A great place to play
Break out the beach chairs or spread out a blanket and enjoy a musical afternoon next to Devils Lake as the Siletz Bay Music Festival presents a free, family-friendly concert at Lincoln City’s Regatta Park this Saturday, Sept. 2.
Featured in the program is composer Gwyneth Walker’s exuberant “The Race,” a contemporary re-imagining of the age-old fable of the Hare and the Tortoise, re-told as the play-by-play of a road race, with narration in both English and Spanish. A trumpet will represent the sounds of the hare, the tuba will represent the tortoise and other brass instruments will suggest additional characters in the musical pageant.
The virtuoso quintet will include trumpeters James Smock and Jamie Waroff, horn player Mike Hettwer, trombonist Ron Babcock and tuba player Mark Vehrencamp. Veteran actor Sue Parks-Hilden will provide the English-language narration. Narration will also be provided in Spanish thanks to longtime festival supporter Ken Sund. The brass quintet will open the program with a performance of composer Fisher Tull’s lively “Exhibition for Brass.”
Currently living in Vermont, master composer Walker has frequently based her music on literary work. Among her more than 400 compositions are musical settings for the poetry of e.e. cummings, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson and Alice Walker. Her music is notable for its accessibility.
“I'm always conscious of the audience," she said. "They want to hear music that's new, and I want to give them something they can appreciate and enjoy."
The concert will mark the Siletz Bay Music Festival’s first event at the Regatta Bandshell and will be presented in partnership with Driftwood Public Library and the Lincoln City Department of Parks and Recreation.
“We were thrilled when the festival reached out to us to host a concert at one of our most beloved parks,” said Parks and Recreation Director Jeanne Sprague. “It’s a perfect location right on Devils Lake with a very spacious seating area. And the bandshell’s Morgan Family Stage is a great space for performers.”
The concert begins at 2:30 pm. For more information, go to siletzbaymusic.org.