Music to our ears

OUR LAGUNA

Last Sunday was the 20th anniversary of the Music in the Park Concert

Series.

Sound Bites performed, a slightly different sound than the first

Concert in the Park in 1983, which included a harpsichord. Doris

Shields came up with the idea after attending the dedication of the

sculptures at Nita Carmen Park.

“When I heard the acoustics I thought how perfect it would be if

we could have music there,” Shields said. “So we did.”

Shields was a member of the newly created Arts Commission at the

time. Jerrold Block was chair.

“Jerry wrote me a letter and asked if I could get the project

going right away,” Shields said. “Although I prefer to have more

preparation time, we got the concert underway in two months.

“Leigh Unger, an arts commissioner who taught at Cal State

Fullerton, brought musicians from the university. He played the

harpsichord.”

About 17 people were in the audience, Shields recalled. And the

traffic noise was terrible.

“So we looked at Bluebird Park,” Shields said. “It had everything:

acoustics, gorgeous trees and it was off the beaten path, which

helped to keep it a secret.”

To keep the concerts local, publicity was limited to Laguna Beach

newspapers and programs were headlined Shush.

“We really tried to have it a family affair for Laguna only,”

Shields said. “And the park neighbors have been simply wonderful.”

The first concert at Bluebird Park in 1983 had an audience of

maybe 30 people. A total of three concerts were held that year, all

classical music. Shields organized it on her lonesome.

“I got some help the third year,” Shields said. “Joan Benford

co-chaired the season with me and then we developed a committee from

the arts commission.”

In 1986, The Brass Band performed the first popular music concert.

“It’s funny,” Shields said. “they just played here a couple of

weeks ago at the Laguna Beach School of Art & Design Sunday concert.”

The most boisterous audience ever at Bluebird was in 1996.

“Common Sense had played the night before in Los Angeles and

announced a free concert in Laguna,” Shields said. “Personally, I

loved it.”

Normally the audience is more circumspect, in spite of picnic

baskets that include wine, which is allowed in Laguna Parks if it

accompanies a full meal.

Other local bands that have performed include Buck Naked and the

Chapped Cheeks and 714.

The Concerts in the Park were a labor of love for Shields -- she

was hardwired at birth for music.

During her career in music, she served as head of voice at the

Pasadena Playhouse in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She had a voice

studio and directed.

“What a pleasure to teach actors to sing,” she said.

After Pasadena closed, Shields taught voice in her own studios in

Los Angeles and Laguna Beach. She also served as the chorus master

for Lyric Opera, the precursor to Opera Pacific.

Lyric Opera performed in the Irvine Bowl (as did Aretha Franklin

on one memorable occasion).

“It was the first opera in South Orange County, maybe in all of

Orange County,” Shields said. “Everyone with a voice was happy to

audition. They were all so young and energetic.”

Shields began serving on the Arts Commission when it was

established in 1983, preceded by five years on the city’s arts

committee. Her focus was always music, principally the concert

series.

In 1995, the city cut back funding for the concerts. From out of

nowhere, Les and Marilyn Thomas rode to the rescue.

“He came up out of the audience and volunteered to help,” said

Shields. “He said ‘I am a fund-raiser.’ With the cuts, it seemed the

way to go.”

The Thomases and Shields created the nonprofit Concerts in the

Park Inc. to partner with the city to fund the series.

“Instead of cutting back, we were able to add four concerts to the

series each year,” Shields said.

Shields retired from the Arts Commission to devote more time to

the concert series. She retired as program director in 1998 because

of her health.

City Arts Coordinator Sian Poeschl took over from Shields as stage

manager and booker of the bands.

“I apprenticed with Doris for a year and then she handed the reins

over to me,” Poeschl said.

“The series is a wonderful cultural event -- a gift from the city

to the residents. It is a unique opportunity for people to gather and

enjoy the music in a community atmosphere.”

Just keep it to yourself.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

A telescope installed at Monument Point, gives sightseers a bird’s

eye view of Bird Rock. Mario Vinci donated the telescope, which has a

clam shell design.

The 10-power telescope is one of three now installed in Heisler

Park. The others are at the Gazebo and near the Inn at Laguna.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite 22;

call 494-4321 or fax 494-8979.