A concerted effort

Willamette University Chamber Orchestra

Six Oregon high school string orchestras are descending upon Newport for three days of live workshops, clinics and concerts during the sixth annual Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival.

Enjoy two public concerts as part of the festival at Newport Middle School this Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20.

High school orchestras from North Salem, Newberg, North Medford, Summit (Bend), Astoria and Brookings-Harbor will be joined by special guest, the Willamette University Chamber Orchestra.

The festival's opening concert on Friday will feature the North Salem, Brookings-Harbor and North Medford orchestras followed by the Willamette University Chamber Orchestra performing among their repertoire the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth.

Saturday night will include performances by the Summit, Astoria and Newberg orchestras. Then the grand finale will feature all six high school orchestra students coming together in a mass performance of “The Odyssey” by Soon Hee Newbold and “The Old Boatman” by Florence Price.

The festival is a unique event for young classical music students from all over Oregon. It came out of a love for classical music and a passion for kids to embrace it in their musical talent and has become one of the most original events in the West, even the entire country. It is endorsed by all seven major Oregon symphony orchestras including the Oregon Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Oregon East Symphony, Rogue Valley Symphony, Corvallis-OSU Symphony, Central Oregon Symphony and the Newport Symphony Orchestra at the Ocean.

Both concerts begin at 7 pm at Newport Middle School gymnasium, located at 825 NE 7th Street. All concerts are free to the public, with donations gratefully accepted.

For more information go to youthsymphonyfestival.org.