A Brief History of the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra, 1987-2021
It was February of 1987. An article in the Port Townsend Leader proclaimed, “Cellist Launches Solo Effort to Create County Orchestra”. Michael-Ann Burnett, organizer and director of a new Port Townsend amateur orchestra said, “I really want to hear from people who are using the barrels of their clarinets as match holders.” The call went out to closet musicians to “bring your instrument” to the Port Townsend High School orchestra room on Thursday evening, February 19. It was off the ground. The orchestra was put together as a non-profit organization, with tuition from participants and a promise that concerts would always be free.
The first concert of the Port Townsend Community Orchestra was during the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival on May 14, 1987, at the Fort Worden Theater. The orchestra was composed of 46 performers being directed by Michael-Ann Burnett. The music was high school level arrangements. To be honest, we did sound like some of us had been using our instruments for match holders over the years. Some of us had last played 20 (or more) years before, in school. A few had started learning an instrument as an adult and had never played in a concert, and the timpanist had never played one before. We were held together by a few much more accomplished musicians, including local band teachers and retired and professional musicians. We also did not have a very balanced instrumentation, as our nine flutes could attest. Much of the first audience was made up of our families and friends…but we had an orchestra.
In January 1989, we received a letter from Michael-Ann announcing that she had decided to resign as director of the orchestra. We were all in shock. Would we be able to continue? The board was ahead of us and had located Dick Ballou and asked him to be the new conductor. He was a retired director of bands at Brigham Young University and had founded their marching band. His expertise was in the French horn and trumpet.
The Fort Worden Theater was getting to be a snug fit, so in the fall of 1989 we performed the Port Townsend High School Auditorium. In May of 1991, we moved our concert venue to the Chimacum High School Auditorium, where we continue to play today.
In February 1990, under the leadership of President David Speck, we finally incorporated and adopted Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation. We now had some rules to live by. Our first mission read: “The Purpose of the Port Townsend Community Orchestra is to provide an opportunity for volunteer musicians of all ages and levels of experience to play music in a local orchestra under the direction of a professional conductor, presenting concert performances free to the public.”
Dick Ballou directed his final concert with the Port Townsend orchestra in May 1994. He had decided to return to Utah and begin a second retirement. With Dick, the orchestra had expanded to over 50 musicians and our repertoire included a wider variety of music. With Dick’s departure, we were all left with “What now?”
Several local conductors were invited to audition with the orchestra during the 1994-1995 season. After the orchestra members considered the candidates, submitted comments, and voted, the final choice was Dewey Ehling. Dewey had received a degree in music in his native state of Kansas and served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He then moved to Alaska where he conducted the Anchorage Youth Symphony, the Anchorage Community Chorus, the New Madrigal Singers, and numerous operas and musicals. He also was the president of the Alaska Festival of Music. In 1986, he moved to Port Angeles where he was director and conductor of the Port Angeles Light Opera Association, played oboe in the Port Angeles Symphony, the Port Angeles Symphony Chamber Orchestra, and the Turtle Bluff Chamber Orchestra. He also conducted the Peninsula Chamber Singers and was director of worship and music at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.
Under Dewey’s baton, we played our first full-length symphony, the “Reformation Symphony” by Felix Mendelssohn, at the end of his first season. In October 2014, the board decided to hold our concerts on Sunday afternoons (in October, February and April) rather than Saturday evenings. This would mean that the audience and the players would not have to drive after dark. We knew we would lose some audience members, but we also knew this change would bring in new audience members. Overall, the community adapted to our new schedule and the auditorium was often full.
In September 2016, we lost our beloved Dewey. A conductor search committee was formed. PTSO Assistant Conductor Hollie Kaufman took the helm until candidate conductors were scheduled for their auditions, beginning in January. Following the April concert, the orchestra members overwhelmingly chose Tigran Arakelyan to be our fourth permanent conductor. Tigran, a native of Armenia, was just 29 years old (he was younger than the orchestra!). The previous summer he had completed his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in conducting at the University of Washington. His youth, enthusiasm, vision, and despite his youth, his experience and knowledge were desirable assets. He currently is the Music Director of Northwest Mahler Festival, Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestras and the Federal Way Youth Symphony. In the past, he has served as the assistant conductor of the California Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra.
Under Tigran’s leadership, we started an annual chamber music series that runs each Spring. Tigran brings professional players to solo with the symphony. At each concert, every seat in the auditorium is full; the audience’s enthusiasm is palpable. Tigran has raised the symphony to a higher level of performance, passion, purpose and pride. In the fall of 2019, PTSO began sponsoring the Young Artist Competition.
With Tigran’s guidance, in March 2019 we changed our name and mission to reflect our growth through the preceding 30-plus years as well as the direction we want to grow: The mission of the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestrais to entertain, inspire and engage our community through musical excellence and affordable concerts.
Our 2019-2020 season was cut short by the covid-19 pandemic. Our last concert was February 23, 2020. We optimistically look forward to returning to rehearsing and concertizing in September 2021.
