The Water Music Society is about to celebrate a significant milestone.
It was 40 years ago that Ann Kischner gathered a small group together to bring quality music to the Long Beach Peninsula.
They started in 1985 with chamber music and intimate concerts and morphed over the decades into an annual season of four significant events that are fixtures on the Peninsula calendar.
As well as staging events showcasing invited professionals, the society’s other goal is to raise money for local music programs in Ocean Beach School District.
“Being a part of the Water Music Society for almost 20 years has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have ever had, especially since we began supporting the music programs in all of the area schools,” said Diane Marshall, a society board member who chairs three of the season’s events. “Involvement in music programs can be a life-changing experience, particularly for young people.”

Extras

This year they are adding a couple of extra activities in the anniversary year lineup.
The season will open with the Brubeck Brothers Quartet June 15. The group will play a 3 p.m. concert at the Chinook Events Center, 810 U.S. Highway 101 in Chinook. Tickets are $45 per person, online at watermusicsociety.com. The concert will feature drummer Dan Brubeck with an interactive video featuring clips of his late father, jazz legend Dave Brubeck, and some past presidents.
The show is a fund-raiser to assist Rachel Lake, director of the Ilwaco High School music department, who is planning a trip to Florida next March with as many as 100 students. While there, IHS musicians will perform at an international festival on the Disney campus and the jazz band, Mariachi bands and percussion ensemble will perform at Universal Studios. All groups will participate in a backstage workshop where they will record a soundtrack to a movie and participate in a professionally adjudicated competition.
Lake’s eyes lit up when asked to comment on the group’s generous support for her students.
““The support from the Water Music Society has had a profound and lasting impact on our music program at Ilwaco High School,” she said. “Their generosity has provided our students with access to world-renowned performer workshops, essential instruments, and opportunities to travel and perform at national events.
“Whether it’s funding, equipment, or meaningful experiences, the Water Music Society has consistently stepped in to help our students grow as musicians and individuals. We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing support and belief in the power of music education.”

Garden music

Music in the Gardens is scheduled July 12, although the locations of the selected gardens are a closely kept secret. It is the 20th anniversary of this annual tour, which features a self-guided trip around Long Beach Peninsula gardens, often with live music or an artist in each garden. Tickets are $20 online available at three local venues a week before the tour. More information will be posted on the Music in the Gardens Facebook page. Tours will take place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on one day only.
The Jazz and Oysters festival has been scheduled Aug. 9. Tickets for adults will be $25. online or at the door. Ages 6 to 18 are charged $13 and anyone five and under are admitted free. The event is held at the Port of Peninsula in Nahcotta, and will feature wine, beer and other beverages.
The Water Music Society will host a 40th anniversary gala at the Chinook Event Center on Oct. 18 with a social at 2 p.m. and concert at 3 p.m. Tickets will be $30, online or at door if any remain. The theme of the concert is “Broadway Lights,” and as well as singers there will be a pianist, violinist and other instrumentalists.
The anniversary year concludes with the annual Christmas concert. This year people will don their ugly sweaters Dec. 7 for a return visit of pianist George Mitchell. Vocalist Gina Saputo and three other musicians will perform.
The show, also at the Chinook Event Center, begins with a social hour at 2 p.m. and concert at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15, online or at door if any remain, although Marshall noted that the event usually sells out.

Variety

“I love that the Water Music Society offers such a wide variety of musical experiences — from live music in gardens, to an outdoor jazz festival with food and beverages, to the signature Water Music Festival that features all types of music, to our annual Christmas concert that people love attending to jump-start their holiday season,” Marshall added. “In troubling times, music is truly the universal language that binds us all together.”

Water Music Society
For details of events and advance ticket sales, log on to watermusicsociety.com