Poulsbo’s community orchestra is celebrating its first anniversary this month as it prepares to engage a second year of rehearsals and performances.

Last year, approximately three dozen volunteer musicians met weekly, rehearsing at Poulsbo’s West Sound Academy.

Their numbers grew as the orchestra continued through 2014, performing in Poulsbo and North Kitsap. It has drawn musicians from all of Kitsap — from Kingston to Port Orchard — including high schoolers, military families, retirees and more.

To date, three concerts have been performed at Poulsbo City Hall and Vinland Lutheran Church. A fourth classical music program will be presented at 7:30 p.m., April 13, at North Point Community Church located at 1779 Northeast Hostmark St., Poulsbo.

The orchestra is preparing its Viking Brass and Viking Strings ensembles to perform for the upcoming Viking Fest and at Poulsbo’s Waterfront Pavilion, and possibly other venues. Full orchestra concerts are planned for June 28, and again on Dec. 6, at North Point Community Church.

Serving as its volunteer conductor, Bruce Mansfield, director of Navy Band Northwest, enthusiastically leads each two-hour rehearsal. He is assisted by another Navy Band member and French horn musician, Blake Yarbrough, the orchestra’s director of music.

Executive Director and founder, Steve Swann, is assisted by the newly formed advisory committee and orchestra corporate officers. The orchestra is a Washington nonprofit corporation with Federal 501(c)(3) charity status. Administrative support duties, which include collection of registration fees, printing and promotion, are provided by the City of Poulsbo Parks and Recreation department.

As the orchestra continues to grow in 2015, more opportunities for musicians young and not-as-young continue to flourish. New brass, woodwind, percussion and string players are always welcome. The orchestra especially encourages violin, bassoon and flute musicians to check out the orchestra. Auditions are not required. Registration fees charged by Parks and Recreation have been reduced for 2015 by over 50 percent, due in part to generous donations from the community, directly benefiting the orchestra.

Discover more about the Poulsbo Community Orchestra at PoulsboCommunity

Orchestra.org and on Facebook, or email PoulsboCommunity

Orchrestra@gmail.com, or call 360-930-8654.