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AFRICAN AMERICANS IN CLASSICAL MUSIC WILL BE TOPIC OF FEBRUARY 6 PRESENTATION BY PASADENA SENIOR CENTER

African-American classical compositions will be explored and their significance in American and world culture shared when soprano opera singer Marlaina Owens presents “African Americans in Classical Music,” a special Cultural Thursday event at the Pasadena Senior Center on Feb. 6 at 2 p.m.

A professionally-trained opera singer who has toured and performed all over the world, Owens has a special passion for African-American classical compositions and is driven by a desire to champion these works. She strives to bring them to light, as they have historically garnered less praise than than their classical contemporaries have.

The event is free for Pasadena Senior Center members, and $5 for nonmembers and reservations are suggested. To register or for more information, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on Special Events, or call 626-795-4331. 

Described as a “velvet-voiced soprano”, Marlaina Owens, a native of Los Angeles, has concertized throughout Austria, France, Germany, and the United States. She has also added “2022-23 Fulbright Scholar” to an already extensive set of professional arts experiences. A singer since she was young, Owens received her Master of Fine Arts in Voice from UCI in 2019, and her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Loyola Marymount University in 2016. 

Marlaina is driven by a desire to champion the work of African-American classical compositions. Much like operatic inspirations Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle accomplished with “The Magic of Spirituals” at Carnegie Hall, Marlaina hopes to bring to the light those works which have historically garnered less praise than their classical contemporaries.

For 65 years, Pasadena Senior Center’s mission has been to improve the lives of older adults through caring service with opportunities for social interaction, fitness programs, basic support and needs services, education, volunteerism and community activism. With 10,000 Americans per day becoming older adults, the center is a leader in addressing issues of aging and provides innovative, cutting-edge, nationally recognized programs for this population group.

As a donor-supported nonprofit, the center operates without any local, state or federal funding and provides more services to older adults than any other organization in the San Gabriel Valley. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. To learn more visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org or call 626-795-4331.