MCM presents "Cantos de la Vida" guest artist residency

This weekend Mid-Columbia Mastersingers presents concerts and a guest artist residency with composer Paul Basler and poet/painter Gabriel Navar.

Thu April 14
8:00 am: Spanish radio interview with Gabriel Navar - KZHR 92.5 FM
Noon: Basler/Navar presentation at Columbia Center Rotary, Kennewick
1:30: Presentation for CBC Diversity & Outreach at Columbia Basin College

Fri April 15
5:30-7:30am: Navar/Basler on KVEW Good Morning Northwest
Schoolday workshops with students at Ochoa Middle School
Noon: Paul Basler French horn presentation/masterclass at CBC for Jazz Unlimited festival
6:30 pm: Pre-concert lecture
7:00 pm: "Cantos de la Vida" concert and post-concert Q&A, St. Joseph's Church, Kennewick

Sat April 16
6:30 pm: Pre-concert lecture
7:00 pm: "Cantos de la Vida" concert and post-concert Q&A, Sunnyside High School, Sunnyside

Sun April 17
10:15 am: Paul Basler plays at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Richland
1:30 pm: Pre-concert lecture
2:00 pm: "Cantos de la Vida" concert and post-concert Q&A, Christ the King Church, Richland

It's not easy being queen

Tonight Richland Players open "Mary Stuart," Schiller's classical drama - let's support real theatre here in the Tri-Cities! It will run the next three weekends - don't miss it!

Also playing this weekend, Camerata Musica presents the Berlin-based Vogler Quartet with Beethoven and Dvorak pieces and Shostakovich's piano quintet. And of course the Mid-Columbia Symphony will perform Saturday night, with Copland's Outdoor Overture and performances by the winners of the Young Artist competition.

Going sailing...

Richland Light Opera opened Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Gondoliers" this past weekend, and the show continues this coming weekend, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm. Beautiful costumes, great singing, the best pit orchestra in the Tri-Cities - it's a fun show!

And Mid-Columbia Mastersingers are starting rehearsals for Vaughan Williams' "A Sea Symphony" tonight, 6:30pm at Central United Protestant Church in Richland. It's not too late to join them - just email director Justin Raffa at Justin@MidColumbiaMastersingers.org.

Beatles Mania

From Chuck Eaton:

"Run, don't walk to see “The Beatles: A Story of Love”, which opened at Chiawana High School tonight, and will play at 7 p.m., Feb. 24-26, with a matinee at 2 p.m. Feb. 26.

Debi Eng's gift of love to her students is, in my experience, unprecedented and exhilarating. It is further proof, if any is needed, that we are in the midst of a Renaissance of the Arts in the Tri-Cities, and it is alive and well in the not-yet-out-of-school generation.

-Chuck"

Who'd have thought

that some of the best entertainment in the Tri-Cities can be found at the high schools? Last week Hanford High closed "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," with sold-out houses every night - it was an amazing show. And this weekend Chiawana High School opens "Beatles: A Story of Love" and Richland High School opens "Anything Goes." These are not your average high school shows, but are productions that rival any other local shows in quality and talent. Don't miss them!

Best Mastersingers Concert Yet!

This weekend the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers are doing a concert with Barry Bergstrom on saxophone and John Green (all the way from Portland) on organ. It's going to be our best performance yet - the music is beautiful, people will LIKE it, and the singing and playing are great. We have some great folk song settings, including one by Tri-Cities composer (and my voice teacher) Reginald Unterseher. The central piece of the concert is James Whitbourn's "Son of God Mass," which is contemporary, but not in an atonal or weird sort of way. It's lovely, and Barry's saxophone is awesome! We're in Pendleton, Oregon, on Friday night, at St. Joe's in Kennewick on Saturday (7pm) and Hanford High School in Richland on Sunday (3pm).

Almost, Maine

It's not too late to see the current Richland Players production, "Almost, Maine." Charmingly directed by Joyce Bean, the show is a series of vignettes about love. It's funny, touching and sad, and I have no doubt that just about everyone in the Tri-Cities would like this show. The talented cast includes many newcomers to the Players stage, and you will find at least one relationship that seems to have come right out of your own life. The show will be this Friday and Saturday night at 8pm at the Richland Players Theatre.