Central Oregon’s ‘best kept secret’ lies in music-loving Redmond

Published 9:00 am Thursday, September 19, 2024

With just one ticket, music lovers Redmond can experience five concerts from performers all over the world.

Redmond Community Concert Association hosts concerts from October to April at the Ridgeview High School that performers say is one of the best stages they’ve performed on, said Diana Barker, co-president and board development committee chair. And season tickets get you in to every show.

“We often say Redmond community concerts are the best kept secret in Central Oregon,” Barker said.

The concerts have been around for 40 years but even Barker didn’t know about it for years. But after people told her to go to some concerts, she said “it was the best thing I’ve ever done.” Now, she has volunteered for the RCCA for over 20 years.

She hopes others will also come to know the annual concert series that brings in big guests with long résumés.

“We haven’t gotten the word out as much as we should have, or as much as we’ve hoped to,” she said.

The concerts are held on Sundays, first a 2 p.m matinee followed by a 6:30 p.m. evening show.

Jay Jantzen, prior RCCA president, said was “very rare” for many of the musicians to perform twice in one day. Barker said both performances are pretty much identical, unless the performers alter their sets if the afternoon crowd gives feedback.

Tickets are general admission and sold only by a seasonal subscription. Subscriptions are $75 for a adult and $155 for families (two parents and children under 21). Tickets are just $25 for students under 21.

Matinee season tickets are already sold out, but subscriptions can still be purchased for 6:30 p.m. evening shows.

In the years before Covid-19, Jantzen said every show was sold out. But the pandemic “changed a lot in the entertainment business.” RCCA had to cancel for a couple years, and audiences have returned more slowly.

Jantzen has been involved in the association for 25 years, eight of which were as president.

“Seeing it grow from a relatively small organization to one of the best in the country with enough subscriptions for performers to appear twice, that’s my favorite thing,” Jantzen said.

Jantzen said subscribers get “quality entertainment,” with a high quality AlphaSound sound system in the new Ridgeview theater. He also appreciates that the prices are affordable — a fraction of most local concert prices and significantly less than the national festivals that blow through town.

The first group to perform is Dallas String Quartet on Oct. 6. The group plays a fusion of contemporary classical and pop music. They use traditional and electric strings with drums and guitar. DSQ is known for their eclectic renditions of “Sweet Child of Mine” by Guns N’ Roses and “Señorita” by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello.

Montréal Guitare Trio performs Nov. 3. The trio has performed for 25 years by singing, playing the violin, mandolin, bass, accordion and more, and of course, the three guitars.

Piano Heist performs Jan. 26 using a keyboard, music from the past 300 years, and current technology to deliver everything from classical piano to high energy 1980s music.

On March 9, Ken Lavigne performs with his classical tenor sound and contemporary style. He’ll be performing “3 Knights with a Tenor,” featuring music from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Paul McCartney and Elton John.

The last concert features Quartetto Gelato on April 13. Their performances include a blend of classical works, vocals and a tango style. Quartetto Gelato has performed around the world with sold-out performances in New York, London, Tokyo and more.

“We don’t just look for a piano player, we look for a piano player that’s an entertainer, someone who interacts with our audience,” Barker said. “You’re going to leave with, you know, a good feeling, whether you like that particular music or not, it’s going to be uplifting, entertaining and fun.”

Barker said the concerts are more personable than chamber music performances or concerts at Hayden Homes Amphitheater. The performers interact with the crowds during intermission and they even go to local Redmond schools the day after they perform to teach kids all about music.

“That’s my favorite part,” Barker said, mentioning she attends most of the school visits. “Just to see the kids light up and get excited and to participate in something that they haven’t before.”

The first group, Dallas String Quartet, will meet all the fourth graders in the district on Oct. 7 at Ridgeview High School’s Performing Arts Theater.

All of the concerts are family-friendly, Barker said. Additionally, RCCA awards scholarships for high school students in Redmond who study performing arts in college

Juntzen is stepping away from the board, but still plans on going to every concert. His favorite artist to perform was Jesse Cook and said it was the audience’s favorite too. Juntzen said “people from all over came to see Jesse,” including people from Canada, where Cook is from.

“People bought the subscription just to come for one day,” Jantzen said.

Another RCCA aspect that makes Jantzen “very proud” is the amount of women who attend the concerts. They purchase single tickets, and over the years, more women than men go to the shows. Now there’s a big group of them, many from Bend.

“They tell me it’s a safe environment here,” Jantzen said. “It’s the best compliment I could’ve got from anybody.”

Jantzen, Barker and the rest of their team all are volunteers, so the sheer passion for music keeps them going.

They are currently looking for more volunteers and those interested can contact Linda Hill, the volunteer coordinator, at (541) 788-2291 or lijehi@gmail.com.

In Jantzen’s absence he hopes RCCA “continues to go as well as it has been and improves to be even better. We’re the best thing around.”