The Board of Directors of the Port Angeles Symphony has awarded the 2012 Biz Gehrke Award to Fred Thompson. In 1984, the Board of Directors of the Port Angeles Symphony established the annual Biz Gehrke Award to honor a person (or persons) each year who made an outstanding contribution to the Symphony. In keeping with the stated guideline for the award -“Presented to a person whose dedication to and support of the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra typifies that of the organization’s co-founder and initial guiding force…Ernest R. (Biz) Gehrke, the Symphony’s Board of Directors were excited to be able to recognize Fred for his many contributions to the orchestra over the years. BIO: A native of Minnesota, Fred Thompson began studying cello at age seven. In his high school years he attended Interlochen National Music Camp (MI) and performed with the Eau Claire (WI) symphony after winning a concerto competition. At Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and then at the University of Utah he studied English and music. After teaching in central Utah for four years, he took a position teaching English and Humanities at Peninsula College. In 1989-1990 the Thompsons lived in London, England where Fred studied English literature at the University of London. In 1996 he attended a three-week chamber music workshop in Orvieto, Italy. His second sabbatical focused on the poetry of John Keats and music of Beethoven. While at Peninsula College Dr. Thompson led five study abroad tours. Besides being a long-time player in the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra
June 1 – Opening Reception for River Story Exhibit at Port Angeles Main Library
Festivities to celebrate the opening of the River Story Exhibit, and the accompanying Art in the Library show, will take place on June 1 at the Port Angeles Main Library. The artist’s reception will begin at 6:30pm, followed at 7pm by exhibit opening events and a celebratory presentation by the Lower Elwha Drum and Dance Group. The exhibit will be officially opened when the drummers and singers break the symbolic paper dam, and following a river of paper salmon, lead participants through the exhibit. Refreshments will be served. Limited library services will be available during this special after hours event. River Story, a multi-faceted visual exhibit, accompanied by an extensive schedule of programs and events, will be presented June 1- September 8, at the Port Angeles Main Library of the North Olympic Library System. River Story celebrates a beautiful river of ageless wonder, and tells the Elwha River’s inspiring tale of renewal, restoration, and transformation. For additional information about the River Story exhibit, a complete program schedule, and links to additional resources, please visit www.nols.org. The art work of Anna Wiancko Chasman, Harry von Stark, Peter Malarkey, Ray Hammar, Jake Seniuk, and Jennifer Bright will be on display June 1 through July 30. This Art in the Library show is thematically linked to the River Story exhibit, featuring paintings, photographs, and sculpture inspired by the Elwha River and by the dam removal and restoration projects. Banners originally created for the dam breaking ceremony in September 2011, by numerous other artists,
Special Arts Presentation at Peninsula College
Painting to the Sounds of the Juan de Fuca Festival and Live Musical Performance by Paul Chasman Tuesday, June 5th from 6 to 7pm Location: Peninsula College’s Keegan Hall (Room M125) The focus of the event will be on the interaction of visual arts with performing arts. The members of “Three Legged Dog” will give a presentation on their experiences painting to music at the 2011 and 2012 Juan De Fuca Festival. This collaboration of artists includes Jeff Toucher, Doug Parent and John Rickenbacher. Paul Chasman, a performer at the Festival, will give a mini-concert featuring his new material.
Juan de Fuca Festival May 25 – 28
With a beautiful setting nestled snugly between the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, four days and nights of unparalleled artistry, a street fair filled with a garden of earthly delights, a fun after-hours program and so much more, it probably seems too good to be true. So… come one, come all, families and folks of all ages, and find out for yourself. Welcome to the 19th Annual Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts!