Events

The first thing you ‘ll notice about Alice Di Micele is her voice. With a five-octave range that is intense, sensual, rich and soulful, Di Micele has been known to turn a noisy bar silent within a few notes. Her warm presence and humor disarm and create a rare intimacy between audience and performer. Whether singing a jazzy-folk number, belting a sassy blues, crooning a hushed ballad, or rocking out on one of her trademark rhythmic earthy grooves, Alice is a vocalist that moves people. A kick-ass guitarist as well, whether playing solo or with a band “Force of Nature” her acoustic guitar conjures percussive poly-rhythms, bass lines, and melodies that perfectly frame her vocals.

Join local songwriters, Melody Funk, Carolyn Cruso, Madison West and Lisa Legros for this intimate musical experience. The In the Round format allows for artists to share their songs as well as the stories and inspiration behind writing them. Each artist is inspired by the piece that went before and can adjust their set list accordingly. Themes arise, running jokes emerge, harmonies are offered. It promises to be an evening of magic, lyrics and melody.

Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Presents: The Children's Concert. Join us for The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, and lots of other musical fun!

Dust off your boots and gather around for some true and original modern honky tonk music. An all-star cast of master musicians backs these two soul singers of country music, Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms. These two are known to roots music fans across the globe for their soulful harmonies, driving dance tunes, classic original songs, and commitment to the raw truth of rural American music.

Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Presents: Open Rehearsal for Seniors
Orcas Center Main Stage
Friday, August 16, 1:00pm FREE (no tickets required)

New Primitives was founded in Minneapolis in 2003 by drummer, singer, songwriter Stanley Kipper. They are four-time Minnesota Music Award recipients and have played with Taj Mahal, Ziggy Marley, Mickey Hart, and the Neville Brothers, among others. New Primitives musicians come from a variety of strong musical backgrounds. Stan is on drums, Chico Perez on congas and percussion, Patrick Nelson on bass, Andrew Wozniak on lead guitar, “Lightnin” Joe Peterson on B3 and Brian “Snowman” Powers on saxophone. The music is Funky R& B/American Reggae with world music influences. 

Duende Libre is an award-winning jazz ensamble which combines jazz virtuosity with roots rhythms from Cuba, Brazil, and West Africa into a “strikingly authentic blend.” Each having apprenticed with direct descendants and master musicians of these traditions, they consider themselves disciples of their teachers. The result: A euphoric new jazz that honors its historical roots, pushing open the boundaries of genre to invoke a powerful sonic freedom.

Edmar Castañeda nominated for a Latin Grammy in the category "Best Latin Jazz Album" with his album Family. In fall 2021, Castañeda's performance will be heard in Disney's latest film, Encanto (Release date: November 24, 2021), which features original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Castañeda acts on the soundtrack and serves as music consultant on Encanto; Hailing from Medellín, Colombia, singer-songwriter Andrea Tierra crafts an innovative fusion of popular Latin-American rhythms, seamlessly blending them with the poignant essence of her own poetry. Each performance becomes a stage for her lyrical creations. While her songs often carry progressive themes and political stances against global injustices, Andrea's contralto voice equally resonates in contemporary love ballads and new-age compositions.

The roots of the "NewNet" stretch back to the early 1990s in Austria when band leader, Oliver Groenewald, assembled a unique lineup consisting of two trumpets, a trombone, three saxophones, and a rhythm section to give life to his musical vision. Groenewald's intricate compositions and the band's ability to evoke the volume of a Big Band while maintaining the intimacy of a smaller ensemble quickly drew attention, including that of the legendary American jazz vocalist Mark Murphy.In 1992, Murphy commissioned Oliver to arrange and produce an album together. The fruit of their collaboration, "Very Early," was released in 1993 and received critical acclaim, earning the title of Vocal CD of the Year from the New Yorker Cadence magazine.

Martin Lund, one of the most diverse musicians in the universe, lives and breathes music in many different colors and cultures. He has played with some of the great blues artists of our time and worked in the studios of LA as a composer, arranger, and musician. He is well known for bringing great artists to this island and providing some of the best shows at Orcas Center.

7x CFMA winner/5x JUNO nominee mando-maestro Andrew Collins is joined by fellow Trio string-meisters Mike Mezzatesta and James McEleney to showcase a popular collision of folk, new acoustic roots, chambergrass and jazz, not to mention a dizzying number and energetic interplay of instruments on stage. This dynamic genre-hopping show is propelled even further by Andrew’s captivating lead vocals and James’ soaring harmonies.

Turtleback Brass and The Orcas Dance Collective unite with community artists to celebrate our successes while enduring life’s trying transitions. Finding balance and bounty through brass and dance is one way can come together and express thankfulness.

A concert of all ages for all ages!

Join us for a wondrous Holiday Concert!

Orcas Choral Society will be singing Benjamin Britten’s beloved Ceremony of Carols arranged for men’s and women’s voices, plus a wide array of well-known carols. Bruce Langford, Artistic Director, said “The mix gives us great harmonies. It is music that will stay with you long after the concert is done.”

Orcas Island High School Strings and Band will be performing some holiday favorites and some other non holiday pieces. Come and join us. Orcas Center 7:00 PM.

Get into the holiday spirit with the Alias Brass Company on Friday, December 13 at 7pm! "Holiday Gifts" combines holiday standards, interactive audience carols, and exciting arrangements, for an exciting evening of holiday entertainment at Orcas Center!

Your musical friends and neighbors in the Orcas Island Community Band would love to have you join us for a stirring holiday concert at Orcas Center. Under the direction of Karen Key Speck, the Community Band plays musical selections from the past which will stir up beautiful memories and new arrangements of Hannukah and Christmas tunes to welcome in the winter season. Admission by donation. Everyone is welcome.

At the heart of WOLFCHILD is Gabriel Wolfchild and his brother Elion TruthHeart.
Gabriel’s emotive lyricism, enchanting vocals, and unique guitar work quickly won over Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Christina Aguilera on NBC’s The Voice with his soulful rendition of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright”, culminating in a national tour.
Elion is a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist who effortlessly flows between drums and a variety of exotic string and woodwind accompaniment. He contributes to a rich vocal harmony that only brothers can create.

Join us on January 31st to witness the incredibly versatile guitarist Frank Vignola team up with rising jazz guitar star Pasquale Grasso to create an unique and intimate musical experience unlike any other!

Join us for an evening of comedy with Mike Wally Walter, Chris Kemper, and a surprise local! Hosted by Jamey Moriarty, and presented by Kraken Comedy.

“I’ve always resonated deeply with Wes Anderson’s movies,” muses Isenberg. “There was something so familiar about the way he captured the ache of adolescence.”

So he set out to put his own spin on songs by artists like David Bowie, Nick Drake and the Velvet Underground but through the lexicon of jazz orchestration and improvisation.

“The most exciting vocal group in a generation,” Windborne’s captivating show draws on the singers’ deep roots in traditions of vocal harmony, while the absolute uniqueness of their artistic approach brings old songs into the present. Known for the innovation of their arrangements, their harmonies are bold and anything but predictable.

Help fund Orcas Center's free outdoor Summer Concert Series!

Orcas Center's Summer Concert Series returns to the Village Green!
Give the gift of entertainment to our community and help fund this incredible program. This year features 18 FREE outdoor concerts on Eastsound's Village Green stage - with touring artists and local music makers, offering world class music from all kinds of genres at zero cost to you and your families.

This May, immerse yourself in music to transport your soul as Orcas Choral Society presents, “Glory, Grandeur & Gospel” for voices and brass.

Folk music festival in Eastsound on beautiful Orcas Island featuring The Litch Brothers Duo, Eli West, and Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms!

This concert showcases the growth of the public school string program on Orcas Island from 5th grade through graduating seniors. Come and support these talented young musicians!

With a performance history spanning more than 29 years and having released 15 CDs, Pearl Django endures as one of the most highly regarded Hot Club style groups working today. Although the band’s roots are firmly in the music made famous by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, its extensive repertoire includes traditional jazz classics and original compositions.

We Are Here is a one-hour documentary by Marc Levy that investigates the intention and process of a community whose aim is to move us to action through moving art. In We Are Here, we find out what makes a puppet come to life and we are challenged to reconsider our own place in the world.