The Kenai Peninsula Orchestra performance here on Aug. 8 was simply stupendous. This assemblage of dedicated, all-volunteer performers seems to get better each year. I remember its earliest years, when there were far fewer members and sometimes somewhat less than sterling performances of more difficult musical pieces. 

But this group of dedicated musicians persevered and has spent years perfecting their offerings. Well done, guys!

This year I was pleased when past conductors and performers were given credit for everything they have done over the years to bring this orchestra to its present near-perfection. Remember when it was only a dream that we’d have a local orchestra? They made it happen. 

One other person who should have received recognition and didn’t was flautist Terry Kallenberg. I covered the arts for the Homer News from 1980 to 1990 and I remember Terry as being on the ground floor of the orchestra’s development, an energetic proponent of good classical music in Homer, and a person who worked hard to bring visiting performers here to help get the orchestra established. Terry has been gone from Homer for some time, but I remember her, and I thank her — as well as all the others mentioned at the Aug. 8 performance — for everything she did to help make an orchestra on the Kenai Peninsula a realilty.

 Jan O’Meara