Mount Wilson Observatory “Talks & Telescopes” w/ Prof. Jenny Krestow & Dr. Chris Burns

For Immediate Release:

Mount Wilson Observatory Presents
Musical Friends
The Eighth Offering in MWO’s 8th Season of
Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome
Held Inside the Historic Dome of the 100-Inch Telescope
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Performances at 3:00 and 5:00pm

LOS ANGELES, CA – September 16, 2025 – Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO)—Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history—is pleased to present the eighth Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome of its 2025 season, inside the magnificent vaulted dome of MWO’s historic 100-inch telescope. 

On Sunday, October 5, 2025, the audience is invited to experience Musical Friends, featuring Luanne Homzy (violin), Jonah Sirota (viola), Jonathan Flaksman (cello), Geoff Osika (bass), Gigi Brady (oboe), and Micah Wright (clarinet). A celebration of winds and strings, the program—curated by Jonah Sirota—will include works by Hans Gal, Britten, and Prokofiev.

As in previous seasons, Artistic Director Cécilia Tsan (Principal Cellist, Long Beach Symphony and Los Angeles Master Chorale) curates the series. Each concert date of the season features the same program presented twice—first at 3:00pm and again at 5:00pm. There will be an artist reception at 4:00pm between each concert’s hour-long session. Tickets cost $60 each and are available for purchase online in advance (highly recommended) or at the door, given availability. For more information on this concert, please visit www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert100525. For more on the entire Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome series, please visit www.mtwilson.edu/concerts.

The program will feature a variety of musical offerings, with the ensemble reconfiguring for each piece. The selections will include: Hans Gal “Serenade” (1935) for clarinet, violin, and cello; Benjamin Britten “Phantasy” (1932) for oboe, violin, viola, and cello; and Sergei Prokofiev “Quintet in G minor Op 39” (1924) for oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, and bass.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Luanne Homzy (violin)
Internationally acclaimed American/French-Canadian violinist Luanne Homzy is highly sought-after for her technical facility, sensitive musicality, and expansive versatility. Based in Los Angeles, she works as a studio musician, an arranger/composer, and is the leader of the California String Quartet.

Equally at home in many genres, whether it be classical, jazz, rock, gypsy, or Eastern European folk music, Homzy performs worldwide with crossover supergroup Trio Dinicu, hailed as “dazzling” by the San Francisco Chronicle. She has recently appeared with artists such as the John Jorgenson Quintet, Florin Niculescu, and Tcha Limberger.

Homzy, originally from Montréal, studied with Robert Lipsett and Arnold Steinhardt on a full scholarship at the prestigious Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles, and later obtained her Master’s from the Hamburg Hochschule in Germany with Niklas Schmidt. 

Jonah Sirota (viola)
Composer, producer, and violist Jonah Sirota is equally at home scoring and recording music for TV, film, and video games, writing concert music, and performing as a soloist and chamber musician. A 2022 fellow in the Sundance Film Music Intensive, his soundtrack for the NPR web documentary, Return of the American Bison, was nominated for a regional Emmy award in 2019.  

Sirota was the violist of the recently-disbanded Chiara String Quartet for all of its 18 years. With the Chiara Quartet, he toured internationally, recorded seven albums, and played in numerous major venues worldwide. 

Jonathan Flaksman (cello)
Jonathan Flaksman, born in Akron, Ohio in 1981, started playing the cello at age five. He later studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and at the Juilliard School. He graduated from Mannheim University in Germany in the class of his father, Michael Flaksman, and completed an artist diploma in orchestral studies. He played in the orchestra of the Mannheim National Theater and as Principal Cellist of Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern and La Folia Baroque Orchestra. 

As soloist and chamber musician, Flaksman has traveled the United States, Europe, and Asia. He is a member of the Long Beach Symphony and a regular with the Pasadena Symphony. He has been a core member of the Hawaii Symphony since 2025. 

Geoff Osika (bass)
Geoff Osika owes his musical training to John Schaeffer, former principal bass of the New York Philharmonic, who conditioned him to gain acceptance at both the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music after only three years of study, and Roger Scott, former principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra, who taught him the craft of orchestral bass playing.

After Curtis, Osika embarked on several years of full-time orchestral jobs. From 1992 to 2003, he held positions with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galícia in Spain, and the Oregon Symphony. Osika is currently the principal bass of the Long Beach and Pasadena Symphony Orchestras, and has been a part of the recording industry in Los Angeles for over two decades.

Regina Brady (oboe)
Equally adept on oboe and English horn, Regina (Gigi) Brady is a sought-after performer on both coasts. Brady performs regularly with orchestras around Los Angeles, including the Pacific Symphony, LA Opera Orchestra, MUSE/IQUE, New West Symphony, and Long Beach Symphony. Performances highlighting her versatility include an appearance with the LA Opera orchestra in collaboration with the Hamburg Ballet. She has performed chamber music with Jean-Yves Thibaudet, David Breitman, and in a duo with her partner, violist and composer Jonah Sirota. A passionate advocate for new music, she has premiered dozens of new works. She has been a fellow at Kent/Blossom Music Festival, Texas Music Festival, and Sarasota Music Festival.  

Brady holds degrees in Oboe Performance and Neuroscience from Oberlin, where she studied with Robert Walters; Colburn Conservatory, where she studied with Ariana Ghez; and Anne Marie Gabriele at Bard College, where she performed for three years with The Orchestra Now. She is a graduate of the Juilliard Pre-College Division where she studied with Richard Dallessio.

Micah Wright (clarinet)
An accomplished and versatile artist, Dr. Micah Wright is an active musician based in Southern California. Dr. Wright has received many national and international musical awards, and given solo, chamber, and orchestral performances throughout the United States. He has performed concertos with several ensembles, frequently performs his own arrangements, has premiered many contemporary works, and is a member of several active chamber ensembles. In 2018, he was featured as a soloist by the Beverly Hills National Auditions, performing on both clarinet and piano.

Dr. Wright graduated with academic honors from USC Thornton (D.M.A., 2015), Rice University’s Shepherd School (M.M., 2012), and Drake University (B.M., 2009).

Cécilia Tsan (cello / artistic director)
Praised by the Los Angeles Times for her "uncompromising musical character and towering technique,” French-born cellist Cécilia Tsan graduated from the Paris Conservatory summa cum laude and is a prizewinner at the Barcelona, Florence, and Paris International Competitions.

An international soloist and chamber musician, she has recorded several albums and hundreds of movie soundtracks in Hollywood. She serves as Principal Cello with the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale Orchestra. She is also the Artistic Director of the music series Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome at Mount Wilson Observatory.

Recent performances include John Williams’ Memoirs of a Geisha, Dvorák and Elgar Cello Concertos, and the Brahms Double Concerto. Cécilia has served as Principal Cello for the Oscars, the Emmys, the Grammys, American Idol, and Dancing with the Stars. In April 2019, she was invited by the LA Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Peter Sellars to be the narrator for Stravinsky’s Perséphone at Disney Hall.

In August 2024, Warner Classics released a 2-CD set dedicated to the music of John Williams, John Williams Reimagined, featuring Sara Andon (flute), Cécilia Tsan (cello), and Simone Pedroni (piano), produced by Robert Townson. A vast array of Williams' scores is arranged for flute, cello, and piano by Pedroni. The release was preceded and followed by international concert tours featuring the trio.

THE FINAL CONCERT IN THE 2025 SEASON:
October 19
Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas
Carte Blanche to Los Angeles’ all-female Mariachi Band

ABOUT MOUNT WILSON OBSERVATORY
Since its founding in 1904 by astronomer and visionary George Ellery Hale, the research conducted at Mount Wilson Observatory has revolutionized our understanding of the Universe. Perched on top of Mount Wilson, a 5,710-foot peak in the San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena, California, the Observatory boasts a rich history and significant contributions to science and the heritage of Los Angeles. The Observatory’s 100-inch Telescope—the world's largest telescope from 1917 to 1949—forever changed our understanding of the scale and nature of our Universe and deeply expanded human knowledge. This world-heritage class instrument, used by many of the greatest astronomers of the Twentieth Century, launched a revolution in astronomy that continues through today.

Mount Wilson Institute has independently operated and maintained the Mount Wilson Observatory since 1989 under a long-term agreement with the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The Observatory and grounds are open to the public to visit, and during the spring and summer months the Institute produces programs including observing sessions through the historic telescopes (the largest on the planet made available to the public), lectures, concerts, art exhibits, educational programs, and more. Many of these cultural offerings are presented inside the singular vaulted dome of the 100-inch Telescope.

All proceeds from ticketed events go to support Mount Wilson Institute in its mission to preserve, protect, and promote the Observatory and its scientific accomplishments.

Complete information on all the scientific, educational, and cultural activities at Mount Wilson Observatory can be found on their website www.mtwilson.edu.

THE VENUE
The 100-inch telescope is the instrument with which astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered our place in an expanding universe and deeply expanded human knowledge. The dome for the telescope—designed by seminal Chicago architect Daniel Burnham—is a 20th century temple to science whose acoustics rival the great cathedrals of Europe, a truly unique setting for this ambitious music series.

VISITING MWO
The gate to Mount Wilson’s campus opens at 10:00am daily and closes at 5:00pm from early April through November. Entrance to the grounds is free. Visitors can hike, gaze at the telescope domes and towers that dot the landscape, and take a look at historic Mount Wilson photos and letters in the Museum.

The Cosmic Cafe, located above the main parking lot at the Observatory entrance, is open on weekends in the spring, summer, and fall. In addition to traditional menu items such as hot dogs, drinks, and snacks, the Cafe offers wraps, salads, and sweet treats from Little Flower.  

LOCATION
Mount Wilson Observatory
Mount Wilson Circle Road & Mount Wilson Toll Road
Mount Wilson, CA 91023

On MWO’s website, the “Map” page shows various SoCal routes to the 2 and 210 Freeways which feed into Angeles Crest Highway leading to Red Box Road, which then leads to Mount Wilson Circle Road.

PLEASE NOTE: Do not rely on directions given by phone apps, they can be incorrect. We recommend downloading and printing this PDF map with directions.

PARKING
A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00am and 5:00pm. During the week, passes are available at locations around Los Angeles. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Canada Flintridge at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway. Click here to go to the U.S. Forest Service website for more information about Passes and other locations to buy them.

NOT ADA-COMPLIANT
Please be advised that access to the 100-inch dome is via an open-air, 53-step staircase inside the building. There is no ADA-compliant access.

LINKS:

• Mount Wilson Observatory - www.mtwilson.edu
• Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome - www.mtwilson.edu/concerts
• October 5 Tickets - www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert100525
• MWO Facebook - www.facebook.com/WilsonObs
• MWO Twitter - https://twitter.com/MtWilsonObs 
• MWO Instagram - www.instagram.com/mtwilsonobservatory
• MWO Images including artist and concert photos - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ayaN3JNIKNbcPYqnxp_ILe9HHvENJGSa

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For more information, photos, interviews, or press passes—about any of MWO's movie, concert, or lecture series—please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada at lynn@greengalactic.com or 213-840-1201.

For Mount Wilson Observatory, please contact Sarah Emery Bunn at semerybunn@mtwilson.edu or 626-214-8030.