ASTORIA — The Columbia River Symphony ventures into a new dimension in concert performance this weekend with a free multi-media event that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

The first concert will be at the Astoria Masonic Lodge in Astoria at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, and a second performance will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov.16 at the Astoria Armory. Both concerts are free, and families with children are encouraged to attend.

The concert is titled “The Red Covered Bridge,” which is also the title of a short memoir written recently by the conductor of the Columbia River Symphony, Cory Pederson. The book is a tribute to the special bond between a granddaughter and her grandfather. It is told from the point of view of the grownup granddaughter as she relates memories from her youth that had a positive impact on her later life. A red-covered bridge figures prominently in the story and serves as both the location of many of the stories and a metaphor for the connection between generations.

Narrated by Nancy Montgomery, the stories will be accompanied by musical selections played by the symphony and by illustrations from the book projected onto a screen. Illustrations for the book were created by artist and illustrator James Illus.

Musical selections will include Antonin Dvorak’s famous Largo from his New World Symphony, “The Seal Lullaby” by Eric Whitacre, “Into the Storm” by Robert W. Smith, Edvard Grieg’s “March of the Trolls,” and Paul O’Neill and Robert Kinkell’s “Christmas in Sarajevo 12/24,” among others.

For a video preview of the concert, visit www.columbiariversymphony.org

The Columbia River Symphony is an all-volunteer, community-based orchestra comprised of string, wind and percussion players from the greater Astoria area. With an equal mix of older adults and youth from area schools, the symphony now has close to 60 members and is still growing. A nonprofit organization, the symphony;s mission is to provide quality musical entertainment, increase visibility of the musical talents of its performers, and promote music education in the community. The symphony always welcomes new members. For further information about joining the symphony or information about upcoming concerts, call 503-836-2198.