Dr. Henry Wolthuis
For The New Era
The Fifteenth Annual Festival of Music and Fine Arts brought together artists, musicians and a full audience for an evening of awe and enjoyment.
The art show preceded the concert, which was held at the Sweet Home Church of Latter-Day Saints. The cultural hall was filled with the works of talented artists. Those participating included:
Oils and Acrylics: Janice Taylor, Eva Dixon, Elda Miller, Norma Johnson, Merry Van Atta, Anita Lewis, and Nicki Aerni.
Photography: Rolf McEwen and Joan Wood
Pen and Ink: Alphonse Napoletano
Water Color: Ruth McCullough, Lori Alexander, Camille Young and Janice Taylor
Mixed and other Media: Faye Hart, Quido Bondioli, Catherine Muir, and Linda Doran
Sculpture: Merry Van Atta, Betty Gourley, Steve Young, Ed Miller, and Eddie Bennett
One of the new additions to the art show was Catherine Muir, who received considerable attention with her many ?pine needle? baskets of intricate designs.
The concert included a wide variety of instruments, vocalists, and types of music. Group Performers included the Lebanon Oregon Stake Mens Choir, directed by Eric McCurdy and accompanied by John Wittwer, and the Fairer Sax Quartet.
The Men?s Choir performed “I Need Thee Every Hour,” “When In Our Music, God is Glorified” and “Be Still My Soul.”
A women’s trio of Jean Kuhns, Patty Gourley, and Nadra Tabor sang, “He Gave His Life for Me.”
The Fairer Sax Quartet is composed of Sarra Newton (soprano and alto sax), Chris Barreto (alto sax and clarinet), Linda Sommers (tenor sax) and Vanda Scott (baritone sax). Their variety and choice of music was most entertaining. It was acknowledged that they did not play ?barbershop quartets?, but rather ?beauty parlor quartets.?
Without acknowledging any gender preferences, they did great, and performed the following: “Five Foot Two,” “Lazy River,” “Irish Melody,” “Blue Skies,” “Darktown Strutters Ball,” “Moonlight Serenade,” “Lida Rose,” and “That?s a Plenty.”
Organists were Henry B. Wolthuis, performing “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” by J. S. Bach, and Eric McCurdy, performing “Ah, Holy Jesus,” “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” and “Priere and Toccata” from “Suite Gothique.”
Marilyn Tyler, violinist and repeat favorite, performed “If Thou Art Near,” accompanied by John Wittwer. Trumpet soloist Cecil Hadley performed “We Will Glorify”
Vocalists Evan and Rebecca McAllister, a husband and wife team already familiar to this audience, performed as well. Baritone Evan McAllister sang “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” from “Les Miserables” and soprano Rebecca McAllister sang “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” from “Phantom of the Opera.” As each sang, they were accompanied by their spouse.
Pastor Del Anderson of the Fir Lawn Lutheran Church gave the invocation, and Father Henry Rufo of St. Helen?s Catholic Church delivered the benediction.
We express our gratitude to the LDS Church for the facilities for this community event, to the artists and musicians who have spent much of their lives preparing to share their talents, to the many individuals who prepared and served refreshments and helped organize and set-up.
This evening represented some magnificent talent from our local area. I like to refer to them as amateur-professional. They share their talents as a labor of love and have not charged, but nearly professional, meaning that this was an excellent, classical cultural event.
As we bring this event to a close, we begin our planning for the 16th Annual Festival, and we are always searching for talent in coming years. Thanks to another great audience. Please come next year and bring a friend.