Oregon East Symphony Youth Orchestra Offers Free Winter Concert in Pendleton

The Oregon East Symphony Youth Orchestra will bring a free winter concert to downtown Pendleton on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m., giving families a chance to hear local young musicians perform at the Vert Clubroom, 345 SW Fourth St. The program, led by Sam Ross, Grande Ronde Symphony music director and Youth Orchestra Director, will include performances by the beginner-level Preludes Orchestra followed by the intermediate-level OES Youth Orchestra.

Repertoire for the evening spans classical and 20th-century works, with the Allegro from Mozart’s Divertimento in F, K. 138; Leroy Anderson’s playful “Plink, Plank, Plunk!”; Florence Price’s “The Old Boatman”; and selections from Peter Warlock’s “Capriol Suite.” The concert is family-friendly and open to the public at no charge, and a reception with cookies and beverages will follow the performance.

Free cultural events like this lower financial barriers to arts participation for Union County families, providing young musicians practical performance experience without imposing ticket costs. For students, the chance to play Mozart, Price and Warlock before a live audience supports music education goals and can strengthen confidence, teamwork and school-connectedness, factors linked to improved mental health and academic engagement. For Pendleton, a community accustomed to supporting local arts, the concert offers a shared indoor gathering that reinforces social ties and civic life during the winter months.

Including a piece by Florence Price also broadens the concert’s cultural reach. Price, an important African American woman composer, brings historical diversity to a program that spans styles and eras, helping broaden young players’ musical perspectives and providing audiences with a wider representation of the classical canon.

Practical details matter for families planning to attend. The Vert Clubroom is located in downtown Pendleton, and the post-concert reception provides an informal opportunity to meet performers and their families. As an indoor winter event that welcomes all ages, the concert is likely to draw neighbors looking for accessible cultural programming and community connection.

The concert underlines a larger local policy question about funding and support for youth arts: community investments in rehearsal space, instruments and instruction enable programs that serve public health and social equity goals by offering safe, structured activities for young people. For readers, Jan. 29 is an opportunity to support local youth, enjoy a varied program of orchestral music, and take part in a free evening of culture in Pendleton, followed by cookies.