“Sound the Trumpet” presented by CGOA

In keeping with the theme of “Beloved Favorites and Exciting Discoveries,” the Gorge
Sinfonietta presents its first concerts of the season on November 15 at 7 PM and November 17
at 2 PM. Called “Sound the Trumpet,” the concerts will be at the Wy’east Middle School
Performing Arts Center in Odell.
The title of the concert comes from one of the program’s selections, the Trumpet Concerto by
Alexander Arutunian. Written in the early 1950s, Arutunian’s concerto is very popular with
trumpet players. It’s dramatic, expressive and rhythmic. Of course, it’s a showpiece for the
soloist, too. In this case, the featured artist is Anders Foster, who teaches music at Wy’east.
“Foster’s brilliant trumpet playing matches perfectly with the demands of the concerto,” said
conductor Mark Steighner. “There are relatively few concertos for the trumpet, and the
Arutunian is one of the best.”
Steighner said that the biggest piece on the program is one that audiences probably won’t
know. “We’re playing the Gaelic Symphony by American female composer Amy Beach. It’s
immense, technically challenging and extremely impressive.”
Amy Beach, who was born in the 1860s and died in 1944, was the best and most accomplished
female composer in the early 20th century. Steighner said, “Amy Beach is best known for her
songs and piano music, but she wrote three or four really big works, too. The biggest is the
symphony.” The symphony is loosely based on folk songs from Ireland, and was premiered
when the composer was only 25. It was the first symphony by an American female composer to
be professionally performed.
“Sadly, concert audiences mostly hear music by white, European or American men,” Steighner
said. “The music of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms is obviously great, but there’s a lot more to the
story. Women have been composers as far back as Hildegard von Bingen, back in the Middle
Ages.”
Rounding out the program is one of those “beloved favorites,” the tone poem Finlandia by Jean
Sibelius. Steighner said that over the past 20 years, the Sinfonietta has played the work once
before. “Like in so much of his music, Sibelius is able to capture the drama and beauty of nature
and his homeland of Finland.”

Sound the Trumpet concerts are on November 15 at 7 PM, and November 17 at 2 PM.
Performances are in the Performing Arts Center at Wy’east Middle School, 3000 Wy’east Rd in
Odell. Tickets are available at gorgeorchestra.org. Tickets for high school and college students
(with school ID) are free, and $5 tickets are available for those with Oregon SNAP cards.
The Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting
and presenting musical performances of the highest quality in the Columbia River Gorge region.
With a commitment to artistic excellence and education, CGOA brings the joy of music to
audiences of all ages.