The cellists of Sakura chose their name as a bit of wordplay; all were students of Ralph Kirshbaum, the Chair of the String Department at the USC Thornton School of Music. Kirshbaum translates as ‘cherry tree’ in German, so they chose the name Sakura, the Japanese word for ‘cherry blossoms.’ That’s just one reflection of the international focus of the unique cello quintet that re-launched the Music in the Chambers program on Sept 7, 2025 at City Hall. The performance series, on pause since 2012, has been given a tune-up thanks to support from both Culver City’s Cultural Affairs and the Culver Arts Foundation.
Leora O’Carroll of the Cultural Affairs Commission, introduced the group, and offered thanks to all who had helped to make the afternoon performance possible.
The program itself was extraordinary, with the cellists playing selections from Renaissance madrigals, Rachmaninov, Shubert and Debussy. While joking that music written for five cellos was scarce, credit went to Peter Myers for creating arrangements that gave each instrument a ‘voice.’
They also announced an upcoming album release, Claire de Lune, which will be available September 18, on their website at www.sakuracellos.com
Cultural Affair Commissioner Tanya Fleischer, who was key to putting the string players in front of a Culver City audience, was surprised and pleased at how good the acoustics in the Mike Balkman City Council Chambers were. In a conversation with Vice Mayor Freddy Puza after the event, she noted the sound quality was “exceptional.”
The afternoon was a bit experimental in seeing how the logistics could work. No other concerts have been scheduled yet, but with the obvious success of the program, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the city calendar.
Judith Martin-Straw
