Community Calendar

IN BRIEF

Pianist Erik Hall, Sandbox Percussion and UW School of Music students & faculty join ECM for Simeon ten Holt’s evening-length minimalist work. Originally a keyboard piece by the Dutch composer, Canto Ostinato is made of overlapping layers and repeated patterns, amassing a cult following. This 17-piece ensemble arrangement, led and commissioned by Metropolis Ensemble’s Founder & Director, Andrew Cyr, will be a one of a kind experience - an evening NOT to be missed!

THE TUNES

Simeon ten Holt Canto Ostinato
(conceived and developed for large ensemble by Andrew Cyr, Erik Hall, and Jonny Allen)

In partnership with Metropolis Ensemble and UW School of Music

ARTISTS

Andrew Cyr, Music Director | Erik Hall, keyboard/synthesizer | Sandbox Percussion, Ensemble in Residence | Kristin Lee, violin | UW School of Music Faculty- Bonnie Whiting, percussion & John Popham, cello | UW School of Music Students

Eight years ago The Westerlies started a festival in their hometown of Seattle, dedicated to getting into schools during the days and presenting new music every night. Since then, they have reached thousands of students across Seattle, commissioned new work for brass quartet, collaborated with artists including Wayne Horvitz, Haley Heynderickx, and Celisse, and even recorded a live concert film!

For this year's Westerlies Fest, the band is thrilled to present four nights of music with three public concerts:

April 8 at Fremont Abbey - Opening night will feature an Album Release Celebration of our upcoming LP featuring world premiere compositions by Bill Frisell.

April 9 at The Chapel - One of the highlights of last year’s Westerlies Fest was our live recording of Songbook, Vol. 3 — from the moment we played our last notes, we had folks asking if we’d do it again next year! This year’s Songbook, Vol. 4 will be recorded and filmed at The Chapel, one of the most acoustically sacred spaces in Seattle. Come join us and be a part of the magic.

April 11 at 415 on Westlake - 15 years!! We formed this band in 2011 and we can’t believe the wild ride it has been, from Coachella to Carnegie Hall to the Grammys! Join us for a concert and celebration of how far we’ve come.

Supported by KNKX. Listening to the abundant sounds of the Seattle-based funk & soul group, True Loves, is like walking down a favorite neighborhood street, slapping five with friends, checking up with clerks in their stores, admiring your dark sun-glassed face in their windows, ducking under flowerpots and smelling the familiar smells of your most cherished locale. The band is its own block party.

What began in 2014 as a jam session between three of the city’s best - pocket-perfect drummer David McGraw, intoxicating bassist Bryant Moore, and otherworldly guitarist Jimmy James - has since blossomed into a global force that features percussionist Iván Galvez, trombonist Greg Kramer, and saxophonists Gordon Brown and Skerik. Together, the group’s live performances have garnered them much acclaim and millions of streams on YouTube.

In 2017, True Loves recorded their debut instrumental LP, Famous Last Words which received worldwide adoration and earned them spots at coveted festivals. In 2021, the group released their sophomore album, to high praise, Sunday Afternoon.

GRAMMY-winning Soul provider Nigel Hall is an artist who needs no introduction. Throughout his career, he’s built a mighty foundation of funk, onstage and in the studio, proving himself to be a true student of the music. His unique sound, built upon pages torn out of the golden-ages of R&B, funk and soul, have made him the musician he is today; an accomplished vocalist, keyboardist, studio musician, and member of the GRAMMY-nominated funk-jazz-soul-hip-hop-psychedelic-jam-experimental titans Lettuce. Legions of fans are already well in the know about Hall’s copious keyboard chops and powerful vocal style.

OAT (Olympic Adventure Trail) Run is a 12K, half marathon, and 50K trail race on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. The point-to-point courses (12K and half marathon) and out-and-back (50K) take place on the singletrack Olympic Adventure Trail, with a post-race party at Extreme Sports Park with bonfire, hot food, beer garden and door prizes.

Bring the whole family out for a hands-on, community-focused day centered on black bears, conservation, and living responsibly in bear country. The Black Bear Bonanza will feature practical bear conflict-prevention education, bear biology and population insights from local experts, live demonstrations, youth activities, and conversations about the cultural, ecological, and conservation role of regulated bear hunting.

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Washington State Historical Society invites you to explore the history of building the State History Museum. 30 Years and Counting: The Making of the Washington State History Museum is a special exhibition that uncovers the vision, effort, and community spirit that brought this iconic Tacoma landmark to life.

Discover the bold ideas and architectural ingenuity that shaped the museum’s distinctive look. From early sketches to final blueprints, see how the building’s design reflects both innovation and reverence for Washington’s past. Go behind the scenes of the museum’s construction. Through photographs and artifacts from the building process, witness how a dream took shape—brick by brick, beam by beam.

Staff Picks: 30 Objects for 30 Years

In a special feature area, museum staff share their favorite objects from the collection—each one a personal reflection on the power of history to inspire, surprise, and connect us.

The 37th Annual Best of the Northwest Spring Show- Seattle’s Premier Art & Fine Craft Show. Enjoy art and fine craft from more than one hundred vendors. Special exhibit by Northwest Stone Sculptors Association, with stone carving workshop for kids. Food trucks, FREE parking, ADA accessible.

More information at nwartalliance.org

Spread your wings and go wild this Spring Break at the Hands On Children’s Museum! Enjoy feathered fun with live animals, bird and bug science, and hands-on flying crafts.

Live Animal Guests & Special Experiences:

• Meet live raptors with The Falconer and visit friendly chickens from Animal Encounters Petting Zoo.
• Get up close with insects from Pest Stop and learn which bugs are helpful (and even edible!).
• Discover how birds evolved from dinosaurs with experts from the Burke Museum.
• Learn backyard birding tips with the South Sound Bird Alliance and build a feeder in our MakeSpace.
• Enjoy high-energy science demos with Dr. Science and music and stories at Rock N’ Read with Liza.

Presented by: Watson’s Greenhouse

The Falconer Sponsored by: Wild Birds Unlimited

Creepy Crawlies & Crickets Sponsored by: Pest Stop

Learn the basics of hand embroidery in this beginner-friendly youth workshop inspired by classic Nordic floral motifs. Students will practice simple stitches while creating designs based on leaves, flowers, and natural patterns found in Nordic landscapes.

No experience necessary; all materials are provided. This hands-on program offers a calm, creative space to slow down, try something new, and leave with a finished piece and skills to continue stitching at home.

Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.

Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.