“Songs You Love” will be the theme of the next Fredericksburg Music Club concert on Sunday, November 17, when pianist Rob Landes plays tunes requested by the audience for the FMC’s third of eight 2024-2025 season performances.
Seating for the 3 p.m. program in the sanctuary of Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, 1800 North Llano, will begin at 2:30 p.m. on a first-come, first served basis.
A native Houstonian, Landes began playing piano at three years before making his debut one year later on the Art Linkletter Show where Tommy Dorsey was also a guest. Later, in the 60’s, he was the keyboardist for the nationally known rock group Fever Tree that released four national albums.
He has done musical arrangements for Liza Minnelli, performed with Marilyn Maye with whom he travelled as her pianist/conductor and conducted the Count Basie Orchestra and the Buddy Rich Band (with Maye) in one of Rich’s last concerts.
Landes has performed throughout the U.S. Canada and Europe as a pianist, organist, harpist, arranger, conductor and published composer. Associated with six national publishers and producer of six CDs, he has led the Rob Landes Trio which has played at the Houston Jazz Festival, in the Galveston Opera House, Jo
nes Hall, Wortham Theatre and Tower Theater along with supper clubs and hotels around the country.
The musical director for theatrical productions in the Houston area, Landes has been a faculty member of the Theatre Under the Stars’ Musical Theatre and served for three years as the musical director for the Junior League Charity Ball as well as serving on the board of the University of Houston Alumni Association and twice serving as panelist for the Cultural Arts Council of Houston.
Landes has for eight years collaborated with Dr. Sidney Berger in writing musicals for the Children’s Theatre Festival at the University of Houston, two of which have been published.
Organist for seven years at St. Philip Presbyterian Church, he was associated with the music program at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Houston as assistant organist while twice accompanying congregation performers to England where his choral and organ music was performed at Westminster Abbey. In addition, Landes has accompanied the Maginnsinger Choral Group on a European Tour that included a performance if “Poulenc’s Gloria” in the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Since 1996, he has been the organist/artist-in-residence at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Houston.
In addition to free will offerings given at the door of the November 17 concert, that afternoon’s performance is also being partially funded by donations from members of the Fredericksburg Music Club.
At the afternoon concert, membership cards for individuals or corporate sponsors wishing to join the Fredericksburg Music Club will also be available at the door.
Meanwhile, more information about the FMC or assistance in joining the organization is also available online at http://fredericksburgmusicclub.com/.