7
SOUND CHECK
WHAT’S PLAYING AROUND
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
OCTOBER 27�NOVEMBER 3, 2021
Oregon East
Symphony returns
with a bang
Theme for the Nov. 7 concert
is ‘Blow It Up, Start Again’
Oregon East Symphony/Contributed image
The Oregon East Symphony returns to the stage Nov. 7 in Pendleton.
By Jennifer Colton
Go! Magazine
P
ENDLETON — Oregon East
Symphony is returning with
a bang.
The 2021-22 concert sea-
son launches Sunday, Nov. 7
with “Blow It Up, Start Again,” a
concert Executive Director J.D.
Kindle describes as “explo-
sive.”
“People should be prepared
to be blown away,” he said.
“The title work for this concert
is just really exciting. Jonathan
Newman is a contemporary
composer from Chicago who
is doing a lot of interesting
things. Explosive is the best
way to describe it.”
Continuing the explosive
theme, the titular work, by
Newman, is inspired by Guy
Fawkes and the failed Gunpow-
der Plot to blow up the English
Parliament, and the concert
will debut just two days after
Guy Fawkes Day. “Blow It Up,
Start Again” also marks the
first live performance of the full
symphony since the COVID-19
pandemic began, and the con-
cert will feature a larger-than-
usual ensemble as more than
60 musicians take the stage,
including woodwinds, a harp
and a large percussion section.
Four youth players will also
join the symphony as part of
the “Raising the Bar” program.
Kindle said the four are highly
talented and it is exciting to
give them the performance op-
portunity.
In addition to “Blow It Up,
Start Again,” the concert
will feature Paul Hindemith’s
“Symphonic Metamorphosis,”
Richard Strauss’ “Der Rosenka-
valier Suite,” and Carl Maria von
Weber’s “Overture” and “March”
from “Turandot.”
“Blow It Up, Start Again” will
also test a new feature for the
Oregon East Symphony: free
seating.
Through the support of the
Pendleton Foundation Trust, free
concert passes are available
from multiple businesses and or-
ganizations in Pendleton. Those
passes will be used for free
admission — fi rst-come, fi rst-
served — at the concert. Kindle
said the model has worked well
for the Central Oregon Sympho-
ny, and they hope it will have a
similar eff ect in Eastern Oregon.
Face coverings are required
for all audience members.
“The past couple of years
have been alienating and
divisive for everybody,” Kindle
said. “Bringing people together
in the same room and expe-
riencing something together,
I think there’s a real unifying
element that concerts bring.
We’re looking forward to being
a little part of the glue that
makes this community stick
together.”
“Blow It Up, Start Again!” be-
gins at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7,
at the Vert Auditorium, 470 SW
Dorion Ave. in Pendleton. Find
more information and a list of
complimentary ticket locations
at oregoneastsymphony.org.
SATURDAY
OCTOBER 30
3-5:30
3-5:30 PM
PM
We thank these Chamber Members
for their continued support
First Christian
Church
www.VisitUnionCounty.org
“We thought it would be re-
ally fun to try this concept, and
we hope this will bring new au-
dience members into the Vert,”
he said, adding some people
may have been hesitant to pur-
chase tickets in case they did
not enjoy the type of music.
“This is a perfect opportu-
nity to find out if this is some-
thing you might like,” he said.
In addition to the free
general seating, balcony and
reserved floor seats are avail-
able for purchase online or
by contacting the Symphony
office. Reserved seats are $25
for adults, $20 for seniors, $15
for students or $65 for a family
(two adults and children of the
same household).
At Heritage
Station Museum
IN PENDLETON
ENTER
THROUGH
THE GATE
BY THE
CABOOSE
www.HeritageStationMuseum.org
O