SEQUIM — The Sequim Community Orchestra is celebrating a decade of providing music to the Peninsula with a performance slated for 2 p.m. Saturday.
The anniversary concert will be in the Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave.
Kicking it off will be a short performance by the String Kids before the Sequim Community Orchestra’s string ensemble takes the stage to share music they’ve worked on this year.
One of the quartet pieces, written for four violins, from fall of 2020 even made it into the program — with a re-arrangement by Music Director Phil Morgan-Ellis to include the viola and cello sections.
“Ten years and a pandemic later, we’re still offering opportunities to amateur musicians to rehearse and perform,” Morgan-Ellis said.
As in previous years, the orchestra’s concert is free to attend; however, the venue limits the size of the audience allowed.
To register, find the event on the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce website, sequimchamber.com, under “Events Calendar.”
“Our concerts are our primary fundraising method, and our generous donors have made it possible to keep the String Kids program going,” said Beth Pratt, past president for the organization and one of the members who joined in the first year.
“From maintaining a selection of loaner instruments to managing a music library, this little program does a lot.”
The Sequim Community Orchestra held its first rehearsal at the James Center at Carrie Blake Community Park on Feb. 21, 2012.
That May, the new group performed its first concert, ending its short first season.
In September 2013, the group launched its String Kids program with the first-ever strings music education option for Sequim students.
“I remember when Lilias Green and Phil Morgan-Ellis held the first meeting to see if there was enough interest for this kind of musical group,” Pratt said. “And the room they reserved for the meeting was packed. I was overjoyed at the thought of making music in an ensemble again.”
The orchestra’s most recent performance was in February 2020, just prior to the pandemic.
In the fall of 2020, the orchestra ensemble joined together in small groups, stringed instruments only, and worked on quartets just for the joy of playing together again.
Students in the String Kids program were able to continue their lessons with teacher Teresa Herman virtually, until they could meet in person.
In the fall of 2021, when the orchestra ensemble would usually begin their season, the entire string ensemble was able to rehearse together again.
For more information or help with the registration system, contact Pratt at director@sequimchamber.com or phone 360-683-6197.
