An Interview With Shawn Colvin

by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS The name Shawn Colvin is familiar to anyone who owned a radio in the summer of 1997, when her song “Sunny Came Home” was a top-10 smash that earned Grammy wins for best record and song. She’d already won “Best Contemporary Folk Album” six years prior for her debut …

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Rock Against Trump, a Youth-Led Benefit Concert

by Tom Simpson for OLY ARTS In early June, the Capitol Theater in Olympia will see notable Pacific Northwest bands join forces in a benefit concern entitled “Rock against Trump.” According to organizers, the concert is intended to promote community unity. Funds raised will benefit the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, a nonprofit organization that promotes advocacy and …

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Frankie Cosmos in Olympia

by Kate Hayes for OLY ARTS Frankie Cosmos is on her way to Olympia! Next Wednesday night (April 18), Frankie will headline a collaborative show at the Olympia Film Society’s Capital Theater that also includes Ian Sweet, Soar and Trust Fall. Frankie Cosmos is one of a number of lo-fi indie musicians who were inspired …

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Las Cafeteras: Eclectic Big Band Tastes Like L.A.

by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS One would be hard-pressed to find a band more intimately ingrained in the Los Angeles scene than Las Cafeteras. Their sound is an eclectic mixture of styles, combining elements of folk, hip-hop, cumbia, punk and Americana, reflecting the vibrant multicultural makeup of L.A. They formed at local community center Eastside …

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Olympia Symphony Orchestra Concert: Coming Full Circle

by Karen Lunde for OLY ARTS   In June of 1947, the Olympia Symphony Orchestra (OSO) performed its first ever work — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Overture to Don Giovanni.” Now, at the culmination of its 65th season, the OSO will once again open with Mozart’s famous overture — in essence, coming full circle. The concert …

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LaVon Hardison Is Earshot Jazz Vocalist of The Year

by Tom Simpson for OLY ARTS Olympia’s own Lavon Hardison was voted the 2017 Northwest Vocalist of the Year on Monday night by Earshot Jazz, a nationally known jazz non-profit organization in Seattle, Washington. “Thanks to Earshot Jazz and all of you who voted! I’m humbled by this honor,” said Hardison on her Facebook page. …

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Masterworks Choral Ensemble Celebrates Female Composers

by Karen Lunde for OLY ARTS When one thinks of Mendelssohn, one likely thinks of Felix. But Felix Mendelssohn’s older sister Fanny was a virtuoso pianist and a prolific, gifted composer. Her talents were obscured by the societal constraints of her time, which kept women from pursuing musical professions. For its April concert, Masterworks Choral …

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Say Yes to Pink Martini

by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Portland-based Pink Martini is a danceable jazz combo with international flair. “More and more,” said founder Thomas Lauderdale, “as time goes on and we see the growth of so much bitter divisiveness in America and across the globe, our ambition is to find commonalities and bring people together with …

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Olympia Peace Choir Spring Concert

by Tom Simpson for OLY ARTS The Olympia Peace Choir will hold its annual spring concert this coming Saturday. The concert has become an annual event for this choir of over 100 singers. This year, the concert will feature songs about peace and social consciousness from diverse cultures, including music by classical pianist Robert Jorgensen, …

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Get Your Pitch On: Harmony Sweepstakes at the Washington Center

by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS   Prepare yourself for Pitch Perfect, West Coast Style. The Harmony Sweepstakes acapella competition is coming back to the Washington Center this March, hosted by the Masterworks Choral Ensemble. “Acapella is pure, it’s just voices in a microphone,” said Masterworks leader and show director Gary Witley. “You don’t have …

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