Close to 100 musicians — from Sequim, Port Townsend, Port Angeles and Seattle — will present the annual Holiday Favorites & Classics Concert on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Port Angeles High School Performing Arts Center, 304 E. Park Ave.
Guest soloist Steve Schermer, a double-bassist with the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra in Seattle, is one of the musicians originally from Clallam County; the other is violinist James Garlick, who’s coming from his home in St. Paul, Minn., to play Bottesini’s Grand Duo with Schermer. Port Townsend oboist Anne Krabill and singers Sarah Moran and Gregory Lewis will also join the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for the event.
The public is invited to the dress rehearsal at 10 a.m., when conductor and music director Jonathan Pasternack and choral director Joy Lingerfelt guide the ensemble in their final run-through. Then comes the evening concert at 7:30, with Pasternack’s brief pre-concert chat at 6:40 p.m.
Pasternack says he looks forward most to the variety of music in this concert: from Sibelius’ “Finlandia,” the opening piece, to “A Musicological 12 Days of Christmas” and Strauss’ “Thunder and Lightning” polka. The program also has Bach’s “Wachet aur ruft uns die Stimme,” “Gabriel’s Oboe” by Ennio Morricone, Mannheim Steamroller’s “Silent Night,” Prokofiev’s Troika from the Lt. Kije Suite and Corelli’s Christmas Concerto.
As is traditional, the orchestra and chorus will lead the audience in a carol sing-along, with lyrics provided in the printed concert programs.
“It’s wonderful to work with these great soloists and with the chorus again,” said Pasternack, adding that the 35 singers on stage will inspire the audience. The sing-along arrangement by John Finnegan is an excellent one, he said; Finnegan “weaves the songs together really nicely, and craftily.”
Admission to the 10 a.m. rehearsal is $7 at the door; tickets to the evening concert range from $15 to $35 at brownpapertickets.com, Port Book and News in downtown Port Angeles and at the door. At both rehearsal and concert, youngsters 16 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.
For more information, call the Port Angeles Symphony office at 360-457-5579, visit port angelessymphony.org or email PASymphony@olypen.com.
