Family concerts coming up Jan. 20, 21

By DEVIN HEILMAN

Staff Writer

COEUR d’ALENE — The Coeur d'Alene Symphony will be presenting a variety of musical entertainment during its Jan. 20 and Jan. 21 concerts at the Kroc Center in Coeur d'Alene.

The Symphony will perform American classics, including music from the popular sci-fi series "Star Trek" and a solo viola and orchestra version of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody."

The Spokane-based Americana folk/rock and roll band Folkinception will be joining the symphony for part of the shows.

“The concert we have is actually really exciting,” said Mika Hood, Coeur d’Alene Symphony Orchestra manager and principal cellist. "The first half is Folkinception, which is just going to be awesome because it’s a band that I really love already. Getting to play with them is really something else."

Hood said another exciting piece to the performances will be the presentation of student music from the winners of the Youth Melody Competition and the combining of the Coeur d'Alene Symphony with the Coeur d'Alene Youth Orchestra.

"We’re doing this side-by-side concert with the youth orchestra and that’s always a really fun experience because what happens is every other person is a professional player and one is a student," Hood said. "You get to sit next to one of these high-schoolers. You get to know them, you get to play with them, you get to mentor and help them out. I’ve been on the other side of that so I know how special it is for the students."

She is especially looking forward to the premiere of the student music, which was submitted by Coeur d'Alene School District students. Only five student composers' works were chosen to be sent to Whitworth University, whose composition students orchestrated them. The winning pieces were composed by Timothy Phillips, a homeschooler; Scarlett Fatz, a Holy Family Catholic School fourth-grader; Elisa Osborn, a homeschooler; Woodland Middle School sixth-graders Kolton Mitchell and Bryce Snow (team effort); and Tylee Wiemers, Woodland sixth-grader.

"Part of that concert is playing these orchestrated melodies," Hood said. "Can you imagine being a sixth-grader and having something that you wrote be performed by a symphony orchestra? Wouldn’t that be the most incredible experience? I’m really excited that we get to do that for them."

Coeur d'Alene Symphony volunteer and former president Bob Bittick said he's also looking forward to the concert.

"Live entertainment is wonderful," he said. "It's always wonderful and just a lot of fun."

The concerts will be at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 and 2 p.m. Jan. 21.

Family ticket prices are $10 for adults and seniors and $5 for children.

Info: 765-3833 or www.cdasymphony.org