A Chip off the old Bloch

Hear from Lucienne Allen, the great-granddaughter of Ernest Bloch, at the Ernest Bloch Legacy Project’s annual performance symposium at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center this Saturday, July 12.

The famous composer, who passed away in 1959, lived at Agate Beach for the last 18 years of his life. Allen’s presentation will include stories about her namesake grandmother, Lucienne Bloch, including her career as a muralist and her friendship with Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Three members of the Newport Symphony, which was the original ensemble for the now defunct Ernest Bloch Music Festival, will p erform selections from Ernest’s chamber music compositions. Violinist Alistair Kok, pianist Diane Baxter and cellist Charmaine Leclair will perform a short piano trio movement, a violin and piano sonata and a nigun for cello and piano. The program will wrap up with stories of Ernest’s love of foraging mushrooms followed by a reception featuring Cream of Wild Mushroom soup from a recipe of Bloch family matriarch Marguerite, along with pastries, mushroom coffee and wine. 

The event begins at 2 pm at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, located at 333 SE Bay

Blvd. in Newport. For more information, go to oregoncoasthistory.org or call 541-265-7509.