Sequim Gazette staff

Port Angeles Symphony takes its March 12 concert to the homeland with “Made in the U.S.A.”

Music features American composers: Aaron Copland’s “An Outdoor Overture,” Samuel Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915,” William Schuman’s “New England Triptych: Three Pieces for Orchestra  after William Billings,” and Ferde Grofe’s “The Grand Canyon Suite.”

Children are invited to attend a free 10 a.m. dress rehearsal where Adam Stern, music director/conductor, will provide historical and musical commentary on the pieces. Accompanying families can attend for free as well.

Soprano Natalie Lerch joins the symphony as soloist on Barber’s “Knoxville.” She also has volunteered to hold a master class with the Port Angeles High School choral department on Friday, March 11.

As professor of voice at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Lerch teaches Musical Theatre Workshop, English, Italian, French and German diction for singers and voice lessons for voice and theater majors.  

She’s held several significant roles in productions such as Lady Ella in “Patience,” Miss Pinkerton in “The Old Maid and the Thief,” Casilda in “The Gondoliers,” and Nancy in “Oliver.”

Other professional performances include Spotlight Dinner Theatre, Columbus Light Opera, The Reality Theatre, Opera!Columbus, The Norman Luboff Touring Choir and Divalycious, a soprano quartet.

Lerch has performed “Knoxville: Summer of 1915” with the Ohio University Orchestra. Last March, Lerch presented an evening of opera for solo soprano at Cornish, performing Judith Weir’s “King Harald’s Saga” and Poulenc’s “La Voix Humaine” in collaboration with Daniel Wilson and Stern.

For more information on the concerts, contact the Port Angeles Symphony at 457-5579, pasymphony@olypen.com, or visit www.portangelessymphony.org.