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FLATHEADBEACON.COM ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 15, 2014 | 35

“ARTS HERE ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE SO REMOTE. WE DON’T HAVE A BIG METRO AREA NEARBY, SO

THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO (BRING THE ARTS) TO PEOPLE IN THE FLATHEAD VALLEY”

Luke Walrath, marketing & development director of the Alpine Theatre Project

the group of artists kept practicing and Project will perform as the narrator
eventually started calling themselves during the program. Walrath said the at-
the Flathead Valley Chamber Orchestra mosphere and music would be enticing
and Chorale. Today, the group is made for the younger listeners, which is a big
up of more than 280 musicians and per- part of the way the symphony is putting
forms more than 30 concerts a year.
on the show. Zoltek and Walrath said it’s
About 65 musicians will perform important to expose children to the arts

during the Carnival of the Animals, at a young age.
which was written by French roman- “It’s really about getting the kids
tic composer Camille Saint-Säns. The interested and showing them how each
concert brings to life a parade of animals sound can represent an animal,” Wal-
through music and instruments. Ironi- rath said. “Arts here are so important
cally, Saint-Säns, who died in the 1920s, because we are so remote. We don’t have
never wanted the piece to be performed, a big metro area nearby, so the arts or-
feeling it did not match his catalog of ganizations have to (bring the arts) to

work.
people in the Flathead Valley.”
“It was a joke piece,” Zoltek said. “He The concerts will be held at the
was a composer of serious work.”
Whiteish Performing Arts Center at
The piece is organized in 14 short 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 18 and the Flathead
movements and each one depicts an ani- High Performance Hall in Kalispell at
mal or scene. Zoltek said the piece went 3 p.m. on Jan. 19. Tickets for adults are
relatively unknown until the 20th Cen- Original oil painting by Kalispell artist, Jennifer Li used to illustrate the GSC Family Concert between $15 and $32 depending on the
“Carnival of the Animals”
tury, when orchestras started to play CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
seat. Tickets for children through grade
lighter pieces to attract younger listen- 12 can be purchased for $10 at www.gsc-
ers. Interestingly, when the piece was music.org or by calling (406) 407-7000. even a cartoon featuring Dafy Duck and tra in the 1950s by Bill Holcombe.
played after Saint-Säns died it became You can also purchase tickets at the Bugs Bunny.
Zoltek said the show will have a car-
one of his most popular works. It went symphony oice at 69 North Main Street Although Carnival of the Animals nival-like atmosphere and images of the
on to be used as the backdrop of chil- in Kalispell.
was meant for a small group of musi- animals will be projected on screen. Ac-
dren’s books, ballet interpretations and
[email protected]
cians, it was adapted for a larger orches-
tor Luke Walrath of the Alpine Theatre