Never too old for JCC programs

While the Jewish Community Center of Orange County offers programming

for ages preschool and up, this column will highlight the JCC

programs that enrich the lives of the boomers and beyond. This

includes programs for people who enjoy dancing close together, to

romantic and understandable lyrics, are interested in sports and

healthy living, and have time for travel, adult education, holiday

celebrations and giving back to our community through volunteer and

mentor programs.

One of the J’s most popular boomers programs is the JCC Community

Orchestra, made up of adult musicians who represent a diversity of

age, culture and background. Proof that music is a common language,

they meet to rehearse on Sunday mornings and prepare for three

concerts each year. Each concert features a soloist prodigy,

providing a showcase for up-and-coming talent and giving these

youngsters the opportunity to participate in a symphony performance.

The conductor of the JCC Community Orchestra is boomer Rob

Sudakow.

Sudakow works for an aerospace company as principal director in

space systems, but being a man of many talents, he attended college

on a music scholarship and studied cello under Fabian Sevitsky.

Sudakow has played with community and college orchestras including

the Orange County Doctor’s Symphony, the UCI Symphony and the Aliso

Viejo Symphony.

Now in his fifth year as conductor and music director of the JCC

Community Orchestra, Sudakow’s concerts include standard orchestral

literature, musical theater selections with soloists, children’s

concerts and special performances with orchestra choirs. Sudakow also

plays chamber music and has performed locally at charity events, as

well as here at the JCC.

At 7 p.m. Sunday, the JCC Community Orchestra will present a

concert at Clubhouse III in Leisure World, 23822 Avenida Sevilla,

Gate III, Laguna Hills. The program will feature the well-loved

Academic Festival Overture by Brahms, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3,

the “Scottish,” and the Violin Concerto No. 5 by Vieuxtemps,

featuring 17-year-old soloist David Lisker.

David performed with the JCC Community Orchestra three years ago,

and the video of that performance brought him to the attention of

Itzhak Perlman, who invited David to study and travel with him the

past three summers.

The concert on Sunday is chaired by Lillian Firestone, a

beautiful, vibrant and energetic volunteer at the JCC and at many

other local charities. Lil, though in her 80s, is filled with

astonishing energy and enthusiasm, giving of her time to her family,

friends and to community service.

If you are interested in attending the concert on Sunday, tickets

are $15 and will be available at the door. You will enjoy an evening

of wonderful music and meet many of the active and talented JCC

boomers.

* DONNA VAN SLYKE is the adult program supervisor for the Jewish

Community Center of Orange County.