Bach, Beethoven and Brunch brings classical music to Mellon Park

If you plan to brunch, it’s best to do so while surrounded by verdant greens and enjoying the… If you plan to brunch, it’s best to do so while surrounded by verdant greens and enjoying the lively selections of a brass band. And bringing your own chandelier is optional.

Every Sunday for nine weeks during the summer, several community organizations help to host “Bach, Beethoven and Brunch,” a program that stages free concerts in Mellon Park. Concerts range from cello groups to brass bands. But it’s more than a free show — it’s a chance for the community to get together.

Enthusiastic families bring everything from tables replete with candles and centerpieces, to chandeliers hung from the trees, and they come toting elaborate brunches in an attempt to win the “best brunch” award.

Citiparks Program Coordinator Brian Katze explained that for families who attend every week, the “best brunch” award — donated by the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts — goes out during the intermission.

“There are families that compete with each other, and they’re always trying to out-do each other each week,” he said.

The competition is a testament to how, over its three decades of existence, the program has become a staple of the East End community.

But in 2004, the community lost the program.

Citiparks, which traditionally hosted the concerts, didn’t have the money to put on the show anymore. But several community members stepped up, including Steve Hawkins, who worked with the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition to get state funding to continue the program.

“It’s just been a great series. I’m glad [the Coalition] found a way to help out, because it’s a good activity for us to be a part of,” said Hawkins, immediate past president and board member of the Coalition.

In addition to the Coalition and Citiparks, WQED, the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and the Bagel Factory have also lent their support to the program.

The musical groups that perform at the concerts range from brass bands to Eastern European music, but curiously, there is little classical music amongst performers, notes Bernie Black, trumpet player for Carnegie Brass.

“They try to program groups that are light and fun — not like Bach and Beethoven. It’s always kind of a joke about that because you don’t see symphony orchestra and that kind of show,” he said.

Black’s group played during the first concert in July, but it was also the first group to ever play in the series. The band plays almost every year, and because the organizers try to vary the performances, that means the group must switch up its show each time it plays.

This year, Black’s group tailored the show patriotically. They performed around the Fourth of July, so the group performed a fun and educational segment.

That educational component was an explanation of Civil War bugle calls. Black said people were interested in learning about what the calls — some of them familiar — actually signified on the battlefield. The group also recognized veterans and families of veterans during its performance.

“I know it’s appreciated by the performers, but I can tell from the look of the audience that it’s appreciated. I hope it continues forever,” he said.

Keeping it going means searching for sponsors. Because of state budget cuts, the concert will look for new funding partners. But Katze isn’t worried about finding the $10,000 or so that it costs to put the series on. He said that he’s certain they’ll find businesses to sponsor the event, especially considering how keen the public is to see it continue.

“Sometimes it’s the public, they’re the ones who go to the event, who want to see the event, who want to see it around. Sometimes they approach me and tell me about businesses,” Katze said.

He explained that there isn’t a great deal of programming in the East End, and this is an important tradition for the community.

“Well, it’s important just like it’s important for any civic event to continue. It’s something for the public to do in the summer. It’s giving back to the community. People pay their taxes and expect to see something more than roads being paved,” he said.

Black believes it’s a truly special event for the community that exposes it to free arts and that the program’s length is a testament to how much it’s loved. Just make sure to get there early enough to take shelter under a shady tree, he jests.

“You know it gives something back to people. There’s no charge, it’s a free concert. There’s some nostalgia about summertime park concerts that everyone smiles and enjoys the sound of a summertime park concert,” Black said.

Visit the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy website for a listing of upcoming Brunch performers.