It’s in their nature

Newport symphony presents ‘The Land, the Sea and the Birds’

The Newport Symphony Orchestra continues its current season with “The Land, the Sea and the Birds,” a pair of cool, curated concerts at the Newport Performing Arts Center this weekend.

The concert begins its journey through nature with Haydn's Symphony No. 83, "The Hen.” Listen closely and you might hear these barnyard friends in the music.

The trek continues with Einojuhani Rautavaara's “Cantus Arcticus: Concerto for Birds,” a piece that begins with birds from northern Finland and culminates with swans migrating. The composer ingeniously created the illusion that the listener is watching a huge flock of swans approaching.

After a brief intermission, the journey continues with Sara Carina Graef's “Yakona," written for the Newport Symphony Orchestra and commissioned by Bill and JoAnn Barton of the Yakona Nature Preserve and Learning Center.

"In this piece we offer our commitment to holding this sacred place in our hearts,” Graef said, “and to give it a place in the hearts of others.”

The concert concludes with Claude Debussy's wondrous “La Mer.” The sea is truly alive in this piece, where each movement brings a different characteristic of the ocean to life. It begins at dawn before “playing” in the waves and culminates with a conversation between the wind and the sea.

Performances begin at 7:30 pm on Saturday, Jan. 18, and 2 pm on Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Newport Performing Arts Center is located at 777 W Olive Street.

Saturday’s performance includes a pre-concert talk by Conductor Adam Flatt at 6:45 pm. After each concert, guests can mingle with Flatt and orchestra members at a special complimentary “Wine Down” featuring select wines from the Flying Dutchman Winery of Otter Rock plus a delicious array of food items.

Tickets are $16 for students and begin at $45 for adults. For more information, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-2787.