Special concert set for Stevensville library

A couple of musicians have teamed up to provide the Bitterroot community with an all too rare opportunity to hear some late baroque and more contemporary trumpet tunes performed in concert at the North Valley Public Library in Stevensville. Local trumpeter Elliott Oppenheim will be accompanied by pianist Heidi Schnarr in the First Friday evening performance.

The trumpet is Oppenheim’s instrument of choice, but his love of music is unbounded. Since he was trying to put together a performance for a fund-raiser in Missoula at the Roxy Theater, he was in search of a pianist to accompany him and he came upon Victor music teacher Heidi Schnarr. The two hit it off and the idea came up to try and do something for the benefit of the Bitterroot community while they were at it.

“We need music here in the Bitterroot,” said Oppenheim, when interviewed at a recent rehearsal. He said that both he and Schnarr were committed to music in the Bitterroot valley. 

“It’s a really important enrichment for children and for society in general,” said Oppenheim. “Music reaches a part of our soul that is just very important to develop.”

Schnarr echoed that sentiment. She has taught music and conducting, both publicly and privately, for over eight years now and has been the K-12 music teacher at Victor for the last year.

Oppenheim said that the library concert would have three anchor pieces, but other pieces not yet decided would also be played. 

One of the anchor pieces is a Concerto in D minor by German Baroque composer Georg Phillip Telemann (1681-1767). Oppenheim called his music “an important link between the late Baroque and early Classical styles.” Although it was originally written for oboe, Oppenheim will be playing it on a Bb piccolo trumpet. 

Another anchor piece is Trumpet Concerto, probably the most widely known composition by this Soviet and Armenian composer and pianist, written in 1950.

The third anchor piece is Rhapsody in Blue by George Jacob Gershwin written in 1924.

The rest will depend on serendipity and the whim of the musicians.

The concert is free and is being held at the North Valley Public Library located at 208 Main Street in Stevensville starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 3. The musicians hope to engage the audience in some conversation afterwards and will happy to answer any questions the audience members may have. It should be a fun and educational event.