ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, December 3, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3C
Classical performance features former Bulldogs
Desert Arts Council
2016-17 calendar
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
Described as exceptionally
talented musicians, a pair of
Hermiston High School grad-
uates will take the stage during
the first concert of the Desert
Arts Council 2016-17 season.
Kelly Kuo (piano) and
Ron Blessinger (violin) are
featured during “Evening with
the Classics.” A homecoming
for the duo, the former Bull-
dogs have a surprise for the
show’s encore.
“It was a special community
and it still is,” Blessinger said
about Hermiston. “It’s very
meaningful to be able to play
there. It formed who I am.”
The show is Saturday, Dec.
10 at 7 p.m. in the Hermiston
High School auditorium, 600
S. First St. Advanced tickets
are $20 for adults or $10 for
students. Tickets purchased at
the door are an additional $5.
Also, while in town for the
performance, Kuo and Bless-
inger will return to their alma
mater to teach master classes.
Blessinger, who studied at
the New England Conserva-
tory of Music, is the artistic
director for Third Angle New
Music in Portland and also
performs with the Oregon
Symphony.
The 1983 Hermiston grad-
uate was wildly applauded
while performing as a guest
violinist during a 2004 Oregon
East Symphony performance
in Pendleton.
Kuo, artistic director for
the Oregon Mozart Players
and music director/conductor
of the Butler Opera Center in
Austin, Texas, attended the
Manhattan School of Music.
“Evening with the Classics”
•Saturday, Dec. 10; 7 p.m.
•Hermiston High School, 600
S. First St.
$20/adults,
$10/students.
Features Hermiston High School
graduates Ron Blessinger and
Kelly Kuo.
Dancing with the
Hermiston Stars
•Saturday, Jan. 14; 7 p.m.
•Hermiston High School, 600
S. First St., Hermiston.
$20/adults, $10/students. The
Utah Ballroom Dance Company
will jive, salsa and shake things
up with a new lineup of communi-
ty stars, who will waltz away with
money for local charities.
“The Princess and the Pea”
•Saturday, Feb. 25; 7 p.m.
•Hermiston Conference Cen-
ter, 415 S. Highway 395
$15/adults, $5/student. Mis-
soula Children’s Theatre featuring
area youths. Details about sig-
nups will be released after the first
of the year.
Restless Vocal Band
Contributed photo
Contributed photo
Ron Blessinger, a 1983 Hermiston High School graduate, will
perform Dec. 10 during “Evening with the Classics,” the open-
ing concert for the 2016-17 Desert Arts Council season.
Kelly Kuo, a 1990 Hermiston High School grad-
uate, will perform Dec. 10 during “Evening with
the Classics.”
A 1990 Hermiston graduate,
Kuo also spent time as a free-
lance conductor, crisscrossing
the United States, including
stints with Opera International
as music director at the Music
Center at Strathmore Hall, near
Washington, D.C.
While Blessinger and
Kuo are connected in several
ways — Blessinger’s mom
was Kuo’s first piano teacher
and Blessinger, himself,
instructed Kuo on violin —
they have never taken the
stage together. Blessinger is
looking forward to playing
with his former student.
“Kelly has really made
a career for himself as a
conductor,”
Blessinger
said. “He’s had tremendous
success.”
Both men have expressed
appreciation for their parents’
support in fostering their
interest in music. While in high
school, Blessinger’s parents
transported him to Pullman,
Washington, for lessons. The
Kuos traveled to Portland for
their son’s individual lessons.
Kuo said he and his brother
often would start practicing
inside the van during the
trips — Kelly on clarinet and
Calvin on trombone.
“This is so above and
beyond the call of duty,” Kuo
said in a 2010 East Oregonian
BRIEFLY
Holiday Cheer
features Oregon
authors
PORTLAND — More than
seven dozen Oregon authors
— including Jane Kirkpatrick
and Rebecca Waggoner — are
featured in the annual holiday
book sale and signing at the
Oregon Historical Society.
The public is invited to
mingle with authors during
Holiday Cheer. The event is
Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at
1200 S.W. Park Ave., Portland.
The festive event helps people
get into the spirit of the festive
season with hot cocoa, books
available for sale and holiday
tunes by The Dickens Carolers.
There is no admission charge.
For more information,
contact 503-222-1741,
orhist@ohs.org or visit www.
ohs.org, which includes a
list of available books and
descriptions.
Wyden secures
historic maps for
interpretive center
BAKER CITY — An 1846
book of historic pioneer maps
from the Library of Congress
is headed to the Oregon Trail
Interpretive Center in Baker City.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
secured the 170-year-old
book, which features the
topographical map of the
Oregon Trail from Missouri to
Oregon. It will be presented to
Sarah LeCompte, interpretive
center manager, Friday, Dec.
9 at 11 a.m. by Kathleen
Cathey, the senator’s field
representative.
“As the son of a librarian,
I am always gratified when a
significant piece of history finds
its proper home,” Wyden said.
“That’s why I am so pleased
to play a part in bringing this
book of maps to Baker City
where it can be appreciated for
generations to come.”
The Senate ordered the
creation of the seven-section
map in 1846 from the
field notes and journal of
frontiersman John C. Fremont
along with the sketches and
notes of his assistant, Charles
Preuss. The map includes
temperature readings, altitude,
and weather patterns for each
day of the journey, as well as
extensive notes describing the
terrain, flora and fauna, and
the American Indian tribes
encountered.
The interpretive center is
located at 22267 Highway 86,
Baker City — to get there,
take Exit 302 off Interstate 84.
During the winter, the center
is open Thursday through
Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit
www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail or
call 541-523-1843.
interview. “It’s almost ridicu-
lous how dedicated they were
... they encouraged us to excel
at whatever we were doing.”
Desert Arts board member
Mary Corp is excited about the
32nd season, which includes
music, dance and theater.
Responding to community
feedback, there’s a mix of new
activities, as well as bringing
back a few favorites.
“This season is sure to be
another sparking success,”
Corp said.
The
always
popular
Dancing with Hermiston
Stars returns for a fifth year.
The Utah Ballroom Dance
Company, along with a new
lineup of community stars,
will jive, salsa and shake
things up while raising money
for local charities. The show is
Saturday, Jan. 7.
Recruiting cast members
from local communities, the
Missoula Children’s Theatre
will present “The Princess
and the Pea.” Details about
signups will be released after
the first of the year for the
Saturday, Feb. 25 production.
The Restless Vocal Band
will finish the performance
lineup season, playing popular
and powerful a cappella music
from numerous decades and
genres, including Bill Withers,
Bruno Mars, The Temptations
•Saturday, April 15; 7 p.m.
•Hermiston High School, 600
S. First St., Hermiston.
$20/adults, $10/students. Pop-
ular and powerful a cappella group
performs music from numerous
decades and genres.
Eastern Oregon Arts Festival
•May 12-13
•Downtown Hermiston
Details to be announced in
January.
*Tickets to all performances
are an additional $5 if purchased
at the door.
and Taylor Swift. The concert
is Saturday, April 15.
The Eastern Oregon Arts
Festival is the second weekend
in May. Additional details will
be available in January.
Individual and season
tickets are available at the
Hermiston Chamber of
Commerce, Hermiston Parks
& Recreation and www.deser-
tartscouncil.com.
WHAT TO DO
Festivals
Pendleton Festival
of Trees
•Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-2
p.m.; Family Day
•Pendleton Convention Cen-
ter, 1601 Westgate
www.sahpendleton.org
Free. Includes tree viewing,
games, activities and live enter-
tainment.
Hermiston Festival
of Trees
•Saturday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m.;
dinner, gala event
•Sunday, Dec. 4, noon; Fam-
ily Day
•Hermiston
Conference
Center, 415 S. Highway 395
www.facebook.com/hermis-
tonfestivaloftrees
$35/dinner. Features din-
ner, tree viewing and live/silent
auction. If tickets are sold out,
people may attend the auction
free of charge. Family Day is $5
suggested donation per family,
includes tree viewing, games,
activities and live entertainment.
Holiday Barrel Tasting
•Dec. 2-4
•Various wineries in Mil-
ton-Freewater, Walla Walla region
www.wallawallawine.com
Free/some events, fee/for
others. Wineries and tasting
rooms celebrate the holiday
season in unique ways with tast-
ings, music, food, live entertain-
ment and more.
Old Fashioned
Holiday Stroll
•Saturday, Dec. 10; 3-7 p.m.
•Downtown Pendleton
Free. Celebrate the holiday
season while admiring winter
window displays and drinking
free hot cocoa. Holiday car-
ols performed by local musical
groups. Also, specials and dis-
counts at many local shops and
venues.
Art & Museums
First Saturday Spin-In
•Saturday, Dec. 3; 1-4 p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
Free. Fiber enthusiasts can
drop-in and bring a project to
work on. Coffee, tea and work
space provided.
Art of the Gift
•Tuesday-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4
p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
www.pendletonarts.org
Free. Unique holiday gift
shopping of more than 35 art-
ists. Also, in the gallery are gor-
geous antique American stained
glass windows from the collec-
tion of Frank Duff. Handcrafted
furniture by Bruce Gianotti and
Jeff Blackwood also on display
and available for sale. Runs
through Dec. 31.
“Deadly Medicine: Creat-
ing the Master Race”
•Monday - Saturdays, 10
a.m. to 5 p.m.
•Tamástslikt Cultural Insti-
tute, near Wildhorse Resort &
Casino.
www.tamastslikt.org
$10/adults, $9/senior cit-
izens, $6/youths, free/5 and
under or $25/family of four. Fea-
tures a traveling exhibit from the
United States Holocaust Memo-
rial Museum, which examines
how Nazi leadership used sci-
ence to help legitimize perse-
cution, murder and, ultimately,
genocide. Runs through Jan. 7.
Jean Ann Mitchell & Ariel
Anderson
•Saturdays/Sundays; noon-
5 p.m.
•Arts Portal Gallery, 508 N.
Main St., Milton-Freewater
Free. Exhibit features Mitch-
ell (watercolors) and Anderson
(mixed media).
Donations accepted
Hermiston Senior Center.
Fishtrap Fireside
•Sunday, Dec. 4; 1-4 p.m.
•Echo Ridge Cellars, 551 N.
Thielsen St., Echo
Free. Enjoy chocolate sam-
ples, wine tasting and meet the
chocolatiers from Alexander’s
Chocolaterie & Vino Bistro.
Wine & Chocolate Pairing
•Friday, Dec. 9; 7 p.m.
•400 E. Grant St., Enterprise
www.fishtrap.org
Free. Hear new works by
local authors. Featured writers
are Lisa Hollingsworth, Barrie
Qualle and Danny Weaver. An
open mic follows for audience to
share their stories.
Whiskey Wednesday
Game Night
•Wednesdays; 3-7 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
No cover. Xbox 360, Ninten-
do Wii, PlayStation 3 and Nin-
tendo 64.
“Drunk Strange Waters”
•Monday-Fridays,
noon-4
p.m.
•Nightingale Gallery, Eastern
Oregon University, La Grande
www.eou.edu/art/nightin-
gale-gallery
Free. John Michael Byrd’s
solo exhibit’s title is derived from
Biblical passage II Kings 19:24.
Images inspired from a Bible
coloring book the artist had as a
child and recently rediscovered.
Runs through Dec. 6.
Digital Karaoke
•Thursdays and Fridays, 8
p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
Mac’s Trivia Night
•Thursdays, 8 p.m. No cover
•Mac’s Bar & Grill, 1400
S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton
21 and older. East. Drink.
Think. Teams of 2-8 compete in
trivia contest with other teams.
Live host and prizes.
“Borderline”
•Monday-Thursdays, 9:30
a.m.-1:30 p.m.
•Betty Feves Memorial Gal-
lery, BMCC, 2411 N.W. Carden
Ave., Pendleton.
Free. In conjunction with a
mental health awareness cam-
paign on campus, Michigan art-
ist Jill Miller work examines an
autobiographical understanding
of depression through a series
of figurative paintings. Gallery
also open by appointment by
calling 541-278-5952. Runs
through Dec. 8.
“Celebrate Family”
•Monday-Saturdays,
10
a.m.-5 p.m.
•Crossroads Carnegie Art
Center, 2020 Auburn St., Baker
City
www.crossroads-arts.org
Free. Features the Bingham
family artists Pam Bingham (pot-
tery), Greg Johnson (woodwork-
ing), Seth Bingham (metal art)
and Amanda Jakobson (sign
maker). Much of the artwork is
for sale. Runs through Dec. 31.
Paul Hoelscher
•Tuesday-Sundays, 10 a.m.-
6 p.m.
•Peterson’s Gallery, 1925
Main St., Baker City
www.petersonsgallery.net
Free. Features the charcoal
and ink artwork of Paul Hoe-
lscher. Runs through Dec. 31.
Music
Oldies Night in Mil-
ton-Freewater
•Saturday, Dec. 3; 7 p.m.
•Wesley Methodist Church,
816 S. Main St., Milton-Free-
water.
Free. BJ the DJ spins tunes
from 1981. Snacks available
from The Frogs.
Shanks Pony
•Saturday, Dec. 3; 8 p.m. No
cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
Williams & Ree
•Thursday, Dec. 8; 7 p.m.
•Rivers Event Center, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission.
www.wildhorseresort.com
$29 premium seats (with free
barbecue gift), $19 general ad-
mission. Better known as “The
Indian and the White Guy,” the
musical-comedy team of Bruce
Williams and Terry Ree present
their popular politically incorrect
show. 21-and-older.
The Nightmare Before
Christmas
•Friday, Dec. 9; 5:30 p.m.
•Main Street Studios, 207 W.
Main St., Walla Walla
www.monumentalshows.
com
for
Wine tasting
•Fridays, 4-8 p.m.
•Sno Road Winery, 111 W.
Main St., Echo.
Open Mic
Contributed
“A Christmas Story: The Musical” is being staged
though the holiday season at the Elgin Opera House.
Elgin Opera House stages
holiday favorite
ELGIN — ‘Tis the season — the Elgin Opera House
has just the performance to get you into the holiday spirit.
“A Christmas Story: The Musical” is based on one
of the most popular Christmas movies of all time. Set in
the 1940s, the story follows Ralphie Parker and his quest
for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts — an Official Red
Ryder carbine-action 200-shot Range Model air rifle.
The 9-year-old plots numerous schemes to achieve his
desperate desire for the coveted BB gun.
The performance will be staged Fridays and Saturdays
(through Dec. 23) at 7:30 p.m. and matinée shows are
Saturdays (through Dec. 24) at 2:30 p.m. Tickets range
from $8 to $17. Reservations are highly recommended as
some shows have already sold out.
For more information, call 541-663-6324 or visit
www.elginoperahouse.com.
$10. All-ages show features
Seeker, Hollow Earth, The Drip,
Narrow Minded, Fail Yourself
and more.
Guy Johnson Band
•Friday, Dec. 9; Saturday,
Dec. 10; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
An Evening with the
Classics
•Saturday, Dec. 10; 7 p.m.
•Hermiston High School au-
ditorium, 600 S. First St.
www.desertartscouncil.com
$20 adults, $10 youths ($5
additional at the door). Desert
Arts Council presents Hermis-
ton’s own Kelly Kuo (piano) and
Ron Blessinger (violin) will per-
form classical music.
Holiday Music Festival
•Sunday, Dec. 11; 3:15 p.m.
•Vert Auditorium, 480 S.W.
Dorion Ave., Pendleton
www.oregoneastsymphony.
org
$20 adults, $15 students,
seniors, $45 family. Presented
by the Oregon East Symphony,
a holiday celebration featuring a
variety of community groups in-
cluding Sisters in Song and The
Pendleton Big Band.
Sunny Ledfurd
•Saturday, Dec. 17; 9:30
p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
https://thepheasant.tick-
etleap.com
$25. An evening of music
with Sunny Ledfurd and Cory
Peterson.
Night life
NFR Watch Party
•Saturday, Dec. 3; 7 p.m. No
cover.
•Mac’s Bar & Grill, 1400
S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton
21 and older. Watch NFR on
TV, listen to live country/classic
rock band featuring five Portland
firefighters.
DJ music
•Saturdays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Saturdays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
Charity Pool Tournament
•Saturday, Dec. 10; noon-9
p.m.
•Midway Tavern, 1750 N.
First St., Hermiston
•First/third Friday each
month, 8 p.m.-midnight
•The Packard Tavern, 118
S.E. Court Ave., Pendleton
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Fridays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
DJ and dancing
•Fridays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
Cimmi’s Late Night Mar-
tini Lounge
•Fridays; 9 p.m.-midnight
•Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s, 137
S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. Features martinis,
mixology and music.
Theater, stage &
film
Journey to Bethlehem
•Dec. 2-4; 5-8:30 p.m.
•Hermiston Seventh-day Ad-
ventist Church, 855 W. Highland
Ave.
Free. Experience life in a
Bethlehem village with live ac-
tors and animals. Features the
sights, sounds and smells of
Biblical times.
“Nutcracker”
•Dec. 9-10; 7 p.m.
•Dec. 10-11; 2 p.m.
•Richland High School, 930
Long Ave.
www.midcolumbiaballet.org
$27 adults, $13 children,
$18 students & seniors. The hol-
iday classic is presented by the
Mid-Columbia Ballet. Tickets for
shows, which typically sell-out,
go on sale Nov. 1.
Hot tickets
•Trans-Siberian Orchestra:
The Ghosts of Christmas Eve:
Dec. 30, Moda Center, Portland;
Dec. 31, Key Arena, Seattle. $41-
$76 via www.ticketmaster.com
•Dancing with the Hermis-
ton Stars: Jan. 14. $20/adults,
$10/students ($5 more at the
door) via www.desertartscouncil.
com
———
Want to get your event
listed in our calendar? Send
information to tmalgesini@eas-
toregonian.com, or c/o Tammy
Malgesini, 333 E. Main Street,
Hermiston, OR, 97838.