October 21, 2025

[Vancouver, WA. October 21, 2025] – The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA’s Nien-Wei Hsiao Chamber Music Series, welcomes Rodney Sauer back to Vancouver, WA for two showings of Go West (1925). Sponsored by Oregon Public Broadcasting, performances will be held on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at the historic Kiggins Theatre in Vancouver, WA and the following evening, Friday, November 21, 2025 at Joyce Garver Theater in Camas, WA. Both performances begin 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 first in a series of three silent film chamber concerts during the 2025/26 season. Future programs include Dziga Vertov’s Man with a Movie Camera (1929) in January and King Vidor’s Show People (1929) in April.

Released in 1925, Go West turns 100 years old this year. This classic comedy features Buster Keaton as he heads West and finds work on a cattle ranch. He befriends a young milk cow, and they look after each other while he learns the ropes and lassos of ranch life. When a runaway cattle train ends up at the wrong station, Buster finds he must get the entire herd across Los Angeles by himself! 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 Nicholas Dill, violin, Kristopher Duke, cello, Bruce Dunn, trumpet, and Igor Shakhman, clarinet.

The 2025/26 Nien-Wei Hsiao Chamber Music Series season is presented by Oregon Public Broadcasting.

What: Go West (1925) with live accompaniment
When/Where:
Thursday, November 20 at 7:00 pm
Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660
Tickets: $25 ($10 students at the door) at kigginstheatre.com

Friday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m.
Joyce Garver Theater, 1500 NE Garfield Street, Camas, WA 98607
Tickets: $25 ($10 student 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 Nicholas Dill
Nicholas Dill is a soloist and chamber musician from Portland, Oregon, currently studying with Charles Castleman. At the age of seventeen, Nicholas is the youngest known violinist to perform all six Ysaye sonatas in a single concert. After winning First Prize in the Van Buren Soloist’s Competition, Dill subsequently made his concerto debut in his hometown in which the Oregon Register-Guard captioned, “…offering a performance that was bold, assertive and rich in emotional contrast”. Other first prize wins include the Oregon Mozart Players Young Soloist Competition, and the Gilbert Glausiuss Competition. In addition to his musical accomplishments, Nicholas is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College with a double major in math and computer science. Dill has received coaching from many great artists including: Vadim Gluzman, Stefan Jackiw, Ani Kavafian, Shlomo Mintz, Miriam Fried, Ilya Kaler, Tessa Lark, Mayuko Kamio, Almita Vamos, Johannes Moser, Csaba Erdély, and members of the Dover Quartet. Nicholas has performed on several fine violins including a Gaetano Gadda and a 1748 Guadagnini.

About Kristopher Duke
Kristopher Duke's passion for music transcends traditional barriers, with wide-ranging interests including motion picture soundtracks and heavy metal. A native of Portland, Oregon, he studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he received both his bachelor's and master's degrees. Starting fall 2025, Kris is the acting principal cellist of the Vancouver Symphony, in addition to being a regular substitute with the Oregon Symphony.

About Bruce Dunn
Now in his 22nd 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 Igor Shakhman
As an orchestra and chamber musician, Shakhman has played in international music festivals throughout the United States, France, Germany, Greece, Russia and Switzerland. He has participated in two critically acclaimed Broadway tours: the first national tour of Oklahoma! and as principal clarinetist and on-stage soloist in the North American tour of Fiddler on the Roof. He received his B.A. in Music from Kharkov Music College, Master’s from the Moscow Conservatory and Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado. In addition to being principal clarinet for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, he is also the orchestra’s CEO.

About The VSO Nien-Wei Hsiao Chamber Music Series
The VSO Nien-Wei Hsiao 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 Nien-Wei Hsiao 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 fourteenth season, the VSO Nien-Wei Hsiao Chamber Music Series continues to provide this matchless art form to the Vancouver community.

About the VSO
The VSO, now in its 47th season, enriches lives in the Pacific Northwest and beyond through world-class symphonic concerts, other musical performances, and engaging educational programming. 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, Keller Foundation, Oregon Public Broadcasting, The AC Hotel Marriott, United Grain Corporation, Columbia Credit Union, All Classical Radio, Gravitate, Dick Hannah Dealerships, The Columbian, Michelle’s Piano Co., Pacific Office Automation, Salsbury & Co., Steinway & Sons Portland, The VIC, Kiggins Theatre, Opsahl Dawson, and Willful Wine Company.

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