The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival will open Friday, Aug. 13th on a note of celebration of the life of George Shangrow, the popular conductor, musician and lecturer who was killed in a car accident  July  31st.

A Champagne Tribute will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Madrona Room at Orcas Center. All who knew him are invited to attend.

Shangrow was scheduled to conduct  Music Lovers Seminars throughout the Festival. Over the years, islanders have come to cherish his knowledge, wit and passion for music.

A Chamber Music Festival Endowment account , which will fund the sponsorship of the traditional Spring Music Lovers Seminar, will receive gifts in George’s memory. The Spring Seminar will be named in his honor.

Artistic Director Aloysia Friedmann and her husband, Artistic Advisor Jon Kimura Parker, will dedicate their performance of Brahms’ masterpiece “Quartet for Piano and Strings No. 2 in A Major” at the end of the “Duets, Duos and Duels!” concerts  Aug. 13th and 14th to Shangrow.

For tickets to this concert, please call the Chamber Music Festival office @ 376-6636 or go online to www.oicmf.org.