Our 2024-25 Season:

Sunday, March 9, 2025, 3pm
(date change)
TWANGUERO (Guitar)

While described by the press as a “fire breathing guitar hero” or nicknamed “Spain’s King of Twang” by Guitar Player, 2013 Latin Grammy winner Diego García goes for a more poetic phrasing to define himself: a 3-in-1 guitarist deeply in love with his instruments – which he secretly calls “his ladies”. Renowned for his fingerpicking technique, incredible versatility and distinctive ‘twang’ sound, his music is an unusual fusion of classical Spanish guitar, Latin rhythms, country, rockabilly, jazz…and even surf music.

Sunday, April 27, 2025, 3pm
DANIEL MANOIU (Piano)

Daniel Manoiu is an award winning pianist, composer and organist based in Southern California. Originally from Romania, Daniel has won numerous awards, including first prize at the Rovere D'oro Piano Competition in San Bartolomeo, Italy and third prize at the AMSA World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, OH. He has performed at world class venues, including Carnegie Hall, the United Nations and the Kennedy Center. Daniel has written original music for films and shows featured on Amazon Prime, and STARZ, and is an active composer and music editor for film and TV. Daniel earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami, and now holds the position of Principal Musician for the dance department at University of California, Irvine. Prior to coming to Grace First, Daniel served as a pianist and organist for Poniciana United Methodist Church in Miami Springs, FL, and for Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Thousand Oaks, CA.

MAGIC STRINGS (Ukrainian Balalaika)
RESCHEDULED TO MAY 10, 2025, 7p

Founded in 1995, Magic Strings is building a reputation as a unique, dynamic, and accomplished group of musicians performing on traditional instruments from Eastern Europe. These include the domra, a string instrument with a thin, fretted neck and round body first appearing in written records at the end of the 15th century; the balalaika, a triangular-bodied instrument well known to Western audiences from the film Doctor Zhivago; and the bayan, a member of the accordion family popular in Ukraine. The repertoire ranges from traditional Eastern European songs, original compositions, and well-known classics.

Sunday, June 1, 2025, 3pm
LISA SANDERS (Singer-Songwriter)

Lisa Sanders is an electrifying harmonizer. Her heartfelt songs are genuine with deep meaning and conviction. A musical style that can only be described as a soulful country blues, her genres include folk pop, gospel, rock and jazz. Writing, singing and producing from her heart in nearly every genre for over three decades, Sanders continues to make an impact in the musical world.