[photo credit: First United Methodist Church of Pasadena]
“The concert series is a part of the church’s music ministry that is to connect with the community through the music.”
Artistic coordinator Junko Ueno Garrett said the series has always been free by design, supported by donors and voluntary audience contributions ranging from one-dollar bills to occasional one-hundred-dollar gifts collected during intermission. “So the free concerts, and then very fortunate we have the donors to support the concerts and an audience, a very generous audience, very often donates sometimes just $1 or a $5 or a $20 bill or sometimes we see $100 bill in plates that we collect during the intermission. Deep appreciation to the donations at the concerts and pledges, we can keep going and hiring the wonderful musicians.”
On April 18, one of Los Angeles’ best-known choral groups, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA), returns to perform at First United Methodist Church of Pasadena as part of the Third At First season. “This choral group is fantastic. The energy and the music, and the message they deliver to the audience and everything in one package!”
Garrett said the chorus usually appears with “probably around 50 singers with a band and they sing a wide range of repertoire.” She added, “And it’s just really great energy and their music makes the audience so happy and uplifted. You should come to the concert to see the special moment.”
Garrett co-founded Third At First Concert Series in 2014, and the series is now in its 12th season. “At the very beginning, when we started, of course, the size of the audience was smaller, and we presented mostly classical music. And gradually as the series grew, the size of the audience got bigger, and the programming got more diverse and inclusive, which I am very happy to present.
She said the programming now includes a wide range of musical styles, from jazz to Celtic, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, alongside choral groups like the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, and The California School of the Arts – SanGabriel Valley’s Vocal Ensembles, celebrating MLK Day with gospel music. Of course classical music concerts drew a big number of audience too.
Programming decisions draw on Garrett’s extensive local network as a concert pianist, a president of MTNA local chapter, and college faculty. “I am a pianist, I am a performer, and I am an educator teaching at Occentral College. So I have a big network in the music community in the LA area. It’s a very, very exciting task to plan a series. It is not easy, but I am proud of what I do.” She said she works with the church’s leadership to shape the season and keep it balanced.
The May 16 concert features the Hers Trio, a small ensemble rooted in the mission of uplifting female-identifying classical artists. Garrett noted that the group came to the series through the recommendation of the church’s music director, Scott Lehmkuhl. His wife is a part of Hers trio. Garrett said the trio’s mission aligns well with Third At First’s evolving vision. “I think that’s wonderful. The composers that they will perform are fantastic and I know them well. It is wonderful to present the music from a different angle to the audience.
She added that presenting works by female composers offers audiences both discovery and a shift in perspective. The program focuses entirely on music by women, giving listeners what she described as a “different angle to the audience” and the chance to “discover the new way of music.”
The 2025–2026 season concludes June 20 with a multi-sensory event featuring world‑renowned organist Christoph Bull and performance painter Norton Wisdom. The concert will highlight one of the largest pipe organs in Los Angeles, housed at First United Methodist Church. “ It’s a wonderful instrument. To show our organ to the community is one of the missions too, and also a wonderful way to educate audience in that way.”
Garrett said Bull brings both musical and communicative strengths to the series. “Christoph is our friend. He’s a great communicator to connect to the audience.”
She said the collaboration with Wisdom will turn the organ recital into a visual as well as musical experience. “And the fun part is that this painter is going to paint as he listens to the live music. It is a spontaneous art. It will be the big finale of this season.”
Garrett said she values both tradition and innovation in Third At First concerts. “Well, I always enjoy the new way to present the music, but then of course I like to respect the tradition and the classical music which I play myself.
Throughout the pandemic, Third At First adapted its mission by moving quickly into online concerts, beginning in July after the March 2020 shutdowns. “Yes. That was, of course, very difficult time for musicians. But we were one of the first ones to start doing the online concerts. We did not have a choice so we were very creative! I appreciate people involved in the Third at First series who were very brave and creative to find a way to continue. She said the series found creative solutions even with limited resources. We explored so many ways to have fun!
Garrett said “the physical setting of First United Methodist Church is itself a draw, with fantastic acoustics and historical and beautiful interior. We have beautiful stained glass windows surrounding the sanctuary. And just being in the sanctuary is a very special experience.”
She invited those who have never visited to attend and experience both the space and the music. “And if people haven’t been to our church, I would like to encourage them just to be at the church and experience the special feeling and in that special space.” Garrett said she “strongly recommend everybody to come and enjoy the concert,” noting that the events remain free to attend. Each concert in this final stretch of the season includes a reception after the performance, consistent with the series’ emphasis on hospitality and community.
APRIL 18 | Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles
One of LA’s favorite choral groups returns to Throop Unitarian Universalist Church.
Apr 18, 2026
MAY 16 | Hers Music Trio
A newly formed group dedicated to the empowerment and uplifting of female identifying vocalists. This concert, featuring award-winning vocalists Karen Hogle Brown and Tamma Beard and pianist Jenny Lui, will present vocal selections by celebrated LA female composers including Reena Esmail, Zanaida Robles, Dale Trumbore and many more.
May 16, 2026
JUNE 20 | Christoph Bull, Organ
World-renowned organist Christoph Bull will play an eclectic program ranging from the classics to new works to the cinematic. Performance painter Norton Wisdom will interpret the music through painting in real time.
Jun 20, 2026
