Proclamations and Performances Testify: May is Chamber Music Month!

From the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival

May is National Chamber Music Month!

The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival will be featured on the Chamber Music America website and announcements during May, joining the celebration of Festivals and music education offerings across the nation with local special events and concerts. Formal Proclamations were heard and unanimously approved by the San Juan County Council and the Board of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival in honor of the positive impact of chamber music in our island communities.

The Chamber Music Festival’s May Calendar includes:

• Singing Pied Pipers, island musicians Sharon Abreu and Anita Orne visit our four Orcas preschools weekly.
• Musician-in-Residence Rachel Buchman, Shepherd School of Music, leads music times with our island preschoolers and teachers plus classroom visits to the k-3rd graders and music teacher Pamela Wright.
• Pianist Jon Kimura Parker’s solo performance and CD Launch party Tuesday, May 7 at The Grange. Several tickets available.
• Sonata+ Donor Thank You Concert by The Miró Quartet, Aloysia Friedmann and Jon Kimura Parker on May 18.
• Aloysia Friedmann, violin/viola and Jon Kimura Parker perform in concert at the Lopez Theater on May 19. Tickets at www.lopezcenter.org
• Book signing at Darvills with author Deborah Rambo Sinn for her new release, Playing by the Notes, a Pianists Guide to Musical Interpretation. Oxford University Press. May 22.
• Musician-in-Residence Monique Mead visits Orcas Public School Music classes and offers Master Classes for strings from May 29 to June 3.
•  Violinist Monique Mead performs as guest soloist with the Orcas High School Orchestra, Vivaldi’s “Spring!” May 30.
• Salon Concert at a home in Deer Harbor featuring Monique Mead, violin and Deborah Rambo Sinn, piano, June 2.  Tickets available.

For information about any concerts or events please call the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Office. 376-6636.

Proclamation from the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival: May as National Chamber Music Month:

• Whereas, the month of May is the second annual National Chamber Music Month, created by Chamber Music America; and
• Whereas, the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival is one of 300 chamber music organizations from all 50 states that designate concerts, residencies, lecture demonstrations, or other events during the month of May as National Chamber Music Month activities; and
•  Whereas, the arts embody much of the accumulated wisdom, intellect, and imagination of humankind; and
•  Whereas, learning in music and the arts enhances and enriches the lives of all students; and
•  Whereas, music and the arts play a unique role in the lives of our families, and our communities; and
•  Whereas, all children deserve a quality music and arts education; and
• Whereas music and arts education teaches creative problem-solving and cultural knowledge; and offers multiple pathways to understanding for different types of learners; and
• Whereas music and arts education increases connections and engagement between teachers, students, and the connected community that surrounds them;

Now, therefore, we, the Board of Trustees of Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, do proclaim May of each year as Music and Arts Education Month. We encourage our community to celebrate and promote music and the arts in our schools and to actively participate in providing equitable access to music and arts learning for all students on Orcas Island.

 San Juan County Council Proclamation: May as National Chamber Music Month

• Whereas, the month of May is the annual National Chamber Music Month, created by Chamber Music America; and
• Whereas, the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival is one of 300 chamber music organizations from all 50 states that designate concerts, residencies, lecture demonstrations, or other events during the month of May as National Chamber Music Month activities; and
• Whereas, the arts embody much of the accumulated wisdom, intellect, and imagination of humankind; and
• Whereas, performance and learning in music and the arts enhances and enriches the lives of all; and
• Whereas, music and the arts play a unique role in the lives of our families, and our communities; and
• Whereas, all children deserve a quality music and arts education; and
• Whereas music and arts performance and education teaches creative problem-solving and cultural knowledge and offers multiple pathways to understanding; and
• Whereas music and arts performance and education increases connections and engagement among our community members;

Now, therefore, we, the Board of County Commissioners of San Juan County, Washington, do proclaim May as Chamber Music Month in San Juan County. We encourage our communities to celebrate and promote music and the arts and to actively participate in providing equitable access to music and arts performance and learning for all.