The Port Townsend Chamber Music Series performed a benefit concert on Saturday, February 7 at 2 pm at the Port Ludlow Beach Club, 121 Marina View Drive, Port Ludlow.
Featured artists shown in the photo above are Anne Burns, viola; Michael Carroll, piano; Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp; Lisa Lanza and Sung-Ling Hsu, piano; Howard Gilbert, Thomas Blomster and George Shaffer, percussion; Pamela Roberts, cello; and Marina Rosenquist, violin. (See their biographies below.)
The free concert series features local soloists, chamber musicians and Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra members. No tickets or reservations are required. There are short receptions after each concert.
Donations were gratefully accepted at the door to benefit Chimacum High School’s Cowboy marching band which will represent Washington state at the nation’s Independence Day parade in Washington, D.C. on July 4, 2026. The band’s booster club must raise approximately $100,000 for the trip to cover travel expenses and new lightweight uniforms for performers. Donations collected at the concert will support that effort.
Donations collected at this concert reached a total of $2220 to support the band.
Robert Nathan, president of the Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra board stated, “Our symphony orchestra’s chamber series team is excited to kick off this fund-raising effort to help support the Chimacum High School marching band. We are proud they were chosen as the only band to represent Washington for this important 250th national birthday celebration. This trip will be a wonderful music and teamwork experience for them.”
NOTE: Guy Smith was originally scheduled to play lute interludes on this concert, but he became sick and unable to perform. Harpist Barbara McColgan Pastore had her iPad with her and was able to pull up a series of short harp pieces to fill in for Guy. We didn’t give the names of those pieces, but we will list Barb on the program below to capture the reality of what happened at the concert. Thank you, Barb, for that gift of music we all enjoyed.
PROGRAM
Downfall of Paris for Snare Drum Duo – Traditional
South American Capers for Snare Drum Duo and Bass Drum by Sidney Berg
Violin Sonata, Op. 108 in D minor, Adagio and Presto agitato by Johannes Brahms
Sonata for Cello and Piano, Allegretto amabile by Jean Hure
Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp
“Fiestravaganza” Piano Duet by Shaun Choo
Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp
TAM-BAS Tambourine Solo? by James L.Moore
Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp
Trio for Piano, Viola and Cello, Op. 11, Thema: Pria ch’io l’impegno by Ludwig von Beethoven
Barbara McColgan Pastore, harp
Meditation from Thais for Cello and Harp by Jules Massenet
American Patrol for Snare Drum and Piano by Padre Martini (arr. By Forrest L. Buchtel)
ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
Pianist Michael Carroll studied with Robert Van Meter at Clarion State College, among others. Moved to Seattle in 1990. Has played numerous recitals, chamber music performances and concertos. As an experienced choral and vocal accompanist, he performed with many Seattle ensembles and soloists. Carroll was staff pianist and program annotator for 10 years for Seattle’s Thalia Symphony Orchestra. Lives in Port Ludlow and is Co-Artistic Director of the Port Townsend Chamber Music Series.
Pianist and Violist Sung-Ling Hsu from Taiwan immigrated to the United States in 2014. She started learning the piano at the age of 6 and the viola at the age of 8 and a half. Sung-Ling majored in composition while studying at university. After graduating from university, she worked in scoring and sound effects design. At present she is devoted to chamber music. Sung-Ling is pianist at Port Ludlow Community Church and for Choral Belles, and Co-Artistic Director of the Port Townsend Chamber Music Series.
Cellist Pamela Roberts graduated from UW, studying with Eva Heinitz and Toby Saks. Faculty cellist at U of Puget Sound, principal cello of Tacoma Symphony, solo cellist in Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre Orchestra and fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival. An educational administrator for 30 years, she returned to cello when retired. Principal cellist in Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra and Co-Artistic Director of the Port Townsend Chamber Music Series. Married to drummer Howard Gilbert.
MUSICIANS
Percussionist Thomas Blomster worked as a classical to jazz, rock, and world/ethnic music performer, composer, conductor, arranger and educator across five continents. Studied percussion at Aspen Music School and Hochschule fur Musik in Berlin. Holds degrees in music performance and conducting from Colorado’s Metropolitan State U and U of Denver. Music director of The Mercury Ensemble and Colorado Chamber Orchestra. Married to pianist Nikki Tsuchiya, recently retired to Port Townsend.
Violist Anne Gantz Burns was born and raised in Anchorage. Now calls Poulsbo home along with husband Greg. Principal viola with Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Opera, and Concert Chorus for 20 years. Soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist. Performed with multiple local symphonies. Current member of Port Angeles Symphony. Maintains private studios in Port Angeles and Poulsbo. Studied at U of Alaska Anchorage with Dr. Russell Guyver. Received Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Retired 2024.
Drummer Howard Gilbert – member of Seattle Symphony, Opera and Ballet Orchestras for 25 years. Studied with Joe Amato, timpanist of Portland Symphony, and drumset with Candy Finch & Jack Wolcott. Life member of Musician’s Union Local 76-493. Graduated Cornish School of the Arts; studied piano and composition with Stephen Balogh. Performed in Munich as jazz musician – composed music for film industry there. Member of Seattle World’s Fair Band and jobbing drummer in Seattle for over 75 years.
Pianist Lisa Lanza enjoys a rich life of music through solo performing, collaboration and teaching. Voted “Best Musical Performer of Jefferson County” in 2017, she has performed at the Hebden Bridge Piano Festival in UK and Music at Albignac, France. She earned a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Accompanying from the University of Redlands and has studied at the Guildhall with Paul Roberts and in Portugal with Maria João Pires. Lisa is pianist with the Rainshadow Chorale.
Harpist Barbara McColgan Pastore graduated from UCLA (B.S. Engineering) in 1974 and was commissioned in the US Air Force as a second lieutenant. She had an exciting career as a transport pilot, flying C-141 aircraft, and she also served as an air traffic control officer, staff officer, and mission commander for flights supporting the On Site Inspection Agency. A chance encounter with a small harp at a folk music store led her to eventually playing the pedal harp about twenty years ago.
Violinist Marina Rosenquist has primarily called the Olympic Peninsula home. A graduate of Lawrence University, she puts her education to use in her private studio, rehearsals, and occasional performances. Marina enjoys the gifts of her simple life in being a mum and wife.
Percussionist George Shaffer is mostly self taught, having played percussion in high school. He then took a twelve year break through college and graduate schools. He resumed playing in Ketchikan when the orchestra timpanist suddenly moved out of town. George has played percussion in the concert bands and orchestras in Ketchikan AK, Sequim and Port Townsend. He believes that playing music in groups is the ultimate team builder.
Lutenist Guy Smith plays trombone for the Port Townsend Orchestra and the Port Townsend Summer Band. In high school he also took up classical guitar which led him to lute music transcriptions. Eventually he learned to read lute tablature, bought a lute, sold the guitar, and never looked back. His current interests are the music of the sixteenth and early seventeenth century, particularly the Elizabethan solo lute repertoire.
