Photo Archives, 2011

Annual Champagne Brunch, May 1, 2011

What a wonderful event the Retirees Association Brunch on May 1 was! The buffet prepared by University catering was tasty and ample. Over 70 attendees enjoyed each other’s company and a display of 35 photographs provided by 17 students from the CSUS Design Department’s Photography Program. Their work was impressive and inspired many “second looks” as well as conversation. Among the works were pieces by faculty members Valerie Wheeler (retired) and Anita Scharf who are both enrolled in Photography classes.

As background for the socializing and studying the photos there was chamber music provided by three brilliant musicians from the CSUS Music Department. They added both spiritedness and serenity to the occasion, and certainly a “touch of class:”

Sarena Hsu is currently a third year student at CSUS, studyingunder the tutelage of Ian Swenson, and is pursuing a Bachelors of Music degree in violin performance. She began her violin studies at the age of 6 with Robin Reid, continued with Julie Athayde during middle school, and studied with Wei He (San Francisco Conservatory) throughout high school. Sarena has performed in the Yehudi Menuhin Seminar for Jeremy Menuhin, participated in prestigious music camps such as Tanglewood Institute Music Camp, and has performed on the well known classical radio station program, “From the Top.” Throughout high school, she won numerous competitions and awards, and twice was the soloist with the Diablo Valley College Philharmonic Orchestra. For three years, she was a member of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, and toured with them in their 2008 Europe tour of Germany and Czech Republic, where she performed in the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Munich Philharmonic Hall, and Smetena Hall in Prague. She is currently co-concertmaster of the CSUS Symphony Orchestra and is an active member of the NorthState Symphony and Townsend Opera Players. Besides being a full time student, Sarena is a freelancer violinist and runs her own violin studio in the bay area. She will graduate in the spring of 2012.

Laura Rubinstein-Salzedo holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance at California State University, Sacramento and a minor in Photography. In addition to the violin, she also performs on the viola and piano. Born into a family of professional musicians, Rubinstein-Salzedo has studied with Heather Bentley, Patricia Burnham, Irina Fainkichen, and William Barbini, former concertmaster of the Sacramento Symphony. Laura was a member of the Palo Alto Chamber orchestra for nine years, where she performed as both concertmaster and principal second. She performs regularly with North State Symphony and Veridian Symphony. An active Baroque violinist, Laura studied with Elizabeth Blumenstock, David Wilson, and Michael Sand and attended the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute in Toronto, Canada. She appears regularly with the Albany Consort, Sacramento Baroque Soloists, Jubilate and Camerata Capistrano. Rubinstein-Salzedo has been an assistant coach for four years at the Sacramento Youth Symphony Summer Chamber Music Workshop, has been a student teacher at the CSUS String Project, and is Suzuki trained with Certification pending.

Courtney Castaneda holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cello Performance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Music degree in Cello Performance from Sacramento State University. While in school, Courtney received numerous awards for musical performance, including the Fannie Copald Stein Memorial Award for Musical Performance and the David S. Saxon Award for Excellence in the Performance of Early Music, the Sacramento Saturday Club Annual Scholarship and the Norman E. Lamb Graduate Music Scholarship. She has played with both the UC Davis and Sacramento State orchestras and was a member of the noted Baroque Ensemble, Camerata Capistrano. Courtney has attended music festivals in Paris, France and Eisenstadt, Austria. Courtney was an apprentice teacher with the Sacramento State String Project for three years under the direction of renowned Suzuki Master Teacher, Judy Weigert Bossuat. While affiliated with the String Project, she taught beginning and advanced violinists and cellists in both group and private lessons. Courtney has also been an assistant cello coach with the Sacramento Youth Symphony's Chamber Music Workshop for over six years. She has studied with Lena Andaya, Richard Andaya, Andrew Luchansky, Susan Lamb Cook and Carla Maria Rodrigues. Courtney has been teaching privately for six years and currently has studios in Davis, Sacramento and Loomis.

In addition to the visual, auditory and gustatory pleasures, there were some surprise rewards for the guests. Everyone was eligible for prizes--it was not necessary to purchase raffle tickets. Over $500 worth of door prizes were given out: tickets to the Sacramento Philharmonic, contributions from Water Boy, Miyagi, Zinfandel Grille, Selland’s and even East Sac Dry Cleaners and CSUS’ Peak Adventures.

Take a look at the program below and you will see what we did that day. You will also see the list of our community supporters who provided the gifts. You are encouraged to patronize these establishments and to show our gratitude for their generosity.

For more fun and food and provocative entertainment, plan to attend the Fall Dinner on November 4, 2011. Plans are under way for a memorable evening.

May 2011 Brunch Tables

Table 1

Table 1 Spring 2011

Table 2

Table 2 Spring 2011

Table 3

Table 3 Spring 2011

Table 4

Table 4 Spring 2011

Table 5

Table 5 Spring 2011

Table 6

Table 6 Spring 2011

Table 7

Table 7 Spring 2011

Table 8

Table 8 Spring 2011

Table 9

Table 9 Spring 2011

Table 10

Table 10 Spring 2011

All of the following friends of CSUS and The Retirees Association from the Sacramento business and arts community contributed over $500 in gifts awarded as Door Prizes at the Spring Brunch on May 1, 2011.

Please patronize their enterprises and show our appreciation for their generosity.

Sam Liu at Miyagi Bar and Sushi
2580 Fair Oaks Blvd
Also at CSUS

Rick Mahan at The Water Boy
2000 Capital Avenue

Wendy Watson at Peak Adventures
CSUS

Sam Lallian at Zinfandel Grille
2384 Fair Oaks Blvd

Sarah Sammut at Peets Coffee
3711 J St. Suite A

Stephanie Kim at East Sacramento Natural Cleaners
5600 H Street

David Baker at Selland’s Market Café
5340 H St

Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra

Fall Dinner w/ Sam Parsons & the Sacramento Guitar Quartet, Nov. 4, 2011

We had a great turnout with 135 attending, a testament to the promotional abilities of committee members Geri Welch, Larry Glasmire, Linda Martin, Annette Karle, and Joe Gibson. The wine flowed and colleagues and guests visited while enjoying the music of the Sacramento State Guitar Quartet...

Benjamin Brooks began his study of the guitar over 15 years ago. He has studied with Ed Meszaros, Don Price, Richard Savino, Gyan Riley, and Marc Teicholz. He spent five years studying and performing as a jazz guitarist, and is currently working toward a BM degree in Classical Guitar Performance at CSUS. Over the course of his study he has performed in master classes with David Tanenbaum and Adam Holzman, has performed for numerous private and pubic events, and at such venues as the Mondavi Center at UC Davis.

Daniel Radu, Romanian born guitarist studying at CSUS under the tutelage of Dr. Richard Savino, has participated in numerous competitions and festivals in Romania as well as Southern and Northern California. Recently he has participated and qualified in the second round of the Portland Guitar Festival and Competition in Oregon. Studies in both Romania and US offered him the chance to work with different teachers, mentors, and master classes with renowned guitarists and musicians such as David Tanenbaum, Angel Romero, Denis Azabagic and recently the guitarist and composer Gyan Riley, also a tutor at CSUS. More recently he has performed with his brother, violinist Otniel Radu, as The Radu’s Dou. They have performed in San Francisco at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church as well as in CSUS music and library concerts and Sacramento private art galleries. The CSUS program under Richard Savino allows Daniel to study and play on original Early Music instruments and be part of baroque ensemble Camerata Capistrano under the direction of Lorna Peters.

Matthew Foley started studying classical guitar 7 years ago with Matthew Grasso. He is currently pursuing a BM in classical guitar performance under the direction of professor Richard Savino at CSUS. Matthew teaches guitar at Sacramento City College, Live Music Center in Vacaville, Young Artists Conservatory in Vacaville, and privately. He has played in master classes with Jim Kline and Adam Holzman. Matthew has performed live on Vacaville's television channel "Access27." Matthew frequently performs in the Sacramento area as a soloist, with Trio Seven, and various other ensembles.

Michael Silva started playing guitar at the age of 13 playing rock and pop music. It wasn't until he went to Modesto Junior College (MJC) that he learned how to read music and play classical guitar. After completing his Associates degree in music at MJC he transferred to Sacramento State University to study with Dr. Richard Savino. He first meet Dr. Savino in his first master class at MJC and choose CSUS because of Dr. Savino. He has since received his BM and is currently working on his MA at CSUS. He hopes to teach at the college level and share the benefits of music with others.

At dinner we were treated a bountiful harvest buffet and to a creative talk and media show by recently retired campus photographer, Sam Parsons. Sam held forth on the artistic and technical aspects of his cinematic presentation of 600 portraits that was part of his retrospective show. The audience was delighted.

Image of Sam

The association was also happy to honor two colleagues from HR who have made the process of preparing for retirement easier and smoother for many of us, Ruth Schroeder and Mary Ford. President Dick Kornweibel, Vice President Linda Martin, and Associate Dean Nick Burnett presided. All in attendance expressed their appreciation for Ruth and Mary.

Picture of Ruth and Mary

Picture of Ruth and Mary 2

The comedy tag team of Larry Glasmire and Joe Gibson added to the fun by drawing retirees and guests who received MANY prizes,including wine, certificates to Peak Adventures, Aquatic Center outings, tickets to Music and Theatre Department events, tickets to Sacramento Baroque Soloists, Trader Joe's gift pack, See's Candy, and gift certificates to the Zinfandel Grill, and Vintage Market. The Grand Prize was a $100 gift card to Mulvaney's B&L and two tickets to the Sacramento Philharmonic spring concert. A final surprise was identification by secret placemat code of one lucky person at each table who received a gift of their table's centerpiece! Learn more about the generous businesses who donated to the Fall Dinner.