Tacoma Weekly highlights Classical Tuesdays

Join us Tuesday, November 9th, as Classical Tuesdays presents an evening of strings!

The Tacoma Weekly has a nice feature on our concert. One correction to the article: November's concert will be at the Slavonian Hall.

Held on the second Tuesday of each month from October to February, the informal concert series seeks to engage listeners in a dialogue with musicians while creating a strong sense of community. ...

The series kicked off on Oct. 12 with a concert by world-renowned Native American flutist Gary Stroutsos, and returns again on Nov. 9 in a performance by a string quartet comprised of violinists Maria Sampen and Jennifer Caine, violist Timothy Christie and cellist Sally Singer.

Sampen and Christie are both faculty members at University of Puget Sound, while Caine and Singer are members of the faculty at Icicle Creek Music Center in Leavenworth. The four will be performing “Leyendas: an Andean Walkabout” by Gabriela Frank, a contemporary American composer. Several movements and vignettes will reflect Frank’s Peruvian heritage and travels.

See the concert announcement for more details.

Tuesday, Nov 9th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Classical Tuesdays a top News Tribune pick!

Classical Tuesdays' next concert on Tuesday, November 9th is a News Tribune Critic's Pick!

The Classical Tuesdays in Old Town series this month features a UPS faculty-based string quartet playing Gabriela Frank’s “Legends,” a composition reflecting her heritage and travels.

See the concert announcement for more details.

Tuesday, Nov 9th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

An Andean Walkabout, November 9

Join us on Tuesday, November 9, for "Leyendas: an Andean Walkabout"! Classical Tuesdays is delighted to present this string quartet by contemporary American composer Gabriela Lena Frank.

Born in Berkeley, California, to a mother of mixed Peruvian/Chinese ancestry and a father of Lithuanian/Jewish descent, Frank explores her multicultural heritage through her compositions. She has traveled throughout South America and her pieces reflect her studies of Latin-American folklore, incorporating poetry, mythology, and native musical styles into a western classical framework that is uniquely her own.

The composer describes this six-movement suite as drawing

"inspiration from the idea [that] cultures can coexist without the subjugation of one by the other. As such, this piece mixes elements from the western classical and Andean folk music traditions."

Our performers are Maria Sampen and Jennifer Caine, violinists...

... and Sally Singer, cellist, and Tim Christie on viola.

Tuesday, Nov 9th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

October's Native Flutes: standing room only!

Thanks, everyone, for a fantastic start to Classical Tuesdays' 6th season!

Slavonian Hall was packed for Gary Stroutsos playing flutes of the Lakota, the Hopi and the Zuni. Gary told stories about learning the songs of these great tribal nations, and played melodies evoking sounds of nature.

Many thanks to Dayton Knipher for capturing the evening in these terrific photos.

Also check out this short video of Gary performing in Slavonian Hall, thanks to Carol Abed:



What an exciting start to our season. Be sure to download a copy of the season poster to hang on your fridge! Our next concert will be November 9th.

The Volcano's top pick: Gary Stroutsos, tonight at 7pm!

Tonight's Classical Tuesdays concert is the Weekly Volcano's #1 pick!

5 Things To Do Today: Where it comes and where it goes
October 12, 2010

1. Classical Tuesdays in Old Town presents a free concert tonight of Native American Flute performed by Gary Stroutsos, whose music was showcased in the Ken Burns PBS documentary, Lewis and Clark: Journey of the Corps of Discovery. Stroutsos will perform at 7 p.m. inside the Slavonian Hall in Tacoma.

News Tribune pick: Gary Stroutsos on Oct 12th

The News Tribune highlights Classical Tuesdays' first concert of the 2010-2011 season!

Native American flute at first Old Town Tuesdays concert
By Rosemary Ponnekanti
October 4, 2010

The Classical Tuesdays in Old Town concert series is a little-known gem: free midweek concerts in Tacoma’s Old Town that feature unusual local musicians and music. The season opener next Tuesday night is Gary Stroutsos on Native American flutes.

Stroutsos, a Greek-Italian American, has collaborated with some of the finest Native artists around, including Navajo flute maker Paul Thompson, and has played and retold traditional stories on ancient and modern flutes for 30 years. His music was showcased in the score for Ken Burns’ PBS documentary “Lewis and Clark: Journey of the Corps of Discovery,” and at a subsequent command performance at the White House for President Bill Clinton. He has released over 20 recordings.

Stroutsos plays at Classical Tuesdays 7 p.m. Oct. 12. Free. Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma. 253-752-2135, classicaltuesdays.blogspot.com

www.garystroutsos.com

Gary Stroutsos on Native American Flute, October 12th

On October 12th, Classical Tuesdays is delighted to present Gary Stroutsos.

Gary's music was showcased in the Ken Burns PBS documentary “Lewis and Clark: Journey of the Corps of Discovery”, which led to a command performance at the White House for President Bill Clinton.

A Greek-Italian American, Gary has made a distinctive contribution to the preservation of American Indian music and culture. He plays with some of the finest American Indian artists working today, including collaborating with Navajo flute maker Paul Thompson. Gary's body of work expresses the enduring legacy of the American Indian flute and its recent revitalization in today’s society.

Gary has released over 20 recordings in a lengthy career. He says, "Listening to cultural elders tell stories, discovering a world of ancient and modern flutes and then retelling the stories and playing the flutes for audiences in concerts and classrooms has been my life for the past thirty years."

Tuesday, Oct 12th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Sixth Season Starts in October!

October 12th kicks off our sixth season of Classical Tuesdays in Old Town! We'll feature four widely varied free concerts and our annual benefit concert:

October 12
Gary Stroutsos: The Enduring Legacy of the Native American Flute

• Gary’s music was showcased in the Ken Burns PBS feature “Lewis and Clark: Journey of the Corps of Discovery”

November 9
“Legends” for String Quartet

• Gabriela Frank’s quartet reflects her heritage and her travels

December 14
Romantic Arias
Annual Benefit Concert & Wine Reception

• Alexandra Picard, soprano; Charles Robert Stephens, baritone
  at John Connelly Law Offices
  $25 admission

January 11, 2011
Tacoma Youth Symphony Chamber Ensembles

• Introduced by TYS Conductor Dale Johnson
  

February 8 Extended Instruments/Expanded Listening

• Amplified ensemble of flute, marimba and electric guitar

As always, a big Thank You! to the Slavonian-American Benevolent Society for the use of their beautiful hall in Old Town. Concerts start at 7pm the second Tuesday of each month. All but the benefit concert are at Slavonian Hall, 2306 N 30th St, in Old Town Tacoma. Info: 253-752-2135, http://classicaltuesdays.blogspot.com. And of course, admission is free! Remember:

• Print this page!
• Watch for the poster at local businesses!
• Check this space!
• Mark the concert dates now!
• Check the News Tribune Calendar!

Miho & Diego in the Tacoma Weekly

Join us tomorrow, February 9th, at 7pm for the last Classical Tuesdays concert of the season!

The Tacoma Weekly describes our performers, the Miho and Diego Duo:

Miho & Diego Duo has been boldly blending Latin and Japanese musical traditions since 2006. Both accomplished musicians in their own right, Miho Takekawa and Diego Coy came together after years of admiring each other’s work and discovering that their sounds could be combined to make something genuinely new and unique.

Takekawa is a percussion lecturer at Pacific Lutheran University where she directs percussion and steel pan ensembles. She is also a doctoral candidate in percussion performance at the University of Washington, and is the Japan Tour Coordinator and Activities Liaison for the University of Washington School of Music.

Coy is from Santiago de Cali, Colombia. He is the former musical director of “Fundacion Viva La Musica” and “Fundacion Funmusica” in Cali, Colombia where he taught Colombian folk music and mastered the quena and the zampoña, and learned to hand make his own instruments....

For their Classical Tuesdays concert, besides performing their unique Japanese-South American duo selections, each performer will solo on his/her own instrument.

Tuesday, Feb 9th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Join us February 9th !

The final concert of the current season will feature Miho Takekawa and Diego Coy. To hear them is to love them and their music! They boldly blend Latin and Japanese musical traditions to make something genuinely new and unique. The Miho & Diego Duo has performed widely in Japan and the United States.

Miho is percussion lecturer at Pacific Lutheran University where she directs percussion and steel pan ensembles. She is also a doctoral candidate in percussion performance at the University of Washington, and is the Japan Tour Coordinator and Activities Liaison for the University of Washington School Of Music.

Diego Coy is from Santiago de Cali, Colombia. He is the former musical director of “Fundacion Viva La Musica” and “Fundacion Funmusica” in Cali, Colombia where he taught Colombian folk music and mastered the quena and the zampoña, and learned to handmake his own instruments.

Tuesday, Feb 9th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Tacoma Composers & Performers Made for a Great Evening!

Thank you to everyone involved in Tuesday's concert! The composers and the performers did Tacoma proud.

And thank you to the incredible crowd who came to listen! We so enjoyed sharing the evening with all of you, and the icing on the cake was all the great conversation between musicians and audience.

The next Classical Tuesdays event is February 9th. We'll keep you posted!

And, Yes!, Tacoma Arts Commission has renewed their financial support for Classical Tuesdays in Old Town for the coming season (our 6th!, and their 6th year of support!)

Our thanks to everyone, the many businesses in Old Town and TAC and our generous audience, for supporting chamber music in Old Town.

Happy New Year!

News Tribune calls us a hidden gem

Rosemary Ponnekanti at The News Tribune gives a great description of the very "Tacoma" nature of tonight's concert:

this Tuesday, you can hear local composers played by local musicians in a classical music series that's one of Tacoma's hidden gems: Classical Tuesdays in Old Town.

Completely free, this monthly series often features unusual instruments or music, and this coming Tuesday is no exception. Music from five Tacoma composers will be on the program....

Tacoma has some great composers, and they don't often get a look-in on bigger programs. Thanks to the Old Town series, they're getting the attention they deserve.

So come out to Old Town tonight and help us celebrate Tacoma's composers! We think you'll appreciate both their variety and their Northwesterliness. And of course we'll have some top-notch Tacoma musicians on stage!

More concert details are here.

When and where:

Tuesday, January 12th, 7pm. FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Celebrate Tacoma composers Jan 12th!

Happy 2010! Let's celebrate Tacoma music!

Join us for a free concert January 12 at 7pm at our usual venue, the lovely Slavonian Hall. We'll feature chamber music by Tacoma composers, performed by several of Tacoma's finest musicians.

North End resident Deborah Anderson has written a quartet for four clarinets.

Clarinetist Cindy Renander will perform a solo piece for bass clarinet, Lone Wolf by Greg Youtz.

Lawrence Bradley will perform a clarinet solo by Lawrence Ebert.

Clarinetist Craig Rine will join flutist Pamela Ryker and marimba player Miho Takekawa in Trio by Rob Hutchinson.

Saxophonist Tracy Knoop will join percussionists Miho and Brian Yarkosky in a duo by Clem Reid.

Another couple of pieces will round out the celebration of Tacoma composers and Tacoma musicians.

• Download a flyer (PDF)

Tuesday, Jan 12th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Thanks for a festive Wine & Tango

Thanks to all of you, Tuesday’s Wine & Tango benefit was a great success! Every seat was filled and it was a festive evening.

Bertram Levy's Tangoheart Quartet played wonderfully. Their tango was sultry, at times melancholic, and entirely out of the ordinary.

We love the Connelly Law Offices’ beautiful space, with the lights reflecting off the marble and woodwork. It felt like an Old Town living room bedecked for the holidays!

This was truly a community event. The beautiful centerpiece on the reception table was donated by Ambrosia Florist. Martha Scoville set up a lovely reception, with the help of Chris Reynolds (who also, along with Laura Williamson, baked beautiful sweets), Kate Butler and Helen Amsbary. Nicki Tollefson donated tasty empanadas (Argentine pasties) made by Pampeana Empanadas. Kathy Manke, owner of The Spar, contributed the excellent Argentine wines. Todd and Jake brought the chairs over from Slavonian Hall; John Trueman washed and delivered wine glasses; and Jack Connelly prepared the space for our set-up. And it was all videotaped by Bea Geller. (Check out the video of last year's "Opera in Old Town" on YouTube.)

Thank you to everyone for an evening of great music, excellent wines and foods, and warm community! See you at the January and February Classical Tuesdays in Old Town concerts.

The Volcano tells us to Tango on Tuesday

Ron Swarner at The Volcano has come up with the perfect antidote to rush hour and road rage: tonight's Classical Tuesdays benefit concert featuring Tangoheart!

Traffic congestion in Old Town Tacoma after quitting time is no fun — especially when a train is added. Instead of the road rage you're bound to encounter, wouldn't you rather just tango? The folks behind Classical Tuesdays in Old Town are betting you would, which are why they're hosting the TangoHeart Quartet as the main attraction for their benefit concert Tuesday. Led by Bertram Levy, the quartet dedicates their lives to performing the music of Astor Piazzolla and the classic orchestrations of the golden age of tango.

The Volcano also mentions a few of the local masterminds behind the event:

The reception for Tuesday’s concert will showcase Old Town gems. The Spar and Cafe Divino are donating the wines. Proprietress Nancy Oltman of Pampeana will provide the empanadas. The coffee will be donated by Old Town Starbucks.

More details on the event:

December 8th at 7pm
Connelly Law Offices, 2301 N. 30th St., Old Town Tacoma.

Tickets are $25 each, available at the door (if we don't sell out) and also for sale now at

• Bayview Optical (2217 N. 30th St.)
  
• The Spar coffee shop (2121 N. 30th St.)

It's going to be a lovely evening. See you there!

The Weekly calls our benefit rousing, tasty, and convivial

The Tacoma Weekly gives a perfect description of tomorrow's tango-themed benefit concert:

a full evening of rousing music, tasty treats and convivial conversation for just $25 a ticket.

For the "rousing music" part, we're delighted to present Tangoheart. Artistic director Bertram Levy is an excellent raconteur, and the group has a distinctive tango sound:

As artistic director of Tangoheart Quartet and a regular visitor to Argentina, Levy has spent more than a decade collecting and transcribing the classic orchestrations of tango....

An accomplished bandoneon player, which gives tango music its unique sound, Levy is one of the few musicians outside of Argentina to add this traditional accordion-type instrument to his tango musical ensemble. Levy and the Tangoheart players present not the stylized, overly dramatic caricature of tango seen in Hollywood films, but rather the elaborate and sophisticated conversation between two dancers that is the real tango... an art form with a history similar to that of American jazz.

When and where:

December 8th at 7pm
Connelly Law Offices, 2301 N. 30th St., Old Town Tacoma.

Tickets are $25 each, available now at

• Bayview Optical (2217 N. 30th St.)
  
• The Spar coffee shop (2121 N. 30th St.)

News Tribune says Old Town is the place to Tango

Next Tuesday's Argentine tango benefit concert is a News Tribune Critic's Pick:

Old Town Tango

This year’s Classical Tuesdays in Old Town Series benefit concert features the TangoHeart quartet, with wine and empanadas reception. 7 p.m. Dec. 8. $25.
 Connelly Law Offices, 2301 N. 30th St., Tacoma. Tickets from Bayview Optical (2217 N. 30th St.) and The Spar (2121 No. 30th St.)

Posted By Rosemary Ponnekanti on December 4, 2009

More on the event here.

Tickets for the Benefit Concert

Tickets for the December 8 "Wine & Tango" benefit are available now at two Old Town locations!

Stop in at Bayview Optical or at the coffee shop at The Spar. Both shops are located on 30th Street. Tickets at $25 each are your passport to a lovely evening of Argentine tango, wine and empanadas.

Once again this year, the benefit will be held in the Connelly Law Office's handsome wood and marble premises at 2301 N. 30th St.

We can't wait for Bertram Levy and his Tangoheart Quartet to guide us through the history of tango!

• Download a flyer (PDF)

November 10: Shostakovich Quartet No. 8

Join us Tuesday, November 10, for Inner Revelations: A Performance and Conversation on Dmitri Shostakovich's deeply personal String Quartet No. 8, Opus 110, composed in 1960.

Violinist Maria Sampen and violist Timothy Christie are joined by cellist Kevin Krentz and violinist Linnea Johansen to discuss and perform this masterful string quartet by one of the 20th Century's greatest composers.

Often in disgrace under the Stalin regime for his "bourgeois decadence" and Western influence, Shostakovich's works are marked by strong emotion, wit and parody. This event, 7pm in Slavonian Hall, is not one to miss!

• Download concert flyer (PDF)

December Benefit: Wine and Tango

Tango! This year's Classical Tuesdays benefit concert features the Tangoheart Quartet. A lovely wine and empanadas reception will follow.

December 8th at 7pm, at the handsomely refurbished Connelly Law Offices, 2301 N. 30th St., in Old Town Tacoma.

• Download a flyer (PDF)

Tickets are $25 each, available now at

• Bayview Optical (2217 N. 30th St.)
  
• The Spar (2121 N. 30th St.)

Check back for details on our November 10th concert at Slavonian Hall!

The Spew highlights our next world music event

The Weekly Volcano's Spew says Tuesday's Persian concert is the place to be:

5 Things To Do: Tuesday

1. The Kamand Ensemble performs classical Persian music with lute and percussion instruments to kick off the free Classical Tuesdays in Old Town series at 7 p.m. inside the Old Slavonian Hall.

by Michael Swan, October 13, 2009

Details on the concert are here.

Tacoma Weekly says Tuesdays are for Old Town

Have you read your Tacoma Weekly? Classical Tuesdays leads the Tacoma Scene section with a nice piece on the October 13th opening of this year's concert series.

Tuesdays are for Old Town
Fifth season of Classical Tuesdays in Old Town welcomes world music, local talent, community pride

By Matt Nagle, Tacoma Weekly

We really appreciate that the Weekly gets what we're all about. The article touches on our fabulous performers:

Already known to audiences at the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle, Kamand Ensemble... studied with the great masters of traditional Persian music and state that they “dedicate every performance to increasing multicultural awareness and building relationships of respect and appreciation within the community.”

Our love of both the local and the exotic...

bringing together Tacoma musicians, mixed with a few surprises to keep things fresh each season.

And our community, which provides...

the important social aspect of the concert series that people seem to enjoy so much. Musicians mingle with the audience, audience members reunite and meet newcomers and everyone gets to enjoy a bit of informal Old Town hospitality.

See you on Tuesday!

Kamand performance a Critic's Pick

Next Tuesday's Persian music concert is a News Tribune Critic's Pick:

Classical Oldtown goes Persian

Classical Persian music from lute and percussion instruments kicks off the Classical Tuesdays in Old Town series of free concerts on Tuesday. 7 p.m. Oct. 13. Free. Old Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma. 253-752-2135, classicaltuesdays.blogspot.com

Posted By Rosemary Ponnekanti

Concert details are here.

Persian ensemble opens for us October 13th

Classical Persian music opens Classical Tuesdays' fifth season of free chamber music concerts in Old Town Tacoma!

The ensemble Kamand, with musicians Ahmad, Milad and Ali, will perform traditional music of Iran. The concert features the barbat and setar instruments, from the lute family, and the tonbak and daf percussion instruments. Join us to celebrate the diversity and beauty of our community's music.

Tuesday, Oct 13th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Announcing our 2009-2010 Season!

October 13th kicks off our fifth season of Classical Tuesdays in Old Town! We'll feature four widely varied free concerts and our annual benefit concert:

October 13, 2009
Classical and traditional Persian music by the Kamand Ensemble.

November 10, 2009
We welcome back violinists Maria Sampen and Timothy Christie.

December 8, 2009
Our annual wine & music benefit concert at the Connelly Law Offices, featuring the music of Tango!

January 12, 2010
We celebrate Tacoma composers in works for small ensembles.

February 9, 2010
Masses of harps!

A big Thank You! to the Slavonian-American Benevolent Society for the use of their beautiful hall in Old Town.

Concerts start at 7pm the second Tuesday of the month. All but the benefit concert are at Slavonian Hall, 2306 N 30th St, in Old Town Tacoma. Info: 253-752-2135, http://classicaltuesdays.blogspot.com

Remember:

• Print this page!
  
• Print our season poster! (be sure to choose "Scale to page")
  
• Watch for the poster at local businesses!
  
• Check this space!
  
• Mark the concert dates now!
  
• Check the News Tribune Calendar!

We hope to see you soon.

New video of Wine & Song 2008: Opera in Old Town

As we plan our fifth season of Classical Tuesdays in Old Town, we'd like to share a video of last winter's benefit concert. In this clip you'll see and hear Charles Robert Stephens, Gino Lucchetti, and Tanya Stambuk in a lovely performance December 9th, 2008, at the beautiful Connelly Law Offices.



Many thanks to Jim Robbins for producing the video, and thanks once again to the many supporters of Classical Tuesdays. Check back soon for our season announcement and details of our October concert.

Stadium Brass on February 10th: Students & their teachers in concert

Tuesday, February 10th, will be the final concert of the Classical Tuesdays 2008-2009 season!

Tuesday's concert will showcase brass students and their teachers. Our featured students are the Stadium High School Brass Ensembles, including the Trombone Choir, Horn Choir, Tuba Duet, and Brass Quintet, all directed by David Mulkins.

• Download concert flyer (8½ x 11", PDF)

The Stadium Brass will be joined by the Brass Unlimited quartet, pictured at right. You may recall Brass Unlimited from our series in 2007 or even from our first season. Members David Mulkins, Karl Ronning, Keith Gorsuch, and Eric Stevens are all beloved music-educators in the Tacoma public schools.

On the program are composers such as Prokofiev, Sparke, and Copland - you'll hear marches, dances, fanfares & more. Please join us for our final concert of the season!

Tuesday, Feb 10th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Weekly Volcano spews on tonight's concert

The Weekly Volcano spewed all over tonight's (January 13th) concert. In a good way, that is.

From today's Spew column:

Pollywogs, Pachelbel and Preludes. Such is the tongue-in-cheek title for a concert to be given tonight by the Just Sax Quartet — four Gig Harbor-based saxophonists whose classical repertoire is punctuated and syncopated by the inclusion of jazz and pop arrangements. Offering this alliterative program: Pam Ryker, artistic director for the series, “Classical Tuesdays,” at Slavonian Hall, in Tacoma.

Debussy's Children's Corner Suite contains the famous “Golliwog’s Cakewalk,” which appears on the program as “Pollywog’s Lake Talk.” Among other whimsies: a swinging “Sorcerer's Apprentice”; the always dependable Pachelbel's “Canon;” the equally dependable jazz powerhouse, Lennie Niehaus’ “Fugue”; and an upbeat encore piece, the very Joplinesque (Scott, not Janice) “Ragtime Suite.” That's merely part of their program. Leader Julie Allison plays soprano and alto; Stacia Rink, alto; Sheryl Clark, who transcribes much of the material, tenor; and Catherine Kostelecky-Roe, baritone. Just Sax was born in 1988 as “Three Chicks and a Chicklet.” (The latter didn’t gum things up — she was simply the shortest.) They’re all educators; one is a chemistry professor; they all play in the Tacoma Concert Band. How can you resist them … or the free admission?

[Slavonian Hall, 7 p.m., no cover, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma, 253.752.2135]

Thank, Volcano! And really, there's no need to resist.

The concert flyer is here.

The News Tribune picks our sax concert

Next Tuesday's Saxes Galore concert is going to be something unusual - and the News Tribune thinks so too.

Critic's Picks this week: Friday, January 9th, 2009

It’s Just Sax in Old Town

Sax-ophones, that is. The local all-female sax quartet Just Sax plays Pachelbel, Preludes and Pollywogs in a free concert, part of the Classical Tuesdays in Old Town series. 7 p.m. Jan. 13. Free. Slavonic Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma. 253-752-2135, classicaltuesdays.blogspot.com

Posted by Rosemary Ponnekanti

Clearly the critics know good sax when they hear it.

Concert details are here.

Saxes Galore! January 13, 2009

Celebrate the New Year with the Just Sax Quartet!

• Download concert flyer (8½ x 11", PDF)

This all-female ensemble of saxophonists will perform a program of Pachelbel, Preludes and Pollywogs.

On soprano, alto, tenor and baritone sax are Julie Allison, Stacia Rink, Sheryl Clark and Catherine Kostelecky-Roe. These women teach in the Gig Harbor and Puyallup school districts, and they all four perform with the Tacoma Concert Band. Four saxes makes for a not-so-ordinary program of chamber music. Bravo to Just Sax for sharing these original works and arrangements with us.

Tuesday, Jan 13th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Info: (253) 752-2135

Thanks to all for a festive time and a successful benefit!

Thank you, everyone, for making Classical Tuesdays in Old Town's 2008 benefit concert both successful, and very fun. The evening of Wine & Song, held at John Connelly Law Offices, was well-attended, and the romantic songs and arias swept us around the world, and some of us off our feet!

Charles Robert Stephens, Gino Lucchetti and Tanya Stambuk performed wonderfully. And the beautiful and tasty table of sweets and savories, hosted by North End neighborhood members Chris Reynolds and Nicki Tollefson, made for a lovely reception. Excellent wines, donated by the McGavick Winery (headquartered in Old Town) were enjoyed by all.

Thanks to Old Town Starbucks, we had an urn of coffee. Trueman Appraisal staff helped print out the programs and Jim Robbins documented the event. And, a big Thank You to Eileen, Martha and Kate for helping with the reception, to Karen for greeting our guests, for John, Matt, Michael, LeiLani, Spencer, Vicki and Dave for moving chairs (Thank You to John Petrinovich and Slavonian Hall for the chairs!), and to Jack Connelly for the use of his magnificent building.

We truly appreciate the incredible support that this series receives. This benefit was a community effort and it was enjoyed by all.

We look forward to two more free concerts in the series: Saxes Galore on January 13 and Stadium Brass on February 10, 2009.

Wine & Song in The News Tribune

Today's News Tribune has a lovely feature on our December 9th "Wine & Song" benefit concert. Check out the Go Arts section - there's a great photo of baritone Charles Robert Stephens at his Fox Island home.

Wine and Song in Old Town
Craig Sailor, The News Tribune
Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Some talented local performers will be at this month's Classical Tuesdays in Old Town.

Baritone Charles Robert Stephens, Tenor Gino Lucchetti and Tanya Stambuk on piano will perform at the 7 p.m. concert on Dec. 9.

Stambuk is a terrific local pianist, UPS professor and national performer. Stephens is a wonderful opera singer who gave up New York to live on Fox Island. This should be a great recital, and this concert series is well worth supporting.

We completely agree! The talent is something special and it's going to be a lovely event. See the concert details here.

Wine and Song: a festive benefit concert December 9

This year's Wine & Song event is coming up Tuesday December 9th! This concert will benefit the Classical Tuesdays in Old Town chamber music series. Join us for a lively evening of wine, treats and mingling.

At 7pm, lyric tenor Gino Lucchetti and baritone Charles Robert Stephens will beguile us with Italian arias (from Tosca and Turandot!) and a set of romantic songs, with Tanya Stambuk on piano.

• Concert flyer (8½ x 11", PDF)

Thanks again to Jack Connelly, we will be at the Connelly Law Offices, 2301 N. 30th Street, Old Town Tacoma. (It's the old Grazie building, beautifully refurbished with fireplaces, woodwork and marbling.)

Price of admission is $28.
Purchase tickets by calling 253-752-2135, or at door.

Treat yourself or gift a friend, a relative, a colleague!

7 PM Tuesday, December 9th, 2008
2301 N. 30th Street, Old Town Tacoma, across the street from Slavonian Hall

(Don't forget: We will have two more concerts January 13th and February 10th!)

Classical Tuesdays on TV Tacoma

Did you catch us on Channel 12 on Thursday? The Classical Tuesdays series was featured on the November 6th edition of CityLine, hosted by Carol Mitchell.

Carol talked with Pamela Ryker, Maria Sampen and Timothy Christie about Classical Tuesdays, Old Town, the University of Puget Sound music program, and... well, you should watch the show. Maria and Tim finished the program with a short performance.

The full program is online at the City of Tacoma website, or you can catch a replay on Channel 12.

We had a great time doing the show. Many thanks to Carol and TV Tacoma!

Don't forget: Maria and Tim will perform for Classical Tuesdays' next concert, Tuesday November 11th.

A Resonance of Strings, 11/11

Next Tuesday's concert features our beloved string players Maria Sampen on violin and Timothy Christie on viola. We're also delighted to present another returning musician, cellist Sally Singer from the Icicle Creek Festival in Leavenworth.

• Download the flyer (8.5 x 11")

The program is all string trios--by Ernst Dohnányi (the 20th Century composer known as the "last of the Romantics"), by Franz Joseph Haydn ("Papa Haydn" of the 18th Century), and by Northwest composer Forrest Pierce (21st Century!)

Old Town Starbucks will again provide warm beverages for our coffee break. This promises to be a wonderful neighborhood gathering and all are welcome!

Tuesday, Nov 11th, 7 pm, FREE.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St.
Info: (253) 752-2135

Tacoma Weekly features our season

The Tacoma Weekly's Matt Nagle has written a great feature on our fourth season.

Here are a few quotes on the friendly atmosphere we so cherish in our series.

"The point is to draw audiences to the Old Town district on quiet nights and also to develop a sense of community,” said Pamela Ryker, artistic director for the association and a flutist with a special love for chamber music and new music as well.

Made possible by local businesses in Old Town, Connelly Law Offices, Tacoma Power, Tacoma Arts Commission, and Slavonian American Benevolent Society, Classical Tuesdays in Old Town are as much a relaxed social event as they are a chance to hear some of our area’s most accomplished musicians. “We keep an informal atmosphere, and performers talk to the audience,” Ryker said. After the concerts, a coffee hour (courtesy of Starbucks) is held where the musicians can mingle with the guests.

A hallmark of this event is that all the performers are local players from Tacoma and the South Sound region. “The performers are very happy to play in this series and proud of it,” Ryker noted.

The full article discusses our season and performers.

14 October concert a News Tribune pick

Srivani's charming photo is in the News Tribune's online Go Arts section:

Critic's Picks this week: Friday, October 10th, 2008

Srivani Jade began performing in India at five years old. To spice up the monthly Classical Tuesdays in Old Town, Jade will play traditional North Indian classical music, accompanied by tabla, harmonium and tanpura. 7 p.m. Oct. 14. Free. Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma. 253-752-2135, classicaltuesdays.blogspot.com

Posted by Rosemary Ponnekanti

More details on Tuesday's concert are here.

First Concert of Our Fourth Season

Join us October 14 to kick off Classical Tuesdays' fourth season in Old Town Tacoma!

We're delighted to present an evening of 19th Century North Indian Classical Music with local artist Srivani Jade.

• Download the flyer (8.5 x 11", PDF)

Srivani will present traditional music inspired by camel drivers' songs from the desert regions in the Northwest and the Punjab to the hilly 'Pahadi' regions of Northeast India. She will be accompanied by Kuntal Roy on tabla, Mausam on harmonium and Anindita Das on tanpura. Srivani enjoys improvising within the tradition of Khayal, Thumri and other light classical forms of Indian music.

We're very excited about what we know will be a lovely concert!

As always, the concert is FREE. Join us 7pm Tuesday October 14 at Slavonian Hall, 2306 N 30th St, in Old Town Tacoma. Call for more information: 253-752-2135.

Classical Tuesdays 2008-2009 season: Update

Classical Tuesdays in Old Town opens its fourth season of free chamber music concerts!

• Write down the dates!
  
• Print this page for your fridge!
  
• Print our poster (be sure to choose "Scale to page")
  
• Look for the poster in North End businesses!

October 14
19th Century North Indian Classical Music
Srivani Jade, accompanied by tabla, harmonium and tanpura

November 11
A Resonance of Strings
Classical Tuesdays' beloved Maria Sampen and Timothy Christie, violinists.

December 9
A Special Benefit Concert for Classical Tuesdays in Old Town
Join us for festivities and Italian opera, with singers Charles Robert Stephens & Gino Lucchetti and Tanya Stambuk on piano.

At John Connelly Law Offices, Old Town, across from Slavonian Hall. Paid admission: $28.

January 13
Saxes Galore
Gig Harbor's Just Sax Quartet: Julie A. Bill, Stacia Rink, Sheryl Clark, and Catherine Kostelecky-Roe.

February 10
Stadium Brass
Fanfares and Voluntaries from the award-winning Stadium High School Brass

---

Concerts start at 7pm the second Tuesday of the month. All but the benefit concert are at Slavonian Hall, 2306 N 30th St, in Old Town Tacoma. Info: 253-752-2135, http://classicaltuesdays.blogspot.com

We hope to see you there!

Classical Tuesdays 2008-2009 Season

Thanks to generous sponsors and community enthusiasm, we're delighted to announce a fourth season of Classical Tuesdays in Old Town!

We will present five chamber music concerts in 2008-09. We're developing some exciting programs, but for now we'll just tease you with the dates:

14 October 2008

11 November 2008

9 December 2008

13 January 2009

10 February 2009
All of our regular performances will be at Slavonian Hall in Old Town Tacoma, and will be free. The one exception is December, which will be our second annual benefit concert for the series.

It's such a rare pleasure to have an intimate, genuinely "chamber" music experience, and equally rare to find free classical concerts of any sort! We truly appreciate the Old Town Business & Professionals Association's sustained commitment to the arts, which makes this series possible. Deepest thanks to Tacoma Arts Commission, Slavonian-American Benevolent Society and Tacoma Public Utilities for major sponsorship of this upcoming season, as well as their stalwart support for the past three years. In the column at left is a long list of our supporters – it's quite a community effort!

Photo from our Valentine's concert

Elizabeth Brown, lute, and James Brown, tenor, performing Lyrical and Humorous Love Songs last week at Slavonian Hall.

We were serenaded in Italian, archaic French, Spanish and English (and Scottish brogue!) The songs in the first half of the program dated back to 1500. After an intermission in which we shared coffee, chocolates and camaraderie, we heard songs of Schubert and Beethoven (eighteenth/nineteenth century) and Joaquin Rodrigo (twentieth century.)

Love, and the joys and loss of love, have made the world spin 'round for centuries! We were all moved -- to laughter and to tears -- by the performance by Jim and Elizabeth.

We're a hot date!

The News Tribune concurs: we're a hot date. How appropriate for our Valentine's concert!


Thanks, everyone. Tuesday was wonderful, you were a great audience, and we hope to see you in September.

February 12 Valentine Concert

For the Tuesday before Valentine's Day, Classical Tuesdays in Old Town offers up a Valentine treat of "Lyrical and Humorous Love Songs".

Our performers will be Pacific Lutheran University's James Brown, tenor, and Elizabeth Brown, lutenist.

• Concert flyer (PDF)

Join us for our last concert of the season!

Tuesday, Feb 12th, 7 p.m.
Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St.
Info: (253) 752-2135

Greet the New Year with a Bang!! January 8

Last evening's concert featured the University of Puget Sound Percussion Ensemble Quintet, Director Amy Putnam, co-Director Gunnar Folsom, and members Gordon Robbe, Andy Lum and Mitch Knottingham. We all had a bang-up time!

The program was so varied, and the array of instruments was amazing. No wonder that it required 4 hours to move the equipment! But the concert was well worth the effort. Everyone performed wonderfully. Such a variety of timbres and rhythms, and combinations of those elements. Mallet instruments -- marimbas and xylophone -- were at the forefront in each number except Russell Peck's Lift Off which featured bass drums!

Other numbers performed were three of Bach's Two Part Inventions, Dill Pickles by Charles Johnson, Back Talk by Harry Breuer and Limejuice by Arthur Lipner. The evening was great fun and well attended.

Wine and Song: Vocals & piano, wine & cheese, all for a good cause and good fun

December 11 is a special Benefit Concert for the Classical Tuesdays in Old Town chamber music series. We will gather across the street from Slavonian Hall (our usual venue) at the Connelly Law Offices (the former Grazie Restaurant building, now beautifully refurbished, with fireplaces and lovely woodwork and marbling.) The address is 2301 N. 30th Street, Old Town Tacoma.

• Concert flyer (PDF, 8 1/2 x 11")

At 7pm we will be serenaded by four outstanding vocalists from T-town: Charles Robert Stephens, Deborah Stephens, Katie Weld, and James Brown. They will be accompanied by pianist Amy Grinsteiner. For the first time in the history of the series, a piano is available! Mr. John Connelly has a lovely grand piano on the ground floor level and we are very happy to make use of it on this special occasion.

Wine and cheese and coffee will be served - upstairs at the bar preserved from the days of restaurant. You are eligible for a raffle drawing with the purchase of a ticket.

Price of admission is $25.

Tickets are available at:

• The Spar in Old Town
  
• The Pacific Northwest Shop in Proctor District

Treat yourself, gift a friend, a relative, a colleague!

7 PM Tuesday, December 11th, 2007
2301 N. 30th Street, Old Town Tacoma, across the street from Slavonian Hall

(Don't forget: We will have two more concerts January 8th and February 12th!)

Bobble Tiki love in The Volcano

From the Nov. 13th Weekly Volcano:

Bobble Tiki’s never been one to hide his prejudices, so he’s just going to come right out and say it: Bobble Tiki loves Brazilian music. He loves Rita Lee from Os Mutantes and could listen to Astrid Gilberto reading the phone book. These days he’s got a little thing for Juju Stulbach, the actress and dancer turned sultry crooner for Mosquitos. All these people will not play the South Sound tonight. Drat.

Wait. Here’s an intriguing substitute. Classical Tuesdays in Old Town Tacoma will host Viva la Musica tonight at the Slavonian Hall. Bobble Tiki is talking chamber music by composers of South American as well as the Caribbean and Europe.

Brazilian soul on flute and clarinet is so sexy. — Bobble Tiki

Thank you, Bobble Tiki. We find you irresistible too.

News Tribune press for Nov. 13 concert

Look for Classical Tuesdays in Friday's (11/2) News Tribune. In the Soundlife section, Rosemary Ponnekanti highlighted several Latino cultural events around the Dia de los Muertos (All Souls Day in Mexico).

Among the ongoing events, Ponnekanti suggests:

The Gallery At TCC's Latino Art Exhibition
- through Feb. 1

Two Vaults Gallery's Dia de los Muertos exhibition
- through Nov. 10

Classical Tuesdays in Old Town's Viva la Musica!
- Tuesday, Nov. 13

Viva la Musica! in Old Town:
It’s not Day of the Dead, but it is Latino culture. The Classical Tuesdays in Old Town series presents an evening of classical music by South American and Carribean composers: Argentine tango maestro Astor Piazzolla, 19th-century Cuban pianist Ignacio Cervantes, Afro-Brazilian guitarist Celso Machado and others. Featuring Pamela Ryker on flute, Cindy Renander on clarinet and John Paul Shields on guitar.

What: Viva la Musica!
Who: Classical Tuesdays in Old Town
When: 7 p.m. Nov. 13
Where: Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma
Cost: Free
Contact: 253-752-2135, classicaltuesdays.blogspot.com

See our previous post for the concert announcement, or download the concert flyer (PDF).

November 13th concert: Old Town Goes Latin

Viva la Musica! Classical Tuesdays in Old Town goes Latin, with influences from both popular and traditional music of Latin America and Spain.

• Concert flyer (PDF)

Pamela Ryker (flute), Cindy Renander (clarinet), and John Paul Shields (guitar) will perform music by South American, Caribbean and European composers. These works bring to life the dance rhythms, the passion and fervor, and the soul of the Latin heritage. It's music to set your foot tapping. Songs to get you humming.

Come enjoy the music of Argentinian Astor Piazzolla, Cuban Ignacio Cervantes, Brazilian Celso Machado, Frenchman Darius Milhaud and more.

Tuesday, November 13th. 7:00 PM at the Slavonian Hall. Free admission.

Tags: arts, entertainment, music, concert, free, classical, latin, chamber music

Loop 2.4.3 featured on NPR

Many of you have seen Loop 2.4.3's lively percussion concerts for Classical Tuesdays in Old Town.

We're delighted to report that Loop 2.4.3's new CD, Batterie, was reviewed on National Public Radio's Fresh Air today. You can hear the full review here (it's the second feature in the show).

NPR also used a Loop 2.4.3 track as an interlude. The audio is here.

Congratulations to Loop 2.4.3 for a successful debut CD! And remember, you heard them here first, on Classical Tuesdays in Old Town. We hope to bring Loop 2.4.3 to Old Town again, next season.

Wonderful concert by Brass Unlimited, great audience

This week's Classical Tuesdays in Old Town concert was performed by the Brass Unlimited quartet. The members are David Mulkins and Karl Ronning on trumpets, and Keith Gorsuch and Eric Stevens on trombones. All four are professional music-educators in the Tacoma public schools.

Thanks to Jamie for the photo of the concert!

Brass Unlimited had appeared in the first season of our series, and we were happy to bring them back -- by popular request. They played wonderfully, individually, and especially as an ensemble, as only a group that has performed together for ten years could. Let's be sure to watch for the Brass Unlimited tenth anniversary concert at the end of January.

The pieces performed Tuesday night were often lyrical and mellifluous, at other times sonorous and stirring. The program was full of concert favorites composed by Beethoven, Mozart, Frackenpohl, American-great Copland, and many others. All the selections were transcribed by member Keith Gorsuch.

Expanded season & Poster!

Season poster

You may have noticed the Classical Tuesdays in Old Town season poster around town, with dates for all six concerts.

Want a copy for your fridge door? Here it is, 8 1/2 x 11".

• Download poster (PDF)

Expanded season

Yes, I said six concerts! Our season has expanded by two months.

First off: Thanks to the generosity of John Connelly of Connelly Law Offices, our December concert will be a benefit for Classical Tuesdays (details to be announced).

And there's more great news: our sponsors are supporting two more free concerts in Jan-Feb 2008, to start the New Year with music!

Tags: music, concerts, free, entertainment, tacoma, seattle, classical, chamber music, arts

"Totally bad brasses", like, yeah!

We always enjoy these backhanded compliments from the Volcano. About the concert next Tuesday the 9th:

Arts and cultural picks of the week

Trumpets and Trombones: Somebody’s gotta love ’em. And you can’t do anything but love trumpets and trombones running through Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Aaron Copland at once. Which is what you’ll get when Classical Tuesdays in Old Town presents “Sounds of Celebration: Brass Unlimited in Concert". Four professional music educators — David Mulkins (trumpet and piccolo trumpet), Karl Ronning (trumpet and flugelhorn, Eric Stevens (trombone), and Keith Gorsuch (bass trombone) are totally bad brasses. Check it. — SS

We agree. Totally.

Tags: music, concerts, free, entertainment, tacoma, seattle, classical, chamber music, arts

October 9th concert: Sounds of Celebration

Classical Tuesdays in Old Town welcomes back Brass Unlimited for our October 9th concert. Brass Unlimited performed on our inaugural series in 2005, and we've had many requests to bring them back. So here they are!

• Concert flyer (PDF)

David Mulkins plays trumpet and piccolo trumpet and Karl Ronning plays trumpet and fluegelhorn. On trombone is Eric Stevens, and Keith Gorsuch on bass trombone. Their program for the evening celebrates the sounds of brass with the music of Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Prokofiev and the great American composer Aaron Copland.

These four professional music educators are some of Tacoma's most popular and recognized musicians. The ensemble, celebrating its 10th season! January 2008, has performed with the Bellevue Chamber Chorus, Tacoma Community College Choir, for Tacoma Opera Festival of Trees, Museum of Glass, Lakewold Gardens,and the Harbor Club in Seattle.

7:00 PM at the Slavonian Hall. Free admission.

Tags: music, concert, classical, tacoma, seattle, free, entertainment, arts

Our 9/11 concert: Thanks!

We had a wonderful concert last night. Our favorite string players, Maria Sampen and Timothy Christie, joined by guests Jennifer Caine and Sally Singer, played the beautiful Cavatina from Beethoven's String Quartet in B flat, Op. 130 and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. Pamela Ryker, on flute, joined the strings in Mozart's Quartet in A Major and baritone Charles Robert Stephens sang a stirring rendition of Dover Beach by Barber.

A big thank you to all who helped make this such a successful evening! An especial thank you to John Petrinovich and the Slavonian Benevolent Society for the use of the performance space in the beautiful old Slavonian Hall. And the coffee donated by Old Town Starbucks was very much appreciated by everyone as we gathered after the concert for community time. A big thank you to Carol at Katie Downs for hosting a supper for the performers at the end of the evening.

Thank you, Alexis, for greeting our friends and neighbors as they came in, and for setting out the coffee and cookies. Thank you Kate and Jim for helping to fold and stack chairs afterwards!

And, a big thank you to our neighbors and friends, old and new, for attending, this our first concert of the 2007 season. We enjoyed such a strong sense of community.

Please take note of our list of generous sponsors and supporters, at left!

In Concert 9/11: Music for Reflection and Inspiration

On 9/11/2007, Classical Tuesdays in Old Town presents Beethoven's Cavatina from String Quartet in B flat, Op. 130, Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, the Flute Quartet in A Major by Mozart and Dover Beach by Barber.

• Concert flyer (PDF)

Performing these works will be Charles Robert Stephens, baritone; Maria Sampen and Jennifer Caine, violins; Timothy Christie, viola; Sally Singer, cello and Pamela Ryker, flute.

The evening offers time for the community to gather for reflection and inspiration, to unite in good will and to share hope and strength for the future.

Join your neighbors for an evening of good music, refreshments and friendship.

7:00 PM at the Slavonian Hall. Free admission.

The News Tribune says we're cheap

This morning's News Tribune lists a number of free and cheap events in the South Sound area:

We had our critics dig deep between their sofa cushions and then hit the streets to find the biggest bang for their bucks. Here’s what they found...

THE ARTS

It might seem at first that the arts are an expensive pastime. Opera tickets cost up to $100, and even museum admission can set you back $20 for a blockbuster show. But culture doesn’t have to cost you.

Music – Free

• Classical Tuesdays in Old Town: This series of eclectic chamber music features local professional musicians; 7 p.m. second Tuesdays from September to December at Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma; 253-752-2135