Lynette Westendorf and friends will entertain Thursday.
By Ann McCreary
In the first of two scholarship fundraising concerts, composer and pianist Lynette Westendorf will present “A Whimsical Retrospective of My Life in Music” on Thursday (Jan. 14) at 7 p.m. at The Merc Playhouse in Twisp.
This will be the fifth birthday performance by Westendorf, who will be joined by George Schneider on flute, Howie Johnson on bass and Tara Kaiyala Weaver on violin.
Westendorf has chosen a light-hearted narrative format to highlight her background as a church pianist and organist, traveling singer-songwriter, eclectic collaborator, jazz musician, and composer of creative new music.
Westendorf has been composing and performing in the Methow Valley for more than 15 years. She is also an educator, music teacher and lecturer.
Music begins at 7 p.m. and admission is by donation as a benefit for Cascadia’s music scholarships and the Methow Valley Education Foundation in honor of Tom Zbyszewski.
In another scholarship fundraising concert, Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto and flutist Paul Taub will present a benefit concert at The Merc on March 12, with proceeds to benefit the Methow Valley Education Foundation and the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in honor of Richard Wheeler, Andrew Zajac, Daniel Lyon and Zbyszewski.
Immediately after last summer’s fires both musicians volunteered to bring a benefit performance to the valley. Both are world-class musicians with past ties to the valley.
For more information, contact Westendorf at 996-3418.
