The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - For several years, top notch musicians have converged on the Walla Walla Valley during the month of June, sharing their love of chamber music through spectacular performances.

And though the name of the festival would suggest that the festival is limited to the city, in truth the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival offers events in neighboring communities, and this year two of those musical moments will take place in Dayton.

Fun With Music, to be held Friday at 4 p.m. at the Dayton Memorial Library is an outreach activity geared towards, but not limited to, children. It is a perfect way to learn more about chamber music.

The musicians will play short selections, drawing attention to different elements in the musical composition, like rhythm, melody, harmony and instrumentation. Priority seating is reserved for children, but all ages are welcome.

The chamber musicians will return to Dayton on Thursday, June 16 for a 10 a.m. open rehearsal at the Liberty Theater. The open rehearsals are a one hour opportunity to watch the complex and creative process of bringing musicians together to interpret a piece of music. It’s a joyful, free, and informal way to hear the music in a new way.

The Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival kicks off June 2 and runs through the 25th, with over 30 events. Further information on the festival, and performances, can be found on the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival website, http://www.wwcmf.org.

For information about Fun With Music, contact the Dayton Memorial Library at (509) 382-4131, or visit daytonmemoriallibrary.org. Contact the Liberty Theater at (509) 382-1380, or visit http://www.libertytheater.org, for more information about the June 14 Open Rehearsal.