PORT ANGELES — It’s time to dedicate music to the birds. Or insects. Or flying mammals.
At least that’s what pianist Ken Young hopes to accomplish with his new album.
Young will perform excerpts of his new album, “Dragonfly,” at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 132 E. 13th St., at 7 tonight.
Each of Dragonfly’s 17 tracks is dedicated to what Young calls nature’s “frequent flyers” — be it bird, insect or mammal, he said.
“I thought it’s time someone dedicated a few songs to them, for a change,” Young said.
The recital is expected to last about 75 minutes with no intermission.
Street parking is available if the church parking lot is full.
Admission is free, although voluntary donations of any amount will be accepted.
Proceeds will benefit the Community Dinner fund, used to provide free dinners to underprivileged people every Wednesday evening at St. Matthew’s Church.
Typically, about 60 to 80 underprivileged individuals are served each Wednesday, according to church officials.
Copies of the album “will be available to attendees for a donation of any size to the Community Dinners,” Young said.
The music on “Dragonfly” is all instrumental, and “was recorded with whatever instruments on my digital audio workstation I felt worked best for each song,” Young said.
“A few of the songs are on my recital program.”
Young said he composed the music on “Dragonfly” between 1984 and 2001.
“My interest in composing began while taking one year of music theory classes at Peninsula College [in] 1976 and 1977,” Young said.
“Dr. Marvin Pollard was my music professor. These classes were the cause of my becoming a serious piano player, so that I could learn to perform my own music.”
Young will perform on a 9-foot Steinway Model “D” concert grand piano that was recently relocated from his home to the church.
He purchased it new in 2005 from Sherman and Clay in Seattle, and it is now carefully maintained by Ira Langlois and Sons, he said.
Young said he thinks there can never be too many Steinway pianos in a community, and that many more people can enjoy this one in its current location than before.
Young, 59, of Port Angeles, was raised in Port Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s, and has been playing music since he was 7 years old, he said.
His first teacher was his mother, Rosalyn Young of Sequim.
He continued his music education under the tutelage of Ed Grier, Dave Hargrave, Richard McCoy, Marvin Pollard and James Van Horn, he said.
But eventually he decided to switch career paths and became an engineer for Boeing.
He retired from that job in 2014, moving back to Port Angles to become the organist at St. Matthew’s Church.
For more information about the concert, or to listen to Young’s music, visit www.portangeles pianist.com.
