The Fine Arts Club of Pasadena welcomed members and guests at the historic Athenaeum at Caltech for its February program. One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Roman Andrew Borek Endowment Scholarship to Lily Walker, an outstanding French horn player who studies at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. 

La Crescenta resident Walker’s repertoire for the evening was Franz Strauss’ “Nocturno, Op. 7 for Horn.” She currently studies French horn with Danielle Ondarza at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. She attends Crescenta Valley High School where she performs as principal horn with the CVHS Symphony Orchestra and the CVHS marching band. Walker is also a member of the Colburn Community School Honors Brass Quintet. 

Four years ago, The Fine Arts Club of Pasadena established the scholarship to honor the late Roman Andrew Borek. Borek was a beloved member and board member of the organization for over 40 years and the recipient of the Club’s Gold Crown Award. 

The February evening also featured a visual art exhibition of Caltech’s history by Peter Sachs Collopy, Ph.D., head archivist at Caltech, and Bailey Westerhoff, the Collection Management archivist at Caltech. The display showcased the interplay of science and artistic images including scientific illustrations, early historical photographs, architectural drawings and faculty portraits. The display was based on the 2024 Caltech Library exhibition at the Getty Museum entitled, Crossing Over: Art and Science at Caltech, 1920–2020. 

The evening culminated with the Harmonium Players presenting the music of Andrew Llloyd’s Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. Derrick Morales, music director and pianist with the Harmonium Players, is an accomplished Los Angeles–based jazz pianist, multi-instrumentalist and music educator with over 20 years of performance experience. Soprano Hallie Boltwood played the role of Christine.  Hallie, age 16, began operatic training with the Townsend Opera Players in Modesto, California. She studied vocal performance at CSULB’s Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. Her operatic roles include Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) and the First Witch (Dido and Aeneas). 

Emesh Wijewardena performed the part of the Phantom. He is a Sri Lankan–British tenor. He began singing at age 10 and studied in Catania, Sicily. He holds a diploma in Sacred Latin Canticles and Songs, a merit in singing from ABRSM. 

The Fine Arts Club of Pasadena was founded in 1913 and is grounded in the belief that the arts are vital to culture and that artists deserve community support.  

Those who would like more information about The Fine Arts Club of Pasadena are invited to visit the website https://fineartsclubofpasadena.org.