By Julianne Homokay
Special to the Alpine Mountaineer
On March 1 at 3 p.m. at St. Richard’s Episcopal Church in Skyforest, concert pianist John Reith will perform the music of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin to raise funds for the victims of the recent devastating fires in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
The concert is free to the public, but attendees are asked to donate proceeds that will benefit the Altadena and Palisades community funds.
Reith has a history of performing for causes: He has benefitted the Methodist distribution arm for victims of the war in Ukraine, the Masons, the Mountain Homeless Coalition and the Arrowhead Arts Association, of which he is a member.
Reith is a committed mountain resident. As a third generation Californian, he grew up on the mountain part-time, as his family had a cabin in Lake Arrowhead. He was living down in Rancho Palos Verdes but, when he needed a change, he found a rental on the mountain. Then, “I walked into St. Richard’s looking for God, and I came out with a job.” He’s been the director of music at St. Richard’s ever since, and he’s been a full-time resident on the mountain for 12 years.
Just within the southern California Episcopal parishes, about 200 people lost their homes, and several churches were irreparably damaged. The toll on the wider damage is still being tallied.
Can we help? Can we come together at events like this? “Music is something you share,” said Reith.
St. Richard’s Episcopal Church is located at 28708 Highway 18 in Skyforest.
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