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Mount Saint Mary’s music professor MaryAnn Bonino, PhD, always thought that music history would be more exciting if musical compositions could be heard the way they were originally intended. For chamber music, this meant intimate concerts in small spaces. Inspired by this concept, MaryAnn created The Da Camera Society in 1973 to gather chamber musicians and music lovers “in a congenial atmosphere.” Da Camera, which means “of the chamber,” held its first concerts in the Pompeian Room of the Doheny Mansion.

With its emphasis on music education, the Mount was the ideal home for Da Camera. The Department of Music was established with the University’s founding in 1925, boasting almost a century of educational excellence — a tradition enriched by The Da Camera Society.

Soon after its creation, MaryAnn expanded the program beyond Mount Saint Mary’s campus and hosted concerts at various culturally significant sites across Los Angeles — a series called Chamber Music in Historic Sites — delighting music and architecture lovers alike. From emblematic and historical locations like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House to the RMS Queen Mary cruise ship, Da Camera has hosted hundreds of acclaimed musicians and celebrated the city's musical culture.

Now, 50 years after its first concert, Da Camera continues to fulfill its mission of uniting, educating and inspiring music enthusiasts with its intimate chamber music concerts.

“The Da Camera Society was a transformative and disruptive concept, on many levels,” says Julius Reder Carlson, PhD, the current artistic director of Da Camera and a professor of music at Mount Saint Mary’s. “The idea of pairing music with other aesthetic interests, such as architecture, was just brilliant. The organization has continued to evolve within different contexts and periods."

Attesting to this are Emily and Kaitlin Webster-Zuber’24, who are sisters, pianists and music majors at Mount Saint Mary’s. They recorded video performances with Da Camera during the COVID-19 pandemic and performed at live Da Camera concerts. In addition to the fact that Da Camera was founded at Mount Saint Mary’s, they think the nature of the intimate settings keeps Da Camera fresh for younger generations.

“Experiencing music in these smaller, more intimate settings, like a person’s home, makes it more accessible for students, especially when you have the opportunity to talk to the musicians afterward,” says Kaitlin.

“It is wonderful to get to know the audience members that Da Camera brings together — so many people from so many different backgrounds who you wouldn’t meet if you were going to a concert at a larger venue,” adds Emily.

Gaining notoriety

While Da Camera grew within Los Angeles’ local music community, the Society began to gain national attention during the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles, thanks to MaryAnn’s involvement in producing concerts for the event.

Throughout the years, Da Camera has presented internationally acclaimed artists ranging from chamber music ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet and the St. Petersburg String Quartet to early music groups such as the Tallis Scholars and Musica Antiqua Köln, to social justice singer-songwriters such as Odetta and Rhiannon Giddens.

“Having an audience of this small size keeps you from needing a microphone. It is like speaking in someone’s living room — it is beautiful. This intimate setting is a great introduction for people who don’t know classical music. They get to be so close to the musicians and are impressed by their skill and dexterity.”

_{—  Martin Chalifour, violinist, principal concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Da Camera performer}

Just as notable are the striking locations holding the concerts. These venues include the Bradbury Building, the Mount Wilson Observatory and the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. Reviews and previews of these musical and architectural pairings have been featured in publications around the world, including Architectural Digest, the Los Angeles Times and the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

“It is a combination of aspects that make Da Camera appealing: performing in an intimate space with architectural interest, Julius’ depth of knowledge as an artistic director, and also the culture of freedom and flexibility that is here in Los Angeles,” says pianist Marisa Gupta, who has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in leading venues around the world. Her relationship with Da Camera began when Julius invited her to record performances during the pandemic. She has since gone on to perform at live Da Camera events and said Da Camera has become one of her favorite series in which to participate.

Celebrating five decades

Da Camera is celebrating its 50th anniversary season with special concerts, many promoting the Mount’s mission of social justice.

Several of this season's programs have featured women musicians and composers, including Clara Schumann, Amy Beach and Nadia Boulanger.

In June, Da Camera will collaborate with the Thomas Mann House, a German government-affiliated organization located in Pacific Palisades, to produce a concert showcasing the music of Iranian and German-speaking émigré composers. Taking inspiration from Thomas Mann’s literary efforts at combatting fascism, this event will highlight the potential of music as a vehicle for political resistance and social transformation.

Other 50th anniversary season concerts include The Westside Chamber Orchestra at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Trio Céleste at Chamber Music | OC, and a Czech Music Festival at the Doheny Mansion, among others.

Looking toward the next 50 years

The generous support of individuals and organizations, including the Colburn Foundation and the Norris Foundation, has been instrumental in shaping the remarkable 50-year history of The Da Camera Society.

“The Da Camera Society is a beacon of cultural enrichment in Los Angeles. We are honored to contribute to the legacy of artistic excellence and cultural enrichment of Da Camera,“ says Mount alumna Allison Sampson ’01, executive director of the Colburn Foundation.

As Da Camera celebrates its milestone at the Mount, it looks forward to a future of uniting audiences and attracting new enthusiasts.

Da Camera is captivating the interest of new audiences by expanding to younger audiences and making admission to events more affordable. Mount Saint Mary’s students, faculty and staff can attend Da Camera concerts free of charge. Students outside of the Mount can get reduced-price tickets, and Da Camera offers reduced or free admission to other groups, such as music education organizations working with underrepresented communities.

Da Camera’s Advisory Board believes strongly in the power of music to build community. Julius agrees: “Da Camera can encourage diverse sectors of Mount Saint Mary’s and the Los Angeles community to come together, create dialogue, and break artistic bread together.”

This spring, The Da Camera Society continues to celebrate 50 years of music and architecture in Los Angeles with concerts featuring internationally acclaimed artists in sites of historic and cultural significance. For tickets and more information, visit .