See, and hear, how the East County Community Orchestra is already celebrating the United States of America’s Semiquincentennial …
In the lobby of the Howard Horner Performing Arts Center at David Douglas High School, guests arrive for the patriotic concert by the East County Community Orchestra.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
In the Howard Horner Performing Arts Center on the campus of David Douglas High School on
January 11, the East County Community Orchestra (ECCO) presented a performance entitled “Americans We!”
As the 3 p.m. starting time neared, musicians in the all-volunteer ECCO made their way to the stage, began tuning up, and arranged their music folders. Guests found seats in the auditorium and sat expectantly for the concert to begin.
The ECCO leads off, as is their tradition, playing “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
The program started off with the “The Star-Spangled Banner” – the national anthem of the United States of America written by Francis Scott Key in 1814, but not made our country’s official anthem until March 3rd, 1931, by an Act of Congress.
Next in their repertoire was “America the Beautiful”, with lyrics written by Katharine Lee Bates in 1893 and set to the melody “Materna”, that was composed by Samuel A. Ward in 1882; the two were combined and published in 1910.
ECCO Director Dr. Roger G. Nickerson conducts the lively march “Circus Galop”.
This was followed up by the rollicking “Circus Galop” by John Philip Sousa – a fast-paced, high-energy, and lighthearted orchestral piece from his last, and unproduced, operetta, The Irish Dragoon – followed by Sousa’s patriotic march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever”, composed in 1896 but not designated the official National March of the USA by Congress until 1987.
The first half of the program concluded by treating the audience to a medley from “The Sound of Music” by Rogers and Hammerstein – including the tunes “Do-Re-Mi,” “Edelweiss,” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”.
Guests mingle with musicians around the “Tables of Treats” set out for visitors at the intermission by volunteers.
Then it was time for intermission which, for this musical organization, means that the audience and the orchestra members mix and chat in the lobby over a wide variety of cookies set out by volunteers, along with coffee and water to drink.
“How do I feel inside when I’m conducting?” Director Dr. Roger G. Nickerson repeated our question when we ran across him during intermission. “I feel warm and happy, and joyful.
It seems that enjoying cookies and coffee during intermission may be as popular as listening to the musical program!
“It’s been quite a while [since we’ve performed here], and we’ve been practicing in that interval,” Nickerson remarked.
About the concert’s theme, Nickerson explained, “We chose ‘Americans We!’ because we’re getting ready for the 250th birthday of our nation in July. We thought this music would help ‘get people in the mood’ for the upcoming Fourth of July activities!
“Our orchestra members range from 18 years of age to 90,” pointed out Nickerson. “We have a wide variety of people who play. What they have in common is they like sharing music,” he told East Portland News.
The ECCO brass section plays during the Leroy Anderson medley.
The second half of the program started with another medley – this time featuring tunes by Leroy Anderson, including “Blue Tango”, “A Christmas Festival”, and the composer’s familiar “Sleigh Ride”.
Next was “Procession of the Sardar” – the final movement from Russian composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov’s orchestral suite, depicting a dignified military march or procession. The final piece was the “Radetzky March” by Johann Strauss Sr., first performed in 1848 in Vienna.
The East County Community Orchestra performing before a rapt East Portland audience.
East County Community Orchestra on June 11
According to Nickerson, the community orchestra is planning another concert on June 11, although it isn’t yet listed on their website.
Learn more about the East County Community Orchestra – and perhaps donate to their cause – at their website: CLICK HERE.
© 2026 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News ™
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