World class music right at home

COLUMBIA BASIN — One of the area's greatest secrets doesn't want to be kept a secret anymore.

The Central Basin Community Concert Association recently completed a season with its final concert earlier this month, and began a weeklong membership drive. But due to low turnout, the drive has been extended, which is something typical for the organization, longtime member Arlie Updegrave said.

"We always have to extend it, probably because we never seem to get enough at that time," he said.

The association's concert season begins in the fall and runs into the spring.

"Like any organization, we struggle to keep enough members," Updegrave explained. "There's a lot of new people coming into town. It's amazing to me, even though the community concert association's been in Moses Lake for 53 years, there's all sorts of people who have been here for a long time that don't even know about it."

"It's probably one of the greatest kept secrets in Moses Lake," longtime member Evie Vrieling said. "People keep saying we need more culture, but they don't know we have it."

Each season offers four concerts, with performers who play throughout the world, Updegrave said.

"It's the same class of concerts you get in Spokane or Seattle," Vrieling said. "But you drive to Spokane, spend the gas, have a dinner, maybe stay overnight and go to the same caliber concert as we have here in Moses Lake."

Each year, the association tries to bring variety to its season with concerts selected, from comedy to bluegrass to classical. Next season, Presidio Brass performs Sept. 17, Davide Cabassi Jan. 26, 2008; Sourdough Slim March 25, 2008; and Celtic Tours April 22, 2008.

Vrieling feels membership is a privilege because of the added knowledge it allows while living in a smaller community.

"My feeling is it is the culture we need to advance," Vrieling said. "A more higher caliber which would normally be just in the big cities, but the more memberships we have, the better concerts we can have."

The association has to know its membership numbers ahead of time to obtain concerts accordingly. Tickets are not taken at the door, Vrieling explained. A membership card is presented instead.

The association typically ends up numbering 500 to 600 members, but Updegrave would like to see enough to fill Big Bend Community College's 700-some seat Wallenstien Theater.

Membership also has the potential for reciprocity with other regional concerts in Yakima, Richland, Pasco and Wenatchee, Updegrave and Vrieling said.

Adult memberships cost $50, a family membership $125, students $25 and a single-parent family $75.

Anyone interested in becoming a member should call 509-765-4150, Vrieling at 509-765-3370, Updegrave at 509-765-6444 or any board member. New members are welcome any time, Vrieling said.

"It's great to be able to bring this style and ability of these people here," Updegrave said. "If we didn't have a concert association, they'd be going to Spokane to one a year, or maybe none a year. Being they're here in Moses Lake, man, all you've got to do is hop in the car and drive out to the theater, and see a concert that a lot of them are known worldwide."