PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra Chamber Music Series will have its founding concert at the Port Ludlow Community Church at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets are free, but registration is required due to seating limited to 120 people. Reservations can be made at www.myevent.com/PTSOchamberseries. Donations to the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra will be accepted at the door of the church at 9534 Oak Bay Road in Port Ludlow.
A short reception is planned after the concert.
The PTSO Chamber Music Series provides free concerts throughout East Jefferson County, featuring local musicians and PTSO members playing a variety of ensembles, which highlight a mix of styles, forms and periods.
“The Olympic Peninsula is home to dedicated musicians from leading orchestras, in addition to award-winning soloists, recitalists, jazz artists, and chamber musicians,” organizers said. “This concert series features their talents.”
Tigran Arakelyan, conductor and artistic director of the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra, said the chamber music series will perform not only in Port Townsend but throughout East Jefferson County in communities such as Quilcene, Brinnon, Cape George, Coyle and Gardiner.
“This opportunity is especially exciting since we want to welcome all instrumentalists whether they play an orchestral instrument or not,” Arakelyan said.
“This project brings new opportunities for musicians and wonderful concert experiences for our growing audience.”
Artistic directors for the series are pianist Michael Carroll and cellist Pamela Roberts.
“I am excited to have found so much local talent willing to share their music with the community and with such a wide variety of music,” Carroll said. “Having moved from Seattle where music is everywhere, it was a delightful surprise to find so much of it here as well.”
Said Roberts: “We are committed to providing free community-based concerts and to removing barriers so everyone can enjoy the music.”
Featured artists for this first concert are Sung-Ling Hsu on piano and viola, Marina Rosenquist on violin, Guy Smith on lute, Joel Wallgren on clarinet, William Walden on guitar and Mike McLeron on mandolin, as well as Carroll and Roberts.
The program includes:
• Sonata No.1, Op. 38 in E minor for Cello and Piano – Mov. 1 — Allegro non troppo by Johannes Brahms.
• For lute: Elizabethan Popular Tunes (Packington’s Pound, a Scottish tune and Watkins Ale) by Anonymous, Pavin and Galliard by Alfonso Ferrabosco of Bologna and A Jig by Anthony Holborne.
• Duo No. 1 for Viola and Cello, Mov. 4 Bolero and Mov. 5 Finale by Roman Haas.
• For guitar and mandolin duo: Railroad Bill by Colter Wall, Blackberry Blossom — traditional and Black and White Rag — traditional.
• Sonata for Clarinet and Piano 1. Allegro Tristamente 2. Romanza: Tres calme 3. Allegro con Fuoco by Francis Poulenc.
• Elegie et Tango, Op. 4 for clarinet, cello and piano by Seung Ha You.
• Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 120 – Mov. 2 – Andantino by Gabriel Faure.
Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra with Conductor and Artistic Director Tigran Arakelyan. (photo by Pamela Roberts)
