.png)
NEWPORT — The Spokane Symphony never fails to impress Janet Lambarth.
Lambarth is currently a member of the Spokane Symphony Chorale’s Cantabile Chapter, and formerly the president of the Spokane Symphony Associates. She has been involved with the Symphony as a volunteer and singer for around a decade, witnessing time and time again the Symphony musicians’ professionalism and passion for music.
“Even discussing it brings tears to my eyes,” Lambarth said, “because they are so good.”
That is why Lambarth, in collaboration with the Newport Creative District, Newport School District, Create Arts Center, Pend Oreille County Library District and numerous other community partners, is working on a project to host the Symphony in Newport.
The project consists of two parts, as previously reported by The Miner.
The first centers on education, offering interactive classroom instruction or school assemblies; The Newport School District is assuming responsibility for funding this part of the project. The second is a full symphony orchestra concert, open to the entire community — an opportunity for all Newport residents to experience a live orchestral performance close to home. The estimated cost for this part of the project is $25,000.
“It’s worth the money,” Lambarth said. “It’s a free concert. Everyone of any age and income level and education level can attend.” As such, a planning committee is collecting funding pledges from the community. Community members have already pledged $5,000 for the second part of the project, 20% of the $25,000 pledge goal.
Exbabylon pledged to match every dollar pledged through Monday, Aug. 31, via a grant from the Exbabylon Family Fund. That means that, if the community pledges $5,000, Exbabylon will pledge another $5,000 for a total of $10,000. This is per Exbabylon’s mission to “support educational and opportunity advancement for the communities we grew up with,” said Lambarth, a volunteer on the committee.
Additionally, the committee has made or aims to make donor contracts with the Kalispel Tribe, Pend Oreille Public Utility District No. 1, Newport Hospital and Health Services Foundation, NEW Health, Excess Disposal, Northwoods Performing Arts and dozens of others in and around Newport. The City of Newport and Robert Rosencrantz, Pend Oreille County Commissioner, are among those who have expressed interest in the project.
“A big project like this … really is beneficial to families,” Lambarth said. “And beneficial to the whole community and the reputation of everybody who lives and works here.”
Hosting the Symphony will widen access to the arts, strengthen regional community ties and inspire residents — namely, students — through the transformative power of live music, according to the committee.
The project encourages total student and teacher involvement with the Symphony through assemblies, as well as interactions between students and Symphony musicians via in-classroom lectures and demonstrations. This will encourage student musicians in Newport, many of whom have qualified for state-level competitions and awards, to develop even more skills and appreciation surrounding music, Lambarth said. For parents and guardians, the Symphony proves the feasibility of a future in the arts for their children.
Research has even shown that music improves brain health and growth, Lambarth said. The Symphony has performed for more than 20 facilities in the region with dementia patients.
“[Music is] a great relief in life to other things that are going on,” Lambarth said. “And it takes you away for a while because you can become emotionally involved when you listen.”
Moreover, two local musicians are in the Spokane Symphony: Steve Munson, the Newport School District’s sole music teacher, and Scott Rednour, an Eastern Washington University music program instructor from Cusick.
“[Music] makes a huge impression in people’s lives,” Lambarth said.
The final pledge deadline is Tuesday, Dec. 15, but the committee hopes to be close to the pledge goal by Tuesday, Sept. 15. Actual payments are not due until 2027.
The Newport Creative District, a state-accredited 501(c)(3), is gathering the pledge information. Pledge forms are available online via the Newport Creative District’s website, at newportcreativedistrict. com/spokane-symphony- plays-newport.
THIS STORY IS THE FIRST IN A FIVE-PART SERIES ABOUT MUSIC THE MINER IS PUBLISHING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SPOKANE SYMPHONY PROJECT PLANNING COMMITTEE. PLEDGE FORMS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE VIA THE NEWPORT CREATIVE DISTRICT’S WEBSITE, AT NEWPORTCREATIVEDISTRICT. COM/SPOKANE-SYMPHONY- PLAYS-NEWPORT.
