Sergey Rakitchenkov, Dimitry Olevsky, Veronica Bell, and Louise Thomas
in concert
PROGRAM includes compositions by J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven,
G. Rossini, F. Mendelssohn, C. Debussy.
Sunday, December 6, 2026 | 5:00 PM
First Congregational Church of Los Angeles
Shatto Chapel
540 S Commonwealth Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90020
FREE PARKING
TICKETS:
General Admission $55
Students: $10 (Cash at the door. Student ID required)
FCCLA Members: $25 (Enter Here)
Sergey Rakitchenkov, viola
Sergey Rakitchenkov is an internationally acclaimed violist and educator whose distinguished career spans several decades and continents. Born in Moscow, he demonstrated exceptional musical talent from an early age and attended the Central School for Musically Gifted Children, a premier institution dedicated to nurturing the next generation of classical musicians. He continued his studies at the renowned Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music, graduating with honors under the mentorship of the legendary Fyodor Druzhinin, a pivotal figure in the world of viola performance.
Mr. Rakitchenkov began his professional career with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, one of Russia's most celebrated musical institutions. Over the course of fifteen years, his remarkable artistry and leadership were recognized as he rose to the position of Principal Violist. His achievements were further underscored in 1980 when he won the prestigious All-Union Musical Competition, affirming his status among the elite musicians of his generation.
In 1987, following his immigration to the United States with his wife, Olga, and daughter, Lisa, Mr. Rakitchenkov quickly established himself in the American musical community. He joined the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, where he was appointed Associate Principal Viola, a role in which he contributed to numerous acclaimed productions and collaborated with world-renowned conductors and soloists. His expertise and passion for music have also made him a sought-after teacher and mentor, inspiring students and colleagues alike.
Now retired from his full-time orchestral role, Mr. Rakitchenkov continues to share his artistry as a soloist at distinguished events throughout the Bay Area, the US, and Europe. His enduring commitment to excellence, both on stage and in the classroom, has left an indelible mark on the international music community.
Veronica Bell, soprano
Russian-born American soprano Veronica Bell has gained international acclaim for her beautiful tone and uniquely charismatic, personal style. Her every live performance and studio recording, including the recent classical crossover album Midnight Affairs, reflects her passionate and, at times, unconventional take on classical music.
Veronica has given countless concerts in the United States, Russia, Italy, France, Poland, Germany, Spain, Austria, Guatemala, and Thailand, where Her Majesty Queen Sirikit personally invited her to perform at the Royal Palace in Bangkok.
She has collaborated as a soloist with the Moscow State Symphony, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Capella Cracoviensis, Mimoda Jazzo, and the musical theater Wandering Stars, among others. Currently, she is engaged with the Los Angeles-based Windsong Players Chamber Ensemble, performing a wide range of music from the Baroque to the modern period.
Veronica won the Hollywood Music in Media Awards for her cross-gender operatic album Les Frissons D'Amour, which included arias for both male and female voices. She received a Silver Medal from the Global Music Awards for the same album. Ms. Bell also won the Clouzine International vocal competition and the Belgrade International Music Competition.
Ms. Bell has performed and recorded music by composers Maximilian Simončič (Slovakia), Ron Caviani (Italy), JJ Hollingsworth (USA), Arkady Serper (Russia), Ruben Aghiyan (Armenia/USA), and Carol Worthey (USA). Veronica's collaboration with Norwegian composer and guitarist Gisle Krogseth resulted in a concert tour in Italy, followed by a recording of Mr. Krogseth's song cycle, The Mountain Songs, which premiered with great success on Norwegian National Radio.
Veronica's classical-crossover album Midnight Affairs and a recent Holiday album, Into the Wonderland, are currently being aired on over fifty radio stations in the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Ms. Bell is currently working on two new albums and multiple concert programs. In addition, she maintains a full private vocal studio. Her next European tours are scheduled for the fall of 2027 and 2028.
Dimitry Olevsky, violin
Violinist Dr. Dimitry Olevsky holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from UC Santa Barbara under the tutelage of the renowned violinist Yuval Yaron. During his studies, Dimitry was the first violinist of the Young Artists String Quartet in residence, a Concerto Competition winner, and concertmaster of the UCSB Symphony.
The Master of Music degree was awarded from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York under the guidance of Professor Grigory Kalinovsky. It was during his studies at MSM that Dimitry pursued research in Sports Psychology, focusing on triggers for performance anxiety and stage fright, as well as methods to better control the physical and psychological symptoms that negatively impact performance.
Dimitry completed his Bachelor of Music with Linda Rose, the prominent Professor Emeritus of Violin at California State University, Long Beach, who was his primary teacher for over 10 years.
By incorporating his research into lessons, Dimitry’s methods help develop and enhance muscular and mental control, accuracy, precision, discipline, mental awareness, and overall coordination in violin performance. As a result of Dimitry’s approach, his students have won title positions in the Colburn Chamber and Los Angeles Youth Orchestras, Idyllwild Music Festival, Interlochen Music Festival, Palisades High School Symphony, Grand Prizes in the International Music Competition of Young Performers ‘Colibri’, Concerto Competitions by the Committee of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Idyllwild School Auditions. His students have also had the privilege of performing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and participating in orchestral tours of Prague, Vienna, and Italy.
In addition to solo and chamber recitals, Dimitry performs with symphonic and operatic orchestras in Los Angeles, as well as performance tours in Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Amman, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Italy, England, Wales, Scotland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and France.
Currently, Dimitry maintains a private studio and holds faculty positions at the Colburn School, the Beverly Hills International Music Festival, the Interharmony International Music Festival, and The Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences. Working with students is an opportunity to share knowledge and experience while incorporating principles from the continually evolving science of Sports Psychology, with particular emphasis on social, mental, and artistic performance, as well as general psychological benefits and human enrichment.
Dimitry plays on a 1889 Riccardo Antoniazzi violin.
Louise Thomas, piano
Louise Thomas was born in Ireland and completed undergraduate musicology studies at Trinity College, Dublin. She received a German Government scholarship to continue piano performance studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover, Germany, where she received a Konzertdiplom (Soloklasse).
Dr. Thomas won second prize at the Ibla-Ragusa competition in Sicily, where she was awarded the Béla Bartók Prize. She also won the concerto competition at the University of Southern California and performed with Maestro Sergiu Comissiona. Dr. Thomas received her doctorate in piano performance from USC in 1999, where she studied with Prof. John Perry and the Director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts, Dr. Alan Smith.
A dynamic collaborative pianist, Louise Thomas has made recordings in Germany as part of the chamber music festival, Schwetzinger Festspielen; at the Banff Center for the Arts in Canada with the Irish Contemporary Music group, Nua Nós, and has appeared on numerous live radio broadcasts for Irish Radio, BBC Radio Northern Ireland, Moscow radio, K-USC and K-MZT in Los Angeles. She has also played live and recorded for RTÉ (Irish National Television) and the nationally distributed Ovation Arts Channel in Los Angeles. Her recordings are available on digital streaming platforms and on the Centaur and Albany labels.
Louise Thomas concertizes with violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn, who performs on the legendary “Red Mendelssohn” Stradivarius, and appeared regularly on the acclaimed Jacaranda Series in Los Angeles. During the summer of 2019, she participated in a large-scale project that recorded 50 newly composed art songs in the Irish language. This is now available to a global audience on the Irish Contemporary Music Centre’s website: www.cmc.ie/AmhrainEalaineGhaeilge
Louise Thomas has been invited onto the faculty of several summer programs: she was the vocal coach at the “La Fabbrica” summer program in Tuscany, and from 2003-2009, she was the Festival pianist and vocal/instrumental coach at the Idyllwild Arts Summer Academy in California. In the summer of 2011, she joined the faculty at the Luzerne International Music Festival in upstate New York and returned as Chair of the Piano program in 2012.
Dr. Thomas joined Chapman University in 2001 as Director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts. She was appointed Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Performing Arts in 2014 and promoted to Full Professor in 2015. In 2024, she became Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success. Most recently, in Fall 2026, she assumed the role of Director of Artistic Planning at Chamber Music|OC in Lake Forest, California.
Find out more at www.louisethomas.com
