Outdoor Concerts Are Underway

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To start the Free Fridays at the Fort series this past week, Voice Works performers Valerie Mindel, left, Flora Miller, 8, and Emily Miller sing to the crowd on the Commons lawn. Photo by Beacon staff  [/caption]

News by Beacon staff

Summer’s here and the time is right for music in the out of doors. The Free Fridays at the Fort concert series had its triumphant return this past week on the Commons lawn at Fort Worden State Park, complete with food and coffee vendors and a rapt crowd of listeners.

“It’s been a challenge this year for Centrum at Fort Worden,” said Peter McCracken, program manager for Centrum’s Voice Works and Fiddle Tunes workshops.

With the collapse of the Public Development Authority and resulting changes in venues, food service and lodging, we might have seen a reduction in this summer’s events. But Centrum, a fort stalwart for 52 years now, has pulled together a season full to overflowing. Details about workshops and performances are found at centrum.org.

“Every one of our voices is needed and belongs,” Sarena Partridge sang last Friday at the first free noontime concert. This one celebrated Centrum’s Voice Works week of classes, performances and singing, singing, singing.

This Voice Works brought together 128 singers ages 16 to 86, Centrum Executive Director Rob Birman told the audience. They came from 11 states and Canada, he noted; half were first-timers. Faculty members who performed Friday included the heavenly-voiced Rachael Price, artistic director Pharis Romero and her husband Jason, and Emily Miller, who shared the stage with both her mother Valerie Mindel and her young daughter Flora Miller.

The Free Fridays at the Fort concerts all start at noon and run for an hour beside the Nora Porter Commons at Fort Worden, 200 Battery Way in Port Townsend. The rest of the calendar goes like this:

This Friday, July 4: A Fiddle Tunes showcase;

July 11: Anzanga Marimba Ensemble;

July 18: Danny Barnes plays music informed by bluegrass, jazz, blues and even hip-hop;

July 25: Swinging sets from the Jazz Port Townsend workshop performers;

Aug. 1: Acoustic Blues Workshop & Festival showcase.