Nonprofit organization Melodia Mariposa invites the community to a powerful and joyful musical celebration that brings women’s voices, long underrepresented in classical music, fully into the spotlight as Pasadena marks Women’s History Month.
Melodia Mariposa will present a free world-class concert spanning nearly two centuries of music and featuring an all-female piano quintet and string quartet on Saturday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m, consisting of Tereza Stanislav (principal) and Anna Landauer, violins; Alma Fernandez, viola; Giovanna Moraga Clayton, cello; and Bernadene Blaha, piano. Together, the musicians form a piano quintet that embodies the spirit of the evening: collaboration, virtuosity, and shared purpose.
The program performs works by Clara Schumann, Amy Beach, and contemporary composer Anna Drubich, honoring women whose creative contributions have been overlooked, despite having shaped the art form in profound ways.
Music That History Nearly Missed
For generations, women composed, performed, and taught music at the highest levels, yet their work was frequently dismissed, unpublished, or attributed to others. Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio stands as a testament to a composer of extraordinary depth and originality, whose legacy was long overshadowed despite her towering influence as a pianist and musician. Amy Beach’s Piano Quintet reflects a later moment when women began asserting their creative authority in American concert music, pushing against institutional barriers with unmistakable brilliance.
By placing these works alongside contemporary music, Melodia Mariposa draws a clear throughline: women have always been here, composing boldly, performing brilliantly, and expanding what music can be.
A Living Voice of Today
That continuum comes alive in Rain @5, a string quartet by Los Angeles–based composer Anna Drubich. Originally from Russia, Drubich is internationally recognized for her work across film, television, theater, and the concert hall. Her scores include the Oscar-winning documentary Navalny, Barbarian, Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (produced by Guillermo del Toro), and numerous international projects.
Drubich has built a dynamic career writing for the concert stage alongside her work for the screen, collaborating with renowned musicians and ensembles worldwide. Rain @5 reflects that dual artistry — evocative, cinematic, and deeply expressive, offering audiences a contemporary work that speaks directly to this moment.
“My intention with Rain@5 was to create a poetic and cinematic piece,” Drubich said. “It plays with rhythmic patterns and an unusual time signature (5/8). I am excited to work with these women performers who each have their own interpretation to add.”
The concert will be at Pasadena’s performing arts venue, the Manoukian Cultural Center. With seating for more than 600 audience members, the Manoukian offers a setting that is both expansive in sound and intimate in spirit — a fitting home for music that deserves to be heard widely.
More than a retrospective, this concert is a celebration of artistry, resilience, and the joy that emerges when long-silenced stories are finally heard at full volume. Through centering women composers and performers during Women’s History Month, Melodia Mariposa affirms that this music is not a footnote to history, but a vital and living part of our cultural present.
The free, public concert welcomes listeners of all ages and backgrounds to gather, listen, and celebrate together. On March 7, Pasadena has the chance to do something simple and meaningful: show up, fill the Manoukian, and let women’s music be heard.
To watch an inspirational video about Irina Voloshina, founder of Melodia Mariposa:
