Featuring the 50^th anniversary celebration of BACB with Aaron Johnson

A community band has been part of the Coos Bay area since the days of Louis Simpson. The Bay Area Concert Band is an integral part of the community and has partnered with the Oregon Coast Music Festival since the festival began in 1978. The Band is a recognized non-profit organization and will celebrate its Golden Anniversary this coming year.

The group of ~ 40 distinguished musicians from in and around the bay area welcomes student musicians of proven ability to join them. Conductor Stephen Simpkins will lead the band in performance of an array of typical band music including light classical selections.

Pianist, composer and educator Darrell Grant has joined our OCMA Music Festival over the decades. His last appearance at the Boathouse was in 2022. We are thrilled to have Darrell return to this special place situated at the entrance to the Coos Bay. This special afternoon event will feature a special catered array of sweet and savory small bites and beverages provided by Black Market Gourmet at intermission.

Sponsored in Partnership with North Bend Public Library

TBA

Details TBA. Collaboration with Bay Area Concert Band’s 50th Anniversary.

Learn about Aaron Johnson

Dace Gregory, Cello
Rachel Palen, Piano

Dace and Rachel are preparing an original program entitled Musical Moments of Wonder for the audience to enjoy in this concert.

Dace Gregory, Cello

Dace Gregory has performed as a soloist in the USA, Japan and Europe. She was born in Riga, Latvia and educated at the Moscow Conservatory. Her parents sparked her love for deep emotions in music and love of nature. She moved to Langlois in 2022 where she lives on a beautiful ranch with her life partner, Bennett.  Dace performed solo in the 2024 OCMA Festival, and returned in 2025 as a soloist with the Orchestra performing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor.  She performed her first duo with Rachel Palen, piano, at Coos Singers Holiday concert in December 2025.

Rachel Palen, Piano

Rachel Palen was raised in Coos County and spent her early years developing a deep connection to the natural world and enjoying music. Rachel received praise early on for her raw, emotional piano performances. She studied at Southern Oregon University and Stony Brook in New York and became sought after as a performer and accompanist. After a career altering accident, Rachel returned to the coast and worked as accompanist for Coos Bay schools. In 2017, she was diagnosed with leukemia and has worked to continue her music and accommodate daily chemo treatments. In 2025, she and Dace collaborated to provide an outstanding performance for the Coos Singers Holiday Concert. This collaboration brought great joy to the performers and the audience and serves as a testament to the healing power of music.

Swingin’ in the Rain Big Band

The locally based Swingin’ in the Rain Big Band is composed of musicians with a strong interest in swing music with a desire to pass it on to new generations. The sounds of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey and others, plus favorites from the fifties and early sixties will provide a session of nostalgia and dance music that listeners will want to enjoy time and time again.

Greta – Guitar, violin, vocals, Irish dance
Willow – Violin / fiddle, mandolins, Irish dance, bodhran, vocals
Solana – Lead vocals, violin, bodhran, djembe, percussion, whistles, Irish dance, ukulele

The Gothard Sisters Greta, Willow and Solana are Northwest based contemporary Celtic folk multi-instrumentalists, composers, performers and songwriters. This is their second appearance at Shore Acres in our Festival. The sisters display their love of nature, classical and traditional folk music and dance in each performance. They have released 11 albums and performed over 2,000 live shows over the course of their career.

Ruth H. Photography credit for photos

Preview of Orchestra I Meet Bassoon Soloist Martin Kuuskmann.

Martin Majkut Conductor & Music Director
Martin Kuuskmann, Bassoon Soloist

• Nielsen: Helios Overture 
• Kõrvits: Beyond the Solar Fields, Martin Kuuskmann, bassoon :: This is the North American Premiere
• Weber: Andante & Rondo ongarese, Martin Kuuskmann, bassoon
• Brahms: Symphony No. 3