March 20, 2025

[Vancouver, WA. March 20, 2025] – The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Chamber Music Series, sponsored by Oregon Public Broadcasting, welcomes Rodney Sauer back to Vancouver, WA for a showing of The Cameraman (1928) at the historic Kiggins Theatre on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The concert begins at 7 p.m. with the evening’s amusing film accompanied by live music as it would have been in the silent film theaters of the 1920s. This concert is the last in a series of three silent film chamber concerts during the 2024/25 season.

Directed by Edward Sedgwick and Buster Keaton, The Cameraman follows the story of an aspiring cameraman and his quest to find love. The film is considered the last great masterpiece from Keaton although his comedic delivery is at its height throughout this slapstick adventure. The film will be accompanied by a period-authentic live score compiled by pianist and arranger Rodney Sauer and performed by Mr. Sauer and VSO musicians Eva Richey, violin, Dieter Ratzlaf, cello, Bruce Dunn, trumpet, and Steve Bass, clarinet.

What: Back to the Movies: The Cameraman (1928)
When: Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Where: Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main St., Vancouver, WA 98660
Tickets: Available at vancouversymphony.org

About Rodney Sauer
Rodney Sauer, pianist and score compiler, studied at the Oberlin Conservatory while majoring in Chemistry at Oberlin College and has appeared as piano soloist with the Boulder Sinfonia. He is an avid student of silent film music, and his article on the history and use of "photoplay music" was published in the American Music Research Center Journal. He is a frequent performer in various participatory dance genres from early 20th century ballroom dance to morris and contra dance. He also plays solo improvised silent film scores, although the Mont Alto Orchestra is his major musical endeavor. In 2001 he won a Musical grant from the Arts and Humanities Assembly of Boulder.

About Eva Richie
Eva began her career playing regularly with several orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony, Columbus Symphony, West Virginia Symphony and Kentucky Symphony. She toured South America with the New World Symphony and played briefly with the Cape Town Symphony in South Africa. She attended the Aspen and Tanglewood Music Festivals, learning from such conductors as Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, and Eiji Oue. Eva has also enjoyed playing popular music in concert events with The Moody Blues, Yes, Harry Connick Jr. and Rod Stewart. In 2001, she moved to the northwest where she began working with the Oregon Symphony as Associate Music Librarian, as well as holding two one-year positions in the second violin section. Currently, Eva is on the adjunct faculty at Clark College as violin instructor and concertmaster of the Clark College Orchestra. She plays regularly with the Portland Opera, Portland Chamber Orchestra and Oregon Ballet Theatre.

About Dieter Ratzlaf
Dieter began cello studies at the age of seven and performed with the Portland Youth Philharmonic for six years, touring Europe with the orchestra in 1989. He went on to receive his Master of Arts in Cello Performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has performed with the Oregon Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Portland Opera Orchestra (18 seasons) and the Oregon Ballet Theater Orchestra (10 seasons). Dieter was appointed principal cello of the VSO in 2005 and the Hood River Philharmonic in 2012, positions he currently holds.

About Bruce Dunn
Now in his 21st year as the VSO’s principal trumpet, Bruce Dunn is an accomplished freelance trumpeter who holds performance degrees from both Washington State University and Portland State University. A recipient of the prestigious Presser Foundation Scholarship, he can be heard in venues across the Northwest. He has performed in groups across the region including the Portland Opera, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, the Portland Chamber Orchestra, the Big Horn Brass, the Portland Festival Symphony, the Beach Cantata Choir and many others. He is also a founding member of the Columbia Rover Brass Ensemble. In addition to performing, Bruce is a National Board-Certified Teacher and the Director of Bands at Covington Middle School, Sunset Elementary and Silver Star Elementary in the Evergreen School District. He has also taught at Evergreen High School, Mountain View High School and Pacific Middle School.

About Steve Bass
Steven Bass served as the president and chief executive officer of Oregon Public Broadcasting from 2006 to 2024. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, with majors in economics and music. He also holds a Master of Arts in business from the University of Wisconsin’s Graduate School of Business. In 2008, after a hiatus of nearly 30 years, he rekindled his musical career and performs regularly around the region. He is a clarinetist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra where he has performed with notable conductors and soloists including Gerard Schwarz, Anne Akiko Meyers, and Elmar Oliveira. He also serves as principal clarinet for the Oregon East Symphony, and has performed with the Newport Symphony Orchestra, the Siletz Bay Music Festival and others. His recorded work includes the 2014 CD “Get Happy” with the band Pink Martini and the Pink Martini Holiday Spectacular which was broadcast nationwide on NPR stations in 2015.

About the VSO Chamber Music Series
The VSO Chamber Music Series is presented by Oregon Public Broadcasting. The series was co-created by Dr. Michael C. Liu, VSO pianist and board member, and Dr. Igor Shakhman, VSO CEO and Principal Clarinet. The VSO Chamber Music Series is proud to provide enchanting chamber music in an intimate setting. Originally intended to be played in a small chamber, hall, or house, chamber music showcases musician virtuosity in melodies that are quite exposed in a typical ensemble of three to six musicians. Listeners enjoy an entirely new concert experience meant to speak to every individual in a comfortable space. The content of each VSO concert is unique, ranging from musical accompaniment for silent films and operatic soloists, to traditional string quartets and trios. Now in its eleventh season, the VSO Chamber Music Series continues to provide this matchless art form to the Vancouver community.

About The VSO
The VSO, now in its 46th season, has been a cornerstone of Southwest Washington's arts community, providing symphonic music of the highest caliber in live performances and through music education in schools, concert halls, and throughout the community. For more information, please visit vancouversymphony.org.

About our Sponsors
The VSO is generously supported by individual donors, The M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Realvest Foundation, Oregon Public Broadcasting, AC Hotel by Marriott, United Grain Corporation, Columbia Credit Union, All Classical Radio, Gravitate, Dick Hannah Dealerships, The Columbian, Michelle’s Piano Co., Pacific Office Automation, Steinway & Sons Portland, The VIC, Kiggins Theatre, and Opsahl Dawson.

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THE VANCOUVER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
PO BOX 525 VANCOUVER, WA 98666 PHONE 360-735-7278 FAX 360-906-0355
www.vancouversymphony.org