Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival is bringing the fun and energetic brass quartet The Westerlies to the San Juan Islands in late April to spread the joy of brass music through community concerts and educational activities on Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw.

Formed in 2011, the self-described “accidental brass quartet” takes its name from the prevailing winds that travel from west to east. Childhood friends from Seattle now based in New York, trumpet players Riley Mulherkar and Zubin Hensler and trombonists Andy Clausen and Willem de Koch are “skilled interpreters who are also adept improvisers” (NPR’s Fresh Air). The Westerlies explore jazz, roots, and chamber music influences to create music for audiences of all musical tastes.

The Westerlies are frequently invited to engage in educational and community outreach. They have presented masterclasses at music institutions such as The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music, and Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival is pleased that students of all ages in the San Juan Islands will have the opportunity to play and learn with these dynamic and talented musicians. The week-long residency is based on “A Common Language: Development of the American Song,” a lecture/demonstration developed by The Westerlies.

The quartet begins their action-packed OICMF residency on Monday, April 23, in an early morning session with Orcas High School students. The Westerlies continue their day with an afternoon masterclass for Orcas Island brass players and in the evening The Westerlies work and play with Orcas Island Community Band.

On Tuesday, April 24, The Westerlies board a morning ferry bound for Lopez Island, where they will share their energetic music with the students of Lopez schools at an afternoon assembly. Lopez Islanders are invited that evening to Lopez Center for a free Community Concert at 6:30pm.

The Westerlies are back on Orcas Wednesday morning, and might just be seen strolling the streets of Eastsound with their instruments before they play for an Orcas Christian School assembly in the afternoon!

On Thursday, April 26, The Westerlies are back in the Orcas School Band Room to continue working with high school and middle school band students before performing at Orcas Center for the Orcas Island Elementary students in the afternoon.

Mark your calendars for 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, and come to the Orcas Island Grange for a Community Concert with The Westerlies! Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students 18 and younger, and are available at Darvill’s Bookstore.

The Westerlies complete their musical tour of the San Juan Islands on Friday, April 27, with a stop on Shaw Island to work with students at the Shaw School in the afternoon, and at 6:00 the Shaw Island community is invited to hear The Westerlies at a Community Concert at the Shaw Community Center. Admission to the Shaw concert is by donation.

This series of Musicians-in-Residence events are supported in part by a grant from the Washington State Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts and underwriting from Mimi and Slim Sommerville, Carolyn Haugen, The Shaw School Foundation and the Driftwood Fund.