Bachground: My name is Roger Lebow. I grew up in LA, and have been playing the cello since I was 10—nearly 60 years. I made my living as a cellist, playing in string quartets, for movie soundtracks, record albums, solo concerts, and enjoyed 30 years in the pit with LA Opera.

Thinking Bach: Now that I’m “retired” (cellists don’t stop playing; they just stop showing up for work), nearly every day I take my cello out of its case, sit down and play music from the Bach solo suites—the music I first began working on in 1962. It doesn’t get old. I’m tempted to think it keeps me young. It certainly keeps me modest. Whether it’s Bach’s rhythmic groove, his spiritual core, or the clockwork precision of the intricate package it’s wrapped in, something in his music reaches to embrace the listener, regardless of their musical background. I have friends who only listen to death metal, to Broadway show tunes, to classic rock, to C & W or jazz—but play Bach for them and immediately they’re into it, swept away, grooving. 



BitS LA Impact: This year will be the third I’ve joined the throngs for Bach in the Subways. I love sharing the music that has remained so special to me. There is also something that really appeals to me about the hundreds of streams of people traveling through Union Station, many of whom have never seen a cello, much less heard one live, randomly passing by and perhaps stopping for a moment or two to listen. When I’ve played at Union Station in the past, many people take a moment to speak with me afterwards, and I realize then how much we all need what is contained in this music, and how remarkable it is to participate in this experience.

Bachground: Jillian Lopez is a proud Los Angeles native and freelance artist. She started her musical path at the age of 3 at Cal State LA through the Saturday Conservatory of Music. 27 years later, Jillian has explored multiple genres of music from all over the world. Over the course of her musical study, Jillian earned a Masters in Fine Arts in Harp Performance from California Institute of the Arts where she studied with Susan Allen & Katie Kirkpatrick and a Bachelor of Music in Performance- Harp from California State University- Long Beach where she studied with Marcia Dickstein. Her versatile style has been mentioned by LA Weekly (Hollywood Fringe Festival) where they describe her as “one who reaps musical dividends, adding to the story’s magical feeling” and her musicianship adds “delicious upstage accompaniment” – Stage and Cinema.

She is currently Principal Harpist of the Long Beach Ballet Company, SLO Symphony (acting principal), Orchestra NOVO, Southern California Philharmonic, and The Contemporary Performance Collective. She has performed with The Industry Opera Company, WildUp, Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, Dana Point Symphony, Mozaic Festival Symphony Orchestra, LA Jewish Symphony, and The Hollywood Epic Brass. She has also performed with Grammy Award winning and nominated artists such as Diane Schuur, Melissa Manchester, The Irish Tenors, and the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet.

In the studio, Jillian has worked with critically acclaimed film composer’s Jeff Russo ( “Fargo” FX TV Series), Mark Isham (“Once Upon a Time” TV Series) and many others. Film credits include “Blue Angel” (2016), HBO Miniseries “Crime” (2016), “Papa Hemingway in Cuba” (2015), and “The Ground Beneath Their Feet” (2014), and “With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story” (2010). She was a featured performing artist for PBS “Artbound Special Episode: Invisible Cities” (2015) composed and adapted by Christopher Cerrone (Pulitzer Prize Finalist), directed by The Industry’s founder and artistic director Yuval Sharon, with choreography by Danielle Agami. She was also featured in pre-recorded tracks on the green route from The Industry’s “Hopscotch”.

On stage, Jillian has collaborated with LAMC, 3-D Theatricals production of ‘Side Show’, Good People Theater Company “The Fantasticks” (Hollywood Fringe Festival), Musical Theater West “The Wizard of Oz”, The Lewis Family Playhouse premiere of “Mirette”, and the Independent Shakespeare Company’s “Hamlet”. In the Spring of 2017, Jillian was featured in the premiere of “For Piano and Harpo” written and starring Dan Castellaneta (voice of ‘Homer Simpson’).

Jillian has collaborated with jazz/pop/folk rock/eclectic LA based bands/musicians such as Annabel LEE, KNOWER with Genevieve Artadi and Louis Cole, Mike Keneally, NATULA, STORMCHASER, and XYLØ.  Albums she has been a featured artist; ‘Postcards from Heaven’ Susan Allen’s Last Album, “STORMCHASER”- Whitney Mikkel, and “LIFE” by knower. She is currently a member of LA Harptette – LA’s Harp Quartet.

Thinking Bach: Bach’s music is inspirational, meaningful and comforting on every level. I was raised with Bach’s music either through performing it when I was in youth orchestra and string ensembles, or listening to his music on records usually Glen Gould’s or Wanda Landowska’s interpretations at home during family gatherings. What was striking to me while listening to Bach’s music was the optimism and hope it brought with such complexity and nuance.

BitS LA Impact: Life is filled with so many variations of complexity. That is why performing Bach’s music especially down in the subway’s is so important. Being with commuter’s especially in LA, one gets so many variations of culture and social status. By performing Bach, his music contributes to the complexity of life and more often then not, filled with optimism and hope for all.

Schülerinnen und Schüler der Berufsfachschule für Musik Krumbach spielen in unterschiedlichsten Besetzungen Musik von Bach in zwei Konzerten: Gesprächskonzert (13.30 Uhr) und Kammerkonzert (19.30 Uhr).

Classical Guitar

Bachground: My name is Leticia Callela-Austin, I am a violinist, mariachi performer and music educator at El Sereno Middle School, and I too, am in love with Bach!

Thinking Bach: I was introduced as an elementary violin student to Bach’s music through Suzuki renditions taught by my music teacher, Mr. Gustafson. I had never heard of a Gavotte or a Bourrée. The most I had heard about classical music up until 4th grade was ballets and symphonies. I still play violin – 28 years later!

During my musical training, I was fortunate enough to meet some incredible teachers and musicians who opened my heart and ears to Bach’s music. While studying during my undergraduate years at California Institute of the Arts, I was introduced to the Sonatas and Partitas for violin. I had never heard such beautiful music performed for solo violin. It was then that I finally came to the realization that Bach’s music encompasses so much – love, freedom, poetry, and longing. When I arrived at El Sereno Middle School, I was so happy to be back! I was a former student of the school and had participated in their Symphony Orchestra. My students were in shock to learn of my positive experience with music at the middle school level.

BitS LA Impact: I wanted to see if I could have my students play a Bach piece and had them attempt to read through it. They did not know quite what to make of it. Being so engrossed in the pop music of today, the students could not make it through the first few measures. They were more accustomed to learning pop orchestral music or film music, but not proper classical pieces. It has taken almost one year of work, and we finally arrived. The students were happy to get a few pieces this year that were not only written by Bach himself, but in homage to him.

I hope you all can come out and enjoy this amazing endeavor by Bach in the Subways and support LAUSD by stopping by and watching the Advanced String Orchestra from El Sereno Middle School!