The North Coast Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Conductor Cory Pederson, will present two concerts of Russian classical favorites titled “The Mighty Handful.” The theme is based upon five specific Russian composers (Balakirev, Cui, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Borodin) who, at the time, were considered amateurs, and created a characteristic Russian sound in their music. In their compositions, they tried to incorporate what they heard in village songs, in Cossack and Caucasian dances, in church chants and the tolling of church bells, celebrating the uniqueness of these influences. Each concert will include music from these five nineteenth century composers, whose works have made a lasting contribution to the international culture of classical music.
The programs will also feature performances by the North Oregon Coast’s own Diane Amos, an accomplished pianist who will be prominent in a number of selections such as César Cui’s “Orientale.” Other selections will include: Mily Balakirev’s “Overture on Three Russian Folk Themes,” Modest Mussorgsky’s “Khovanshchina Overture,” Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Dubinushka,” Alexander Borodin’s “In the Steppes of Central Asia,” and more Russian classical standards.
The first concert will take place on Friday, November 15th at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church (36335 N. Hwy 101, Nehalem, OR) beginning at 7 p.m. The second concert will be on Sunday, November 17th at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) (588 16th St. Astoria, OR), beginning at 3 p.m. Admission for the concerts will be: $10 adults, $5 students, and children under 12 (with adult supervision) free. All concerts are very family-friendly.
There will also be an “open rehearsal” on Nov. 12 at 7 pm at the Cannon Beach Community Church (132 E. Washington, Cannon Beach). Admission is free for this event.
The North Coast Chamber Orchestra (the current performing group of the North Oregon Coast Symphony) is an ensemble of dedicated North Coast musicians offering live classical music in an intimate concert setting. The orchestra is actively seeking string players (violin, viola, cello, & upright bass) as well as many brass, woodwind, and percussion players at this time. This includes: oboe, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba and percussive. We invite those who are interested in participating to contact the Conductor, Cory Pederson, at 503-836-2198 or nocscory@gmail.com.
The NOCS board is also seeking energetic individuals who are interested in supporting the continued growth of classical music in the N. Oregon and S. Washington coastal communities. Stepping forth to be a board member will help NOCS further its goals of providing and sustaining opportunities for musicians to play, and audiences to hear, live classical music on the coast, and will help shape the future of the symphony. For information, contact Cory Pederson (contact info above).
For more information about NOCS, and to view the full NOCS 2019/20 concert schedule, please visit the NOCS website at: northoregoncoastsymphony.org. & our Facebook page: North Coast Chamber Orchestra.