16 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
A ‘CLASSICAL’ GAS
Liberty Theatre launches Classical
Series with acclaimed Finnish pianist;
pro musicians to hold workshops
with high school band students
Ruusamari
Teppo
By JANAE EASLON
FOR COAST WEEKEND
T
he Liberty Theatre is kicking off its long-planned
Classical Series Saturday, Sept. 23. The fi rst per-
formance features the Portland Chamber Orchestra
and returning Finnish pianist Ruusamari Teppo at 4
p.m.
All ages are welcome; admission is $30.
For $60, the Astoria Music and Dining Package
includes the fi rst Classical Series performance, along
with a prix fi xe menu at Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro
and Carruthers Restaurant, followed by the Cascadia
Concert Opera’s “Opera and Tango” show at Clatsop
Community College’s Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m.
“We have a very significant Finnish community
here, so that group of folks will be working to-
gether and happy to come out for this,” Bereniece
Jones-Centeno, the Liberty’s artistic director, said.
Teppo is related to the Finnish composer and
violinist Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), who wrote works
such as “Finlandia” and “Kullervo Symphony,” and
became one of the most well-known composers in
Scandinavia.
Teppo previously performed in Astoria for the
“March Mini-Fest” in 2015.
The Classical Series features vocal and instru-
mental artists — specifically, soloists, orchestral and
chamber music, who will take advantage of different
sections of the Liberty Theatre.
Seeing sparks
The series musicians will hold free workshops with
Astoria High School students participating in band,
choir, orchestra and dance.
Students can prepare music to get feedback from
the artists, whole student music sections can work
with individual pros, or students can learn more about
how to be a professional musician.
“I feel strongly that the Liberty should be one of
the performing arts hubs in the county, and I think the
way to do that is to partner with the school,” Liberty
Theatre Director Jennifer Crockett said.
Students don’t often get to see professional musi-
cians in Clatsop County, she said.
Jones-Centeno said she and Crockett were lucky
to have music education growing up, “so we believe
students should get a similar exposure and allow the
artists to enjoy the process and share it with the next
generation.”
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
CLASSICAL SERIES SCHEDULE
The Portland Chamber Orchestra with
Ruusamari Teppo on Sept. 23, 4 p.m.
The Schubert Ensemble of London on Oct. 4,
7 p.m.
The Tacoma Opera on Nov. 17, 7 p.m.
PROJECT Trio on Jan. 4, 7 p.m.
Song & String Trio on Feb. 4, 3 p.m.
The Bodhi Trio on Feb. 17, 3 p.m.
The Delgani String Quartet on March 16, 7 p.m.
The Oregon Brass Quintet on April 26, 7 p.m.
The Solstice Wind Quintet on May 25, 7 p.m.
Matthew Pierce, the high school choir
director, said his students enjoy the chance for
guests to be in the classroom with them. About
50 of Pierce’s students will work with The
Tacoma Opera before its Nov. 17 performance.
“I have a certain way I look at things and
describe stuff to them, but it is neat to see
them spark when a guest says something, and
they go, ‘Oh, I get it!’ or ‘I never thought
about it that way,’” Pierce said.
Real-world examples
“With music being an aural tradition
where you are always listening to others
and trying to hear what they are doing, it is
valuable to have those real-world examples
for the kids,” Pierce continued. “It is nice
for them to ask questions and not just have
recordings to learn from.”
Students will be surveyed before and after
the workshops, helping the theater gauge the
collaboration’s success.
“Some have asked why we will only work
with Astoria High, but I believe once we
get through this pilot year developing and
keeping things manageable, we can see about
opening up offerings to other schools in the
future,” Jones-Centeno said.
Tickets to the Liberty Theatre’s shows can
be purchased on its website. CW