Resident-produced documentary to be screened March 18

LW ORCHESTRA

Leisure World Orchestra musicians are the featured subjects in a documentary to be screened March 18 at 2:30 p.m. in Clubhouse 4.

Leisure World resident Luba Lotakov, herself a classically trained pianist, shot and produced the 25-minute documentary detailing the gratification the orchestra’s musicians gain from continuing their musicianship.

The video, “The Power of Music,” interviewed about 15 of the orchestra’s musicians, many of whom started playing their instruments decades ago. One of the documentary’s subjects, Fred Reker, began his string bass lessons as a sixth grader 75 years ago.

Documentary producer Lotakov studied classical piano in her native Ukraine and taught 20 years at a music school for gifted children. She and her husband immigrated to the United States in 1991. The orchestra video is her third documentary.

Luba’s husband, Yuri Lotakov, has been preparing the familiar Edvard Grieg “Piano Concerto in A minor” for the Leisure World Orchestra’s June 7 concert. The ensemble, which has its greatest number of musicians in its 59-year history, has been able to take on more challenging works during its twice-a-week rehearsals.

The videographer will introduce her work and be available for questions and answers after the free showing.

—William Thompson