Violinist Kristin Smith, cellist Diane Vaux and harpist Janeen Kelm, seen here, will take the spotlight during a special performance Saturday evening by the Port Townsend Community Orchestra. (Port Townsend Community Orchestra)

Violinist Kristin Smith, cellist Diane Vaux and harpist Janeen Kelm, seen here, will take the spotlight during a special performance Saturday evening by the Port Townsend Community Orchestra. (Port Townsend Community Orchestra)

Musical trio to take the spotlight Saturday in Chimacum

CHIMACUM — Violinist Kristin Smith, cellist Diane Vaux and harpist Janeen Kelm will take the spotlight during a special performance Saturday evening by the Port Townsend Community Orchestra.

The orchestra will explore Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake Suite” during the intimate performance, which begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Chimacum High School Auditorium, 91 West Valley Road, in Chimacum.

A pre-concert talk will be presented at 6:45 p.m. by Holly Kaufman, PTCO conductor and artistic director.

The concert is free and open to the public, although donations will be accepted.

“’Swan Lake’ was Tchaikovsky’s first ballet and it was not received well,” said Jay Bakst of the Port Townsend Community Orchestra.

“In order to save this music from oblivion, he planned to extract music from the ballet into a concert suite.

“Over the next few decades, the ballet was revived and became more and more popular.

“The Suite was not published until after his death.”

There are eight movements in the Suite including “Dance of the little swans,” “Dance of the swans,” “Hungarian dance,” “Neapolitan dance,” “Valse” and “Mazurka.”

Smith, Vaux and Kelm will perform as soloists during the suite.

Musical fixture

Smith has been a fixture of music in Jefferson County for more than 35 years, according to a news release.

A former member of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, she is a music teacher at the Swan school and is involved in the Pi music program in Chimacum and the OCEAN program.

Vaux has lived in Jefferson County for 15 years, and began playing cello at age 11, according to the release.

She plays chamber as well as orchestral music and also dabbles on piano and viola da gamba.

Kelm is a Seattle native who began playing harp at age 10, according to the release.

She moved to the Olympic Peninsula and played with the Port Angeles Symphony for many years.

She joined the Port Townsend Community Orchestra four years ago.

The orchestra will round out the concert with an arrangement of Dmitri Shostakovich’s “United Nations March” by the orchestra’s Karl Bach.

The orchestra also will perform the “Festive Sounds of Chanukah,” arranged by Bill Holcome, a traditional Christmas Carol singalong and “White Christmas.”

The Port Townsend Community Orchestra’s 2016-2017 season is dedicated to the memory of Dewey Ehling, beloved conductor and artistic director for more than two decades.

Ehling was an icon of the North Olympic Peninsula music community who passed away this past summer after an extended illness.

________

Features Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at cmcdaniel@ peninsuladailynews.com.

More in Entertainment

Cast members, from left, Stephen Browning, Christie Lang, Glenn Gilbert, Jim Gormly and Kelly McNees rehearse for the Port Ludlow Players’ production of “”Its a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.”
Ludlow Village Players to stage radio play

The Ludlow Village Players will stage a production of… Continue reading

Studio Bob to host drink and draw event

Studio Bob will host Drink and Draw at 7… Continue reading

Saltfire Theatre to stage ‘An Empty Plate’ in Port Townsend

Saltfire Theatre will stage its sixth production, “An Empty… Continue reading

Deborah Anne Harrison of Deborah Anne Harrison Designs will open her studio to the public this weekend during the third Strait from the Artists Studio Tour.
Strait from the Artists Tour set this weekend

The third Strait from the Artists Tour will be open from 10… Continue reading

Kyle Bartholick-LeMaire (Sweeney Todd) and Angela Poynter (Mrs. Lovett) join the company for “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” at a rehearsal for “Sweeney Todd.” The show runs through Saturday at Sequim High School. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Ghostlight to stage ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Sequim High

Musical dark comedy runs Thursday through Saturday at auditorium

Sequim Arts Commission opens submissions for high school contest

The Sequim Arts Commission is accepting submissions for its sixth… Continue reading

Sheryl Goldsberry’s “Painted Mountains” is part of the exhibit Landscapes Real or Imagined on display at the Bay Club during November and December.
Port Ludlow Art League exhibit open through December

The Port Ludlow Art League will exhibit “Landscapes Real… Continue reading

Tickets on sale Monday for Festival of Trees events

Tickets will go on sale Monday for the Festival… Continue reading

Cellist Marlene Moore and pianist Don Mischel will perform Sunday at a fundraiser for Monday Musicale.
Monday Musicale to host fundraising concert on Sunday

Todd Ortloff will emcee the 57th Monday Musicale concert… Continue reading

Monthly art walks highlight Peninsula weekend events

Art walks, a stage production and a symphony performance highlight weekend events… Continue reading

“Space Cowboy” by Sue Stanton.
Oil paintings, ceramic art featured at First Saturday Art Walk

Gallery-9 and the Port Townsend Gallery will be among… Continue reading

Feriante to perform at Studio Bob

Andre Feriante will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday. Feriante,… Continue reading