Celebrate National Music Week: "Music is...Unstoppable" - May 4-11, 2025
The recent wildfires have had a devastating impact on our communities. Members throughout our state, and across the country have reached out to help. This page is dedicated to share our stories, and ways that you can help support those in need.
Contact Madeline Miller if you have books to donate
If you are organizing a benefit concert, or would like to have one included on this page, please contact Virginia Feitelson
Read the message below about one of our beloved CMFC member and teacher, Shu Tran (Judy Gallego), who lost everything in the devastating Eaton Fire. In addition to her home, she has lost her studio, Lieb der Lieder Haus, along with four pianos and a concert space she had provided for the Altadena community.
If you would like to offer your support to Judy and her two sons while they navigate through this difficult time, please consider donating to her Patreon patreon.com/PianoPurposePeace or GoFundMe https://gofund.me/5fe9ca12
Thank you for you kindness and support
Pianist, singer, and composer Shu Tran (also known as Judy Gallego) grew up in the CFMC and MTAC Pasadena Branch, studying under Vera Hoalim. She became a member of the branch herself in 2009 and settled in Altadena with her two sons, Luciano and Michelangelo, in 2016. Since then, she built a beautiful studio in her home, which she named "Lieb der Lieder Haus" inspired by her training in Austria. Lieb der Lieder Haus served over 30 students during the time it stood, and served as a concert space for the American Liszt Society SoCal Chapter. In addition, Shu converted the garage into an outdoor performance space for the whole Altadena community to enjoy during the covid shut downs. On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, Lieb der Lieder Haus burned to the ground in the Eaton Fire. Beyond being their home, Lieb der Lieder Haus was Shu's music studio, concert space, and homeschooling space. She had three grand pianos and one upright piano, all of which burned to cinders and ashes in the fire. By some stroke of ironic serendipity, Shu, the boys, and her partner Robert Parker trusted their intuition, and during the holidays, began triaging and packing their belongings into a trailer to start the transition into living on a sailboat, the goal of which is to sail around the world giving concerts and being conduits for peace. They trusted that was the correct timing to start packing, even though the did not have their vessel yet. Although there was much more to be done, when the fire hit, they were able to quickly hitch up their trailer and drive away, just as the fire consumed the mountainside behind them. They are choosing now to look at this disaster that ended a beautiful chapter of music, love, and community in Altadena as the beginning of a new chapter in which their mission of music, love, and healing extends to wherever in the world they can sail. They thank you ahead of time for participating in this movement in the symphony of their lives, crescendoing into a transcendent future. If you wish to follow their journey, check out Shu's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@PianoPurposePeace, and if you feel inspired to support Shu and family in recovering their losses to the fire and transitioning onto their next adventure, please subscribe to their Patreon: patreon.com/PianoPurposePeace.
If you know of a CFMC member impacted by the wildfires and would like to have them included on this page, please contact Virginia Feitelson