“The tuba is an instrument that rarely solos so I was really surprised and honored — but I’m also very, nervous,” said Keith.

“Actually, I think that I’m more scared to play in front of my orchestra members than I am the audience.”

He will engage in a “musical discussion” during the four-movement concerto with the String Orchestra and Columbia Gorge Brass Quintet. There is no charge for anyone to attend the program (donations are accepted) in the Bowe Theatre auditorium at Hood River Valley High School. The first concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7, and the second at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9.

“I was listening to heavy metal music and I thought, since the tuba is a heavy metal instrument, it would be an interesting fit,” said Steighner.

He said composing an appropriate piece of music for an instrument that is rarely in the spotlight was challenging.

“While I don’t think the purpose of concerts is primarily educational, there are things that an audience might appreciate and, primary amongst them, would be a rekindled or reawakened sense of gratitude that our species can create works of beauty, of significance and meaning.

“That composers and artists can ignite our imaginations and challenge our intellects — and, through sound, bring us face to face with emotional and spiritual truth.”

At the opening of Steighner’s latest creation, Keith soars through his full range of notes at a “rock and roll” pace. The dark and aggressive tone of the tuba seems almost sinister at times, with the strings “skittering” as if nervous to answer the demands of the larger instrument.

The sense of foreboding dissipates in the second movement, which has a much lighter melody. The brass quintet interrupts the dialogue between the tuba and strings for a harmonious interlude in the third movement. The last section of the concerto winds down with a more tranquil return to the original theme.

Trumpet player Kate Brownback said Steighner’s work and Keith’s performance highlight the strengths of the tuba.

“The tuba is a very misunderstood instrument,” she said.

Steighner, also the music director for Hood River Valley High School, said Keith’s talent enabled him to write a piece with such variety.

“He is just an excellent musician,” said Steighner.

Keith, a Hood River native, was a trombone player and member of the University of Oregon’s marching band from 1982-85. He then enlisted in the Marine Corps to be a combat engineer. However, he ended up being assigned to a tank battalion at Camp Pendleton in California. One night, while on guard duty, he had an epiphany that led him back to music.

“I was walking around an armory with no bullets my gun. And at 2:30 a.m. it hit me that there had to be a better way,” said Keith.

He spoke to a gunnery sergeant the next day about being re-assigned to the band and an audition was arranged to see if he qualified. The day after he played, Keith was ordered to represent the Marine Corps on the parade deck — and shortly thereafter the tuba became his instrument of choice.

“I relate to the notes in the tuba range,” said Keith. “I like its sound and the part it has in groups — which is very much the cause of my panic over the concerto.”

Since returning to civilian life and a career in the field of law enforcement, he enjoys playing the instrument for entertainment.

Steighner has included a wide spectrum of music in the annual late-fall concert. The orchestra program features: “Overture to the Wasps” by Ralph Vaughn Williams; “Old Air and Dances for Lute” by Ottorino Respighi; and “Symphony No. 1” by Carl Neilsen.

Steighner said the three composers are all significant figures from the early and mid-20th century. He described them as “brilliant orchestrators” who knew how to write imaginatively and “create beautiful effects and colors.” He said all three composers also shared an affinity for folk melodies, simple tunes and music from the Renaissance and other past eras.

“Rarely does a Nielsen symphony begin in the key in which it ends. Instead, each movement is a bit of a journey toward a final harmonic goal,” said Steighner.

Sam Grotte, a French horn and trombone player, said the orchestra has been encouraged by Steighner to grow in musical maturity. He said the members are challenged by intricate and sometimes difficult music selections.

“This is by far the best that we have ever played,” said Grotte, who has been with the orchestra for 15 years. He also directs the Gorge Winds Concert Band.

“Participating in the Sinfonietta since its inception 31 years ago has given me a chance to explore music a new way; from the inside out,” said Faith Ackerman, president of the Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association, the umbrella group over the Sinfonietta and VOCI Choir.

“It is fascinating to see how composers constructed a piece and even more exciting to be a small part of making that music come to life,” she said.

Grotte, Brownback and Keith join Steighner during the 2 p.m. Sunday performance of the VOCI Women’s Choir. They are all members of the brass quintet, which will also play during the Dec. 2 concert in Bowe Theatre auditorium. They are joined in that group by Carol Goter on French horn and Eric Ohlson on Trombone. Keith’s wife, Christine, sings with the choir.

As with the orchestra selections, Steighner has shied away from having the choir sing Christmas carols or even music with a holiday theme. His goal is to take the audience out of their comfort zone as much as he has the musicians.

“If it doesn’t speak to me and it isn’t quality, we aren’t going to perform it,” he said.

The VOCI singers will perform these selections on Sunday: “Love Lies Under the Old Oak Tree” arranged by Susan Brumfield; “Nella Fantasia” by Ennio Morricone; “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by Eleanor Daley; “Four Hands, Two Necks, One Wreathing” by Thomas Weelkes; and, “I Dream a World” by Joan Szymkom.

This week, Steighner both encouraged and chastised the choir and the orchestra members under his watch. He reminded them that, after three months of practices, the countdown was on — and it was time to nail down every note.

“When it is small ensemble, that means everyone has a little bit more responsibility, which is a good thing,” he said to the 12-member choir.

“We are playing challenging music and I have no problems with mistakes. I do have problems with mistakes that don’t get fixed,” he told the 40-member orchestra.

Steighner admits to being a tough taskmaster but said his goal is to offer audiences a cultural enrichment experience.