Irish-themed tunes in ‘Emerald Green & Navy Blue’

By Michael Dashiell • February 7, 2024 1:30 am

On this stage, everyone’s at least a little bit Irish.

The Sequim City Band and guest Navy Band Northwest offer a St. Patrick’s Day treat with their next concert, “Emerald Green and Navy Blue,” set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, in the Donna M. Morris Theater at the Field Arts & Events Hall, 201 W. Front St., Port Angeles.

The bands also open their dress rehearsal at 11:30 a.m. to the public.

Both performances are free, though tickets may be reserved starting Friday, Feb. 9, at the Field Hall website (fieldhallevents.org).

Band representatives note that most of the reserve seats tickets for the concert will be spoken for within the first couple of weeks, but patrons may reserve general admission tickets for open dress rehearsal or enjoy the concert via live streaming while seated in the hall’s Sunset Lounge.

Sequim City Band’s music director Tyler Benedict notes that the band has been “honored over the years to perform with various groupings of Navy Band Northwest.”

This time around, the Sequim City Band has the pleasure of performing with MU2 Leland Matsumura as solo trombonist, as band members accompany him on “Fantastic Polka” by Arthur Pryor.

“And then we, along with the audience, will enjoy the full Navy Band Northwest performing some Percy Grainger pieces: ‘Molly on the Shore’ and ‘Irish Tune from County Derry,’ which you may know as the song ‘Danny Boy’,” Benedict said.

This will be the first time Navy Band Northwest will be performing on the Field Hall’s stage.

“Navy Band Northwest is excited to share the stage with the Sequim City Band, connecting with the people of Clallam County while representing the work of Sailors around the world and honoring the service of our veterans,” said Lt. Joel Thiesfeldt, music director for Navy Band Northwest. The program includes marches, Irish and Scottish music for St. Patrick’s Day, and the beautiful folk music of Percy Grainger. There is something for everyone.”

The band is for the first time offering two chances to see the band by adding on the full dress rehearsal.

The dress rehearsal will essentially be a run-through of the program,” Benedict said. “We may need to stop to adjust a few aspects of our performance, but it will be very close to the atmosphere of the 3 p.m. performance.”

The Field Hall Café and Lounge will offer Irish-themed food and beverages to match the theme of the day. The Field Hall will be open so that patrons can enjoy some food and drink starting at noon.

Donations to the Sequim City Band, an all-volunteer community band, are accepted and will be used to continue providing free family-friendly concerts, members said.

Navy Band Northwest do not receive payment for performing at this concert.

Save the date: The Sequim City Band’s opening concert for the 2024 “Concert at the James” series is 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at the James Center for the Performing Arts at Carrie Blake Community Park, during the opening weekend of the Sequim Irrigation Festival.

Find more information about the performances and Sequim City Band at sequimcityband.org.