Port Angeles orchestra planning for trip to Carnegie Hall in 2027

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, December 23, 2025

PORT ANGELES — Fifteen months can feel like an eternity — unless you’re trying to raise six figures so a high school orchestra can take the world’s most famous stage.

That’s the challenge facing the Port Angeles High School orchestra as it prepares for its 10th performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The Easter Sunday concert, scheduled for March 28, 2027, may still be a long way off on the calendar, but fundraising for the roughly $120,000 required to rent the storied venue and cover travel costs is already underway.

Organizers hope to raise between $30,000 and $50,000 of that total through community fundraising, with the remainder covered by individual student contributions and other support.

“It’s a little overwhelming right now,” said Kim Sager, fundraising coordinator for Orchestra Parents United for Students, an organization that supports the program.

While OPUS’ broader mission is to expand student access to instruments and enrichment opportunities, its most visible undertaking is the Carnegie Hall tour — a tradition that began in 1989.

Since then, the high school orchestra has traveled to New York every four years to perform, a distinction that has grown increasingly rare as music programs nationwide are trimmed from school budgets.

Looking ahead to 2027, about 150 students and 50 adults are expected to make the trip. The cost for each participating student is about $3,000.

“Most families will have to pay something, but we don’t want any student to be left behind,” Sager said.

The more money that is raised, she said, the more assistance OPUS can provide. Students also can apply for partial scholarships, with the goal of reducing the cost of the trip for everyone.

Port Angeles High School orchestra director Nathan Rødahl said many students begin saving for the Carnegie Hall trip as early as fourth grade, when they first enter the district’s orchestra program.

As in previous years, the performance will feature new music written specifically for the occasion. Composer and Port Angeles alumnus Jesse Ahmann has written two original works for the 2027 concert: a concerto for viola and another piece featuring violin and viola.

The program will have two ensembles — the freshman concert orchestra and the upper-class symphonic orchestra — with each performing a 25-minute set.

Port Angeles alumnus James Garlick, a violinist, will perform with the orchestra, and one of the pieces will be conducted by a special guest: longtime high school orchestra instructor Ron Jones, who launched the Carnegie Hall tradition more than three decades ago.

“He began this legacy, and including him in this historic occasion is not only justified, but necessary,” Rødahl said. “This landmark 10th performance should remind our community that the orchestra is not the director — the orchestra is the students on stage and a reflection of our community.”

Beyond the performance itself, the four-day trip will offer students a broader cultural experience, including a dinner cruise around Manhattan after the performance, attendance at a Broadway show and visits to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

To meet its fundraising target, OPUS is relying heavily on community support. Student musicians are available to perform in string quartets, offering music that ranges from tangos to wedding selections. They also sell concessions at Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra dress rehearsals.

Additional fundraisers are in development, including a blood drive and takeovers at local businesses.

“Keep your eyes and ears open,” Sager said. “There will be continuing opportunities to donate.”

Rødahl said sustained community support has made it possible for Port Angeles students to take part in an opportunity that remains out of reach for many performers.

“Really, for any musician, Carnegie Hall is a maybe once-in-a-lifetime experience, and most musicians — even professionals — don’t get there at all,” Rødahl said. “Our students get a chance every four years.”

More information about upcoming performances and fundraising efforts will be posted at www.opusresults.org.

Organizations and individuals who would like a quartet from the Port Angeles High School orchestra to perform at an event can email Rødahl at nrodahl@portangelesschools.org.

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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.