Camerata Musica: Camerata faces challenge, eyes the opportunity

When Gilbert Boyer sat down at the piano in the Battelle auditorium in September 1969 for the first Camerata Musica concert, neither he nor the organizers had any idea that they were ushering in a series that still would be going strong 49 years later. Within a year, the current format of eight concerts, including one focused on local students, was established.

Supported primarily by donations and housed in the Battelle Auditorium, an intimate space perfectly suited to chamber music, the series thrived. While early concerts presented one or two musicians from nearby colleges and universities, recent years have seen presentations by larger national and international ensembles, including ensembles from Canada, Germany, and Spain.

With successes like these, the Camerata Board could perhaps be forgiven for thinking that we would be able to continue doing what had worked so well in the past. Life, however, is full of surprises. Several months ago, we were informed that our access to the Battelle Auditorium would be severely curtailed, and probably eliminated, in the future. Because we already had contracts with musicians for the 2017-18 season when we heard about this, we will be allowed to complete the current season as originally planned, but nothing else. As of now, the April 2018 concert featuring Byron Schenkman & Friends will be our last one there.

Once our initial surprise subsided, the board strategized about those features of Camerata that are critical to its identity and which are negotiable. At the end of the process, we identified several characteristics to focus on. Because we primarily present chamber music, we felt that an intimate space rather than a large auditorium is important, as are good acoustics and access to an excellent concert-quality piano.

There are few places in the Tri-Cities that meet those criteria. One that does is, fortunately, the performance theater at Columbia Basin College, whose Dean of Arts & Humanities & Physical Education, Bill McKay, has welcomed us with open arms. The CBC auditorium is roughly the same size as Battelle’s, so we will preserve the intimate setting that both audiences and musicians love about the series. Acoustics are excellent and the piano, a 9-foot Steinway, is splendid.

When we compared schedules, we were delighted to see that for five of our evening programs there is no conflict with the college’s own needs. November and April dates, however, fall during the time when CBCs theater program will be using the space themselves.

We currently are uncertain about where those concerts will be held. As our selection committee plans the 2018-19 season, we will consider where particular groups might sound best. In many cities, chamber music concerts often are held in churches; were hoping that well also be able to find one or two of appropriate size and acoustical quality that will be willing to help us. As needed, we also will look at spaces in schools.

The Young Artists of Distinction concert, our annual tribute to local students, will be held in the Gallery at the Richland Public Library. While this is a much smaller space than the Battelle auditorium weve used in the past, its capacity matches well with the size of the audience that typically attends that program.

The Camerata Board recognizes that this challenge is also an opportunity. Its possible that by changing locations, we may find new supporters who dont currently attend our programs. Being on the CBC campus may encourage more students and staff to attend. As we approach the half-century mark, we are looking forward to continuing to meet our mission bringing the best chamber musicians and soloists we can afford to perform at concerts open to the public. We hope that the community that has supported the series so generously will continue to do so.

This story was originally published April 2, 2018 at 2:01 PM with the headline "Camerata Musica: Camerata faces challenge, eyes the opportunity."