Maestro Majkut featured four compositions as Four Love Scenes. “Bickering Love” of Beatrice et Benedict by Berlioz provided the opening for the concert. “Forbidden Love” was expressed with the Butterfly Lovers Concerto by He Zhanhao featuring violin soloist Nancy Zhou.

“Love Beyond the Grave” theme featured Tristan und Isulde: Prelude & Liebestad by Wagner, and the concert concluded with the Firebird Suite from Stravinsky as “Love Conquers All”.

Photo credits Robert (Roc) Clements

Adam Stern, Pops conductor took us on a musical voyage around the globe with Summer Travels, a mixture of favorite popular and classical works. Clarinet and saxophone artist Aaron Johnson provided solo performance for three songs, Girl from Ipanema by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vernon Duke’s April in Paris, and Karl Suessdorf’s Moonlight in Vermont.

Closing out the program was Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnole.

Photo credits Robert (Roc) Clements

Music Director and Conductor Martin Majkut provided a unique combination of music entitled Melting Pot for the first Orchestra concert. The contemporary American composer Missy Mazzoli’s composition Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) had sounds of space from the stage. The next selection was the familiar Dvořák Cello Concerto in B minor, written while the composer was in America. After intermission the audience enjoyed Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story with its infusion of jazz and Latin themes.

Photo credit Robert (Roc) Clements

Bluegrass trio members Jeanette Adams, bass, Allison Wolf, fiddle, and Fred Kosak, Guitar and mandolin provided an afternoon concert at the unique setting of the OIMB boathouse. Seven Devils Brewing has hosted this event as a festival tradition.

Photo credits Catherine Brandon

Family Mystic provided original vocal and instrumental selections for attendees on a beautiful afternoon in the gardens of the park. The group has previously performed in Coos Bay at 7-Devils pub, but never for an OCMA concert at Shore Acres. Vocalist and keyboard artist Ian Covington was proud to share with the crowd that both his parents are long time members of the OCMA Orchestra. Other members of the group included Marcelo Guitron, guitar, Mathew Serino, bass, Tommy Serino, drum, and Todd Wason, percussion.

Photo credits Christine Moffitt

Just Jensens and Tree-O have a long legacy of engagement in education and musical performance in the area. The audience packed the newly remodeled event room at the library to listen and engage with the music.

Photo credits Christine Moffitt

Fantasia, a progressive Celtic folk/rock band performed a suite of original music. Adam Weiner, percussion, Bruce Rowe, guitar and Anela Lauren harp. Their music has many threads and reflects influence from many cultures.

The South Coast Folk Society presented a suite of dances by The Side of the Tide Morris Dancers and the International Folk Dance Troupe. The nonprofit organization provides many opportunities in the community throughout the year to learn dances and play music from many cultures of the world. At the conclusion of their performance they came together to sing “Spread the Joy” composed by Jonathan Jensen.

Photo credits Catherine Brandon

The Sprague Community Theater in Bandon was the location of a welcoming audience for the return of this iconic band.

For 35 years, The Beets have delighted audiences with performances throughout the region. The eight piece ensemble featured moving female lead and harmony vocals, fiddle, mandolin, acoustic guitar, stand up bass, drums and percussion. Formed at the University of Oregon, their first members were Marty Chilla, John Shenon and Tanya Voxman. The concert served as a tribute to their legacy and Marty’s roots in North Bend/Coos Bay. Several Bandon community members hosted the musicians with home stays, and the Beets reconnected with community members to remember their performance at their wedding and others who remembered their concert at Bill Bradbury’s inauguration as Secretary of State.

Photo credit Catherine Brandon

The Boathouse provides an intimate setting for attendees to enjoy music and the Coos Bay estuary and Charleston community. At intermission Carol Ventgen and Mike Perkins poured beverages, and Black Market Gourmet’s chef Jardin Kazaar and Kristin Hoefer served a lovely spread of treats.

The seats in the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Boathouse Auditorium were filled to capacity to hear The Aaron Johnson Quartet. The artists featured music with a Bossa Nova theme, featuring a great selection of Latin music.

Photo credits Robert (Roc) Clements