North Coast Symphonic Band presents
‘Opporknockity Tunes’ at Liberty Theater
Learn about local winter birds
In Their Footsteps traces changes since
Corps of Discovery observed bird species
Humorous, novelty music set to entertain at Feb. 21 concert
ASTORIA — “Humor and
Whimsy” is the subtitle of the
Sunday, Feb. 21 concert of the
North Coast Symphonic Band
at the Liberty Theater. The
conductor and musicians take
their music seriously but also
think that mid-winter is the
perfect time for a bit of levity
and fun. Conductor and musi-
cal director Dave Becker has
auditioned the musicians for
their best musical jokes and
selected novelty and one-of-a-
kind pieces that will entertain
and leave the audience in a
light-hearted mood.
The Astoria Tuba Quartet
presents its big brass preshow
at 1:30 p.m. followed by the
concert promptly at 2 p.m. fea-
turing vocal soloist ChrisLynn
Taylor from the Astor Street
Opry Company. Doors open at
1:15 p.m.
Formed in the 1970s by
Dennis Hale, the Astoria Tuba
Quartet consists of four fun
guys who enjoy heavy metal
and the music it makes. The
quartet’s lush warm sounds,
blended from tubas and tenor
tubas, surprise most audienc-
es who expect brash, brassy,
bombastic sounds. In contrast,
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prisingly soft mixture of mu-
sical instruments playing jazz,
ballads, Latin and classical
music by familiar composers.
Selections for the after-
noon’s main concert include
Stephen Sondheim’s “Come-
dy Tonight” and Peter Schick-
ele’s “Grand Serenade for
an Awful Lots of Winds and
Percussion” written by P.D.Q.
Bach. San Juan Island com-
poser Alex Shapiro’s “Tight
Squeeze” will be accompa-
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images that inspired the com-
position.
Clarinet soloist Marten
King of Tigard will perform
Adolf Schreiner’s “Immer
Kleiner” or “Always Smaller, ”
a uniquely beautiful piece with
Submitted photo
Vocalist ChrisLynn Taylor will perform with
the North Coast Symphonic Band.
Submitted photo
The North Coast Symphonic Band will perform at the Liberty Theater on Sunday, Feb. 21.
Submitted photo
Clarinet soloist Marten King, of Tigard, will
perform.
Submitted photo
The Astoria Tuba Quartet is made of Dennis Hale, Bob Joiner, Lee Stromquist and Brian
Bergman.
a very surprising outcome.
The North Coast Sym-
phonic Band will perform a
parody of Percy Grainger’s
“Country Gardens” composed
by Grainger himself because
he felt his original work had
received undue attention.
Grainger claimed he thought
of turnips when he performed
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ChrisLynn Taylor will
sing favorite selections from
“Shanghaied in Astoria,”
which have been especially
arranged for her and the North
Coast Symphonic Band by
Dave Robertson of Rockaway
Beach.
Albert Perfect’s “Alkali
Ike Rag” is subtitled “A North
Dakota Misunderstanding,”
and the original composition
was accompaniment for a si-
lent movie in the early 20th
century. The performance also
features a bit of John Philip
Sousa as the band plays “The
Liberty Bell,” the signature
tune for the British TV com-
edy “Monty Python’s Flying
Circus.” All in all, the after-
noon will feature a variety of
interesting and novel musical
entertainment.
Regular admission is $15.
Student tickets for ages 13
to 21 are $7, and children 12
and under are free. Tickets are
available at the Liberty The-
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Commercial from 2 to 5:30
p.m. Wednesday through Sat-
urday, and two hours before
the performance. For more in-
formation, call 503-325-5922
or visit www.liberty-theater.
org
For information on the
North Coast Symphonic Band,
visit
www.northcoastsym-
phonicband.org, Facebook, or
call 503-325-2431.
ASTORIA — Lewis and Clark
National Historical Park’s Fort
Clatsop will hold the next In
Their Footsteps free speaker
series event, “Winter Birding
on the Lower Columbia” pre-
sented by Mike Patterson, at 1
p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21.
Capt. Meriwether Lew-
is, with help from his fellow
Corps of Discovery mem-
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specimens and write detailed
descriptions of western birds
for scientists back east in the
17 United States (and Europe).
Lewis wrote about 51 species
or subspecies of birds that
were new to science. Many
of these descriptions were
completed during his 1805-06
winter at Fort Clatsop.
“Winter Birding on the
Lower Columbia” is an explo-
ration of birds in this area with
thoughts on changes over the
years since the Corps of Dis-
covery’s visit 210 winters ago.
Patterson is an educator,
photographer and ecological
consultant. He works with
state and federal agencies,
Submitted photo
Mike Patterson will present about winter
birding Feb. 21.
land trusts and private citizens
to inventory, interpret and pro-
mote the protection and resto-
ration of natural spaces.
In Their Footsteps is a
monthly Sunday forum spon-
sored by the Lewis & Clark
National Park Association and
the park. The programs are
held in the Netul River Room
of Fort Clatsop’s visitor center
and are free of charge.
For more information, call
the park at 503-861-2471.
Open 7am
Daily!
S E R V I N G B R E A K FA S T,
LUNCH & SUPPER
European Style Coffeehouse by day,
intimate bistro offering neo-regional
cuisine by night.
Regional selection of beers, wines and
vintage cocktails available.
243 11th Street, Astoria, OR 97103
503-325-1787
www.AstoriaCoffeeHouse.com
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February 18, 2016 | coastweekend.com | 11