The Vivona sisters — Grace Vivona Yelland and Christine Vivona open the year for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church’s Music Live with Lunch with a flute and harp concert at noon, Tuesday, Jan. 17.
Yelland, a local pediatrician, and Vivona, an award-winning harpist from Tucson, Ariz., feature an array of pieces such as “Andantino from Concerto For Flute and Harp” by W.A.Mozart, “Irlandaise from Suite For Flute and Jazz Piano” by Claude Bolling and “Haru no Umi” by Josef Molnar.
Yelland started playing flute at age 7 and at New York University minored in music. Later she took up music more frequently in 1996 in Omak, playing with the Okanogan Valley Orchestra and Chorus, first on flute and later on oboe. After moving to Sequim in 2010, she joined the Sequim City Band and the Sequim Community Orchestra.
Her whole family is quite musical and she said the concert is dedicated to the memory of their parents “who fostered the love of music and the importance of family. Playing duets with my dad on violin, then my sister on harp, in combinations of every conceivable genre and instruments with my brothers, my in-laws and nephews has been incredibly enriching. Mom beaming with pride from the audience was the icing on the cake.”
Vivona received her Master of Music degree from The Julliard School and a Doctorate in Harp Performance from the University of Arizona. She serves as principal harp for True Concord and plays harp II with the Tucson Symphony. Vivona is in demand as a recording artist both as a soloist and accompanist and frequently performs both solo and ensemble classical and jazz programs for concert series, symphonies and varied venues throughout Arizona and the Southwest.
She has performed with many celebrities ranging from Ray Charles to Johnny Mathis to Tricia Yearwood. The sisters thank Darlene and Chuck Whitney for the use of their harp for the show.
Music Live with Lunch was founded by Lou and Bill Yandell more than 25 years ago at the church as a musical outreach to the community. Following the 30-minute show, lunch of Asian chicken with rice and stir-fry vegetables and a chocolate dessert are served. Vivona may play the harp during the lunch, too. Concerts run the third Tuesday of each month through May. Tickets cost $12 in advance or at the door. The church office, 525 N. Fifth Ave., opens from 9 a.m.-noon Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 683-4862.
