Saratoga Orchestra Brings Peter and the Wolf to Coupeville
The Saratoga Orchestra of Whidbey Island will present A Very Merry Whidbey Christmas Concert at 2 30 p.m. on December 13 at the Coupeville High School Commons, featuring Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and an instrument petting zoo for children. The event combines performances by student and professional musicians, affordable ticketing, and proceeds that will support the orchestra's operating costs and musician compensation, making arts access and funding a local policy issue.
The Saratoga Orchestra of Whidbey Island will stage A Very Merry Whidbey Christmas Concert at 2 30 p.m. on December 13 at the Coupeville High School Commons. The program will include Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf together with holiday selections, and will be narrated by Seth Tompkins of KING 98.1 FM. Student musicians will perform alongside professional mentors through the Saratoga Orchestra Student Artists program, underscoring the event's dual role as performance and hands on music education.
An instrument petting zoo will run from 1 0 p.m. to 2 0 p.m. before the concert, allowing community members especially children to try instruments and meet musicians. Organizers say the petting zoo is intended to lower barriers to classical music and to spark interest in learning instruments among local youth. Student admission is free for those 17 and under, while adult tickets are Pay What You Wish with a recommended admission of 30 dollars.
The concert's funding model highlights broader questions about arts support and local cultural policy. Proceeds are designated to cover the orchestra's operating expenses and musicians' compensation, a detail that brings attention to how area arts organizations balance accessibility with financial sustainability. For Island County residents, that balance raises choices about community priorities, potential public or private support for arts programming, and how to maintain pathways for young musicians outside of formal school budgets.
The event also reinforces partnerships between professional ensembles and student musicians, a model that can supplement school based music offerings and nurture talent on Whidbey Island. With free student admission and an interactive pre concert session, the concert aims to expand civic engagement with the arts and to create entry points for families who might otherwise face cost or familiarity barriers.
Residents interested in attending can note the concert time and the free youth admission, and evaluate how local arts initiatives fit into broader discussions about funding, compensation, and access to cultural life in Island County.
