The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival will open Friday, Aug. 13 on a note of celebration of the life of George Shangrow, the popular conductor, musician and lecturer who was killed in a car accident on July 31.

A Champagne Tribute will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Madrona Room at Orcas Center. All who knew him are invited to attend. Shangrow was scheduled to conduct Music Lovers Seminars throughout the Festival. Over the years, islanders have come to cherish his knowledge, wit and passion for music, say organizers.

A Chamber Music Festival Endowment account which will fund the sponsorship of the traditional Spring Music Lovers Seminar, will receive gifts in George’s memory. The Spring Seminar will be named in his honor.

Artistic Director Aloysia Friedmann and her husband, Artistic Advisor Jon Kimura Parker, will dedicate their performance of Brahms’ masterpiece “Quartet for Piano and Strings No. 2 in A Major” at the end of the “Duets, Duos and Duels!” concerts Aug. 13 and 14 to Shangrow.

If you would like tickets to this concert, call the Chamber Music Festival office at 376-6636 or go online to www.oicmf.org