Rythms Of Nature

Description

Saratoga Orchestra Presents "Rhythms of Nature IV: Percussion, Prose, and Poetry" at Greenbank Farm - Celebrating Whidbey Island’s Earth and Ocean Month

 

Whidbey Island, WA – The Saratoga Orchestra of Whidbey Island is thrilled to present the fourth annual “Rhythms of Nature – Percussion, Prose, and Poetry” concert on April 13, 2025, at 2:00 PM in the Main Barn at Greenbank Farm. This highly anticipated event, celebrating Whidbey’s Earth and Ocean Month, will be an inspiring afternoon of chamber music and spoken word performances, with free admission and donations warmly encouraged.

 

Since its debut in 2022, Rhythms of Nature has become a signature event for the orchestra, blending the richness of instruments with the power of poetry. This year’s program will feature a diverse range of compositions, including works by composers Frederick Rzewski, Samuel Barber, Terry Riley and Serge Rachmaninoff, alongside original pieces by four Pacific Northwest composers: Rumiana Drumeva, Mitchell Beck, Lea Fetterman and Alex Shapiro.

 

Program Highlights:

• Frederick Rzewski's “To the Earth” for Flower Pots and Speaker – an experimental composition exploring the intersection of sound, object, and environment.
• Rumiana Drumeva’s Salish Sea Melody for violin and keyboard, capturing the serene and often moody beauty of the Salish Sea.
• Mitchell Beck’s Water and Sand for percussion, featuring multi-media projections and an audio track.
• Alex Shapiro’s Water Voyage for clarinet, bassoon, and audio track, exploring nature’s rhythms.
• Whidbey Island Horn Ensemble and soprano Eva Nelson will perform art songs by Samuel Barber and Serge Rachmaninoff.
• The iconic minimalist piece, Terry Riley’s “In C”, will be a chance for community musicians to collaborate, offering an improvisational and immersive musical experience.

 

Local spoken word poets Faith Wilder, Lea Fetterman and Linda Beeman will be enhancing the music with the spoken word with the likes of poems by James Agee as well as original works of Beeman and Fetterman.

The concert will be anchored by the theme “The Earth has music for those that listen… Will you?”, encouraging audiences to engage with the natural world through the universal language of music.

 

Event Details:

• Date: April 13, 2025
• Time: 2:00 PM
• Location: Main Barn, Greenbank Farm, Whidbey Island, WA
• Admission: Free (Donations appreciated)
• More Information: Visit www.sowhidbey.com or call 360-929-3045