‘Building Community Through Music’

The community Bay Area Concert Band kicks off the Annual Music Festival as they have done every year since 1978. They performed nine carefully chosen pieces to crowds in Mingus park on Saturday, July 13th including Artie Shaw’s Concerto for Clarinet arranged by Ted Parson. Sunday, July 14th was filled with the sounds of jazz as Boathouse Jazz celebrated the community with a performance at the OIMB boathouse in Charleston. If you were not able to make it to the events of the first weekend, have no fear as this two-week event has many opportunities to experience the local and visiting musicians.

Celebrate our community and enjoy live musical and educational events at locations throughout the bay area. Festival events feature a diversity of genres performed by musicians and educators from across North America. This year, we highlight the outstanding local musicians and their contributions that have enriched our community over the years. Included in events for all ages is ‘Mipso’ at the Boathouse, their blend of folk influences and electric experimentation will be shared on Sunday, July 21 at 2pm at the OIMB Boathouse, Charleson. If orchestra is more what you are yearning for, several concerts will be available to attend beginning with Orchestra I on Tuesday, July 23 in the Marshfield High School Auditorium, Coos Bay.

The festival also continues its long tradition of providing an original and unique image to accompany the programs within a theme. The 2024 image “Our Estuary, Our Community” was created by Susan Chambers to illustrate the plants and animals that live within our estuary community. With this colorful image, Susan shouts out to the several milestones of our human community that are celebrated this year including the 150th anniversary of Coos Bay/Marshfield; the 100th Anniversary of Oregon Institute of Marine Biology; and the 50th anniversary of South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve with selected “Easter eggs” within the poster.

For a full list of events visit www.oregoncoastmusic.org.