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A Fusion of Music and Art with Barry Stees & Friends
April 19 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
The Board of Cultural Arts at First Congregational Church of Long Beach will host an afternoon of music and art with bassoonist Barry Stees and friends in the First Church Sanctuary at 2:00pm on Sunday, April 19, 2026. This performance will blend musical arts with visual arts for an unforgettable afternoon.
Barry Stees is the former Assistant Principal Bassoonist of the Cleveland Orchestra and Instructor of Bassoon at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Kent/Blossom Music. Stees received a bachelor’s degree and performer’s certificate from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with K. David Van Hoesen.
He has performed extensively in Europe, South America and Asia, including a solo tour of Hong Kong and China. He has appeared at international music festivals in Italy, Germany, Argentina, Colombia and the Dominican Republic. Domestically, Barry has entertained in cities across the country, including performances with the Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Other artists lending their talent to this event include visual artists Melinda Stees and Clarence Dendy, as well as pianists Marc Dickey & Curtis Heard, bassoonist Julianne Fung and the VEM String Quartet, featuring Aiko Jimena Richter, violin; Ally Cho, violin; Damon Zavala, viola; and Niall Tarō Ferguson, cello.
This is a free event open to the general public. Free-will donations will be accepted.
First Congregational Church of Long Beach is a 1914 historic landmark and sits at the corner of “Arts & Justice” as a local leader in social justice & outreach initiatives and has a passion for bringing music and art events to the downtown Long Beach area. The church invites the greater Long Beach community to be part of its 10am services every Sunday at 241 Cedar Avenue. For more information, visit First Church online at www.firstchurchlb.org.
For reasonable ADA accommodations, contact the church office at 562-436-2256. Parking info is at www.parklb.com.
