The opening Festival Series performance of the 2019 June season takes a close look at two distinct but related styles of composition. We have on the one hand the Sonata in D minor, Op. 75, by Camille Saint-Saëns, and the Piano Quintet in A, Op. 81, by Antonin Dvořák. One lays the groundwork for the style known as Impressionism, while the other barters overtly in the compositional movement known as Nationalism, though no less image-rich than its French counterpart. These pieces were composed about two years and 550 miles apart, the former in 1885 (Paris), the latter in 1887 (Prague).

Immerse yourself in social and educational wine festivities with Walla Walla Valley wineries, guest winemakers from the world's leading wine regions and esteemed speakers for the 7th annual Celebrate Walla Walla Valley Wine. Participate in rare vintage tastings, reserve a seat at intimate winemaker dinners and compare and share the differences of the Walla Walla Valley with other leading wine regions around the world during wine panel presentations.

Night Music. Brings to mind Bob Seger and his evident work regarding “night moves.” However, we at WWCMF are taking a different tack. Night means all sorts of things. For example, there are animals that only come out at night. Turns out, these animals make different sounds than those that inhabit daylight. Béla Bartók was a composer who was famously fascinated by night sounds. His Third String Quartet stands as a great example of music conceived with a nocturnal soundscape in mind.

WWCMF presents a program of stunning variety for our third Festival Series performance of the June 2019 season. The cast includes piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, horn, trumpet and trombone. These amazing artists perform with such outstanding ensembles as the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (NY), Cleveland Orchestra (OH), Boston Modern Orchestra Project (MA) and the Seattle Symphony during the year. In June, we have them all to ourselves in Walla Walla.

Tonight, we blow out the candles on the 2019 Festival Series, literally. The program will end with a kaleidoscopic version of Happy Birthday To You. Did you know the iconic tune was composed by two American women, Patty and Mildred J. Hill? Yup. It happened in 1893, round about the time Sibelius composed the string trio that opened the very first Festival Series performance of 2019 back in January. Talk about coming full-circle. In this case, however, the famous tune has been given the “Winston Choi” treatment… That means lots of musical Easter Eggs for you to identify. It’s a mashup worthy of the 300+ birthdays we will celebrate in honor of those who attend.

Steve Fossen and Michael Derosier, bassist and drummer for the band Heart during the 1970s and early 1980s, are now touring as Heart By Heart. Fossen and Derosier are the powerful driving engine behind Heart's classic hits like “Barracuda”, “Straight On”, “Crazy On You”, “Magic Man”, “Even It Up”, “Dog & Butterfly”, “Heartless”, “Kick It Out”, and more. First formed by Steve Fossen in 1969, Heart went on to release six top-10 albums and landed 20 hit singles on the Billboard top 40 chart.

The 3rd Annual Walla Walla Movie Crush celebrates the most intoxicating blend of American short cinema over the course of three days (July 12 - 14). Once again, the festival will showcase narratives, documentaries, animation, music videos and experimental films grouped in themed packages and will showcase more than 100 new shorts from Oscar®-winners, household names, rising stars and wunderkinds.

Comedian, author, lecturer, host, and actress Paula Poundstone returns to Walla Walla to perform at Gesa Power House Theatre for two nights on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m. Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and spontaneous wit. She is also a popular panelist on NPR’s #1 show, the weekly comedy news quiz, “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”

Comedian, author, lecturer, host, and actress Paula Poundstone returns to Walla Walla to perform at Gesa Power House Theatre for two nights on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m. Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and spontaneous wit. She is also a popular panelist on NPR’s #1 show, the weekly comedy news quiz, “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”

"Phoenix, Oregon" is a new film that takes a comedic look at the existential crisis many face when trying to find meaning and relevancy at midlife. Despite controlling bosses, dead-end jobs, and broken relationships, the two leads must awaken hibernating courage and resilience in order to take new risks and keep dreams alive. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow the screening.

The Northwest Theater Project presents the live theatrical premiere production of "Cultivating the Queen" on Saturday, September 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Gesa Power House Theatre. "Cultivating the Queen" is an irreverent and comical examination of the female bawdy politic, in which a secret society investigates how Queen Elizabeth I was able to maintain power in a man's world. Drawing on text from Shakespeare's canon, this new play looks at the complications faced by women in power.

We had so many attendees, and those who did not attend due to weather, request another plateful of this wonderful music. So, we are offering an encore performance of the Music of New Orleans.  New Orleans is the womb of all contemporary styles of American music and we look forward to once again enjoying it with you! Laissez les bons temp rouler! - Gary Hemenway, Artistic Director, Walla Walla Choral Society

Celebrated pianist George Winston is undeniably a household name. He’s inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, live performance for Winston is akin to breathing. Winston’s music is evocative, offering us all a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives and let our minds adventurously wonder.

Celebrated pianist George Winston is undeniably a household name. He’s inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, live performance for Winston is akin to breathing. Winston’s music is evocative, offering us all a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives and let our minds adventurously wonder.

Come celebrate the legacy of our hometown hero with a FREE screening of the critically-acclaimed documentary "Starring Adam West" at 6:30 p.m. at Gesa Power House Theatre. This event free is part of the 3rd Annual Adam West Day celebration.

Unfortunately, this event schedule for October 4 has been cancelled. The performers were involved in a traffic accident and although they are (fortunately) all okay, they will not be able to perform this wee. We are working with "50 Shades of Men" to reschedule. All ticketholders will have the option of exchanging their tickets for the new date and keeping their seat selection, or they may request a full refund.

Pink Floyd tribute band Pigs on the Wing returns to Gesa Power House Theatre with a new concert experience on Friday, October 11 at 7:00 p.m. The new Pigs on the Wing concert will feature a full performance of Pink Floyd's 1977 album "Animals" and a second full set highlighting Pink Floyd's Roger Waters-era catalog.

For the fourth year in a row, Walla Walla celebrities will take to the stage at Gesa Power House Theatre on October 12 at 7:00 p.m. for the annual "Dancing with the W2 Stars" fundraising event for Valley Residential Services. Local participants will be paired with professional dancers and have a week of rehearsals to learn a ballroom dance routine before the live performance and a judging panel.

Che Apalache is a four-man string band based in Buenos Aires with members from Argentina, Mexico and the United States. The group’s founder is Joe Troop (fiddle), a North Carolinian multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and composer who moved to Argentina in 2010. While patiently carving out a niche in the local music scene, Joe taught bluegrass and old-time music for a living. That’s how he met Pau Barjau (banjo), Franco Martino (guitar) and Martin Bobrik (mandolin), his most dedicated students. They quickly became picking buddies and in 2013 decided to hit the stage.

Blood is thicker than water and there’s nothing like family creating music together to prove it. With contrasting blood-harmonies and left-handed/right-handed guitar playing, singer-songwriter duo The Talbott Brothers combine rock, blues and pop with honest storytelling.

Portland-based quartet Kate & The Crocodiles perform indie rock originals and covers, early jazz and jazz standards, reinventions of ’70s and ’80s rock as ballads, classical art songs mixed with rock and other surprises from far and wide. Lead singer Kate Morrison has deep ties to Walla Walla. Proceeds from this concert benefit The Health Center.

Bluewood Alpine Race Team (BART) will host a screening of Warren Miller's Timeless, the 70th annual ski and snowboard film by Warren Miller Entertainment, at Gesa Power House Theatre on Friday, November 8. Door open at 5:00 p.m. for a prefunk party (food truck, silent auction); The film screening begins at 7:30 p.m.

A new quarterly series of short film screenings will launch on Saturday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Gesa Power House Theatre. "Veterans Affairs: A Movie Crush Varietal" will feature 90 minutes of short film programming in honor of Veteran's Day, plus discussion and a Q&A with Movie Crush Executive Director Warren Etheredge. 

With selections from the Great American Songbook, classic Broadway, pop tunes from the 1950s, and jazz, female vocal trio America's Sweethearts sings their way through a variety of trios, duets, and solo features… all with a slice of old-fashioned fun!

The Walla Walla Symphony will hold its annual fundraising gala at Gesa Power House Theatre on Friday, November 15 at 6:00 pm. Support the Symphony and enjoy a great evening of food, wine, and music featuring American pianist Simone Dinnerstein!

Tickets ($75) are available through the Walla Walla Symphony website. 

Land Title of Walla Walla County and The Walla Walla Symphony present a special "Symphony on the Edge" concert by pianist Simone Dinnerstein, with two performances on Saturday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 17 at 3:00 p.m. American pianist Simone Dinnerstein is known for her “majestic originality of vision” (the Independent) and her “lean, knowing and unpretentious elegance” (the New Yorker).

Created by and starring Rafael Peral and Marisa Adame, "Raíz de 4" was born out of the admiration and esteem for Flamenco by delving into its most primitive roots, those very origins which evoke the convergence of cultures and the folklore of Spain. The purest styles of flamenco, some of which are: romances (ballads), martinetes, fandangos and soleares are brought into the forefront in a performance made up of a cast of distinguished artists.

The Walla Walla Choral Society's 2019-2020 concert season continues with a "Christmas in Cinema" concert at Gesa Power House Theatre on Sunday, December 1 at 3:00 p.m. and on Monday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m.