Concert to benefit the Friendly Visitors program

By Jack Kintner

Grace Lutheran Church will host a benefit concert Sunday afternoon, January 14, to benefit the Friendly Visitors program of the county-wide Interfaith Coalition. According to program director Janie Pemble, the program trains volunteers to visit with elderly people and shut-ins to help them maintain contact with their community.

The concert features two well-known local musicians, bagpiper Will Nichols and bassoonist Martin Kuskmann. Lexi Engerman, a student of Kuuskmann’s and organist Terhi Miiki-Broersma from Lynden will also perform. “The program’s all well-known pieces, designed for a pleasant afternoon’s hour or so of listening,” said Kuuskmann.

The program includes two pieces by Vivaldi, his Bassoon Concerto in C major and the section Winter from The Four Seasons, the Aria from Orpheus and Eurydice by Gluck, the Meditation from Thais by Massenet and the second movement from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto.
Kuuskmann will perform all of these pieces on his bassoon accompanied by Miiki-Broersma, who will also play Bach’s energetic nine-minute Toccata and Fugue in D Minor on the organ. Engerman and Kuuskmann will combine to perform a Mozart flute duet, although Kuuskmann will play his half of the piece on his bassoon.

Nichols said he’ll play a selection of traditional Scottish tunes, some airs, reels and marches, “anything but Amazing Grace,” he said, “since that’s such a boring cliché.”

The concert is free but a donation of $10 is suggested to help support the work of the Interfaith Coalition’s program.

The music begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, January 14 at Grace Lutheran Church, 702 G Street in Blaine and lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes.