets are $60, $20 for students. Individual tickets are $20, $5 for students. Call (213) 272-3201.