Font ResizeTWO-TIME GRAMMY award winner Bill Harley will bring his insightful, serious and silly songs and stories to the Amador Theater in Pleasanton on Saturday.
Pleasanton Civic Arts is hosting the special 7:30 p.m. show as part of its SaturYAY! series for children and parents. The theater is at 1155 Santa Rita Road.
New at that performance will be Harley's rendition of his latest release, "Wash Your Hands" ("Lavate las Manos"), a song he wrote to remind children, and hopefully the rest of us too, that washing hands will help prevent the spread of the flu.
Harley is a prolific author and recording artist who is a regular commentator for National Public Radio and PBS. He joined the National Storytelling Network's Circle of Excellence in 2001, touring nationwide as an author, performing artist and keynote speaker.
Most recently, Harley won the 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Awards in the Children's Storytelling Album category for "Yes to Running! Bill Harley Live." Just Plain Folks Music Organization is a grass-roots organization of music professionals.
Tickets to the Harley performance cost $10 to $18 for adults and $6 to $14 for children. They may be purchased online at www.civicartstickets.org, by phone at 925- 931-3444, or in person at the Amador Theater Box Office.
LIVERMORE-AMADOR SYMPHONY will present "POPS Travels the World" on Friday, Nov. 6 and
The orchestra will be accompanied by soloists Wendy Mason and Dale Larsen who also will lead the POPS traditional singalongs. Costumes fitting the theme are strongly encouraged.
The tickets cost $20 and are available through the Bankhead Theater Box Office or by calling 925-373-6800.
AND WHILE WE'RE on the subject of orchestras, the Contra Costa Wind Symphony offers a new take on its upcoming concert: the musicians, who will be joined by a trumpet soloist and a guest conductor, have chosen the lineup by voting for their personal favorites.
Trumpet soloist Ben Loomer, a music teacher at Stone Valley Middle School in Alamo, will play Leroy Anderson's "Trumpeters Lullaby." Guest conductor Larry Widener, the director of bands and orchestra at Deer Valley High School in Antioch, will conduct John Barry's score from the movie "Dances with Wolves."
Among the selections will be "Gandalf: The Wizard from Symphony No. 1: The Lord of the Rings" by Johan de Meij.
Did you know there was a symphony inspired by Tolkien's books? Neither did I. De Meij is a Dutch composer. He wrote it in 1988, and now you have a chance to hear it and see if it reminds you of Gandalf.
This unique concert will be held Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, 49 Knox Drive in Lafayette. Tickets cost $10 at the door.
