Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland – Travel Portland's Staff Blog

It was date night and I had to come up with something special to placate the better half.  Lucky for me, an e-mail  hadpopped into my inbox earlier in the week with the perfect date idea: Catching the Oregon Symphony’s performance of “The New World Symphony.”  With Musical Director Carlos Kalmar at the helm, I knew we would be in good hands as we slipped into our seats.

Big sounds quickly filled the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall as we were treated to a phenomenal auditory experience for the next hour and a half.  About 20 minutes in, I had my first awe-inspiring moment, which came in the form of a question: Why has it taken me so long to attend a performance of classical music?  It was amazing.  Angie and I were treated to a firsthand look at the expert as Carlos Kalmar cued a section to play and sound burst forth as the music shifted around the orchestra.  The guest of honor, German cellist Alban Gerhardt, offered a stunning performance of the monumental creation by Prokofiev.  Needless to say, this was an experience I’m ready to relive in the near future.

When you’re ready to have your own classical music epiphany, the Oregon Symphony and I will be there with you.  For a full lineup of performances, visit the Oregon Symphony’s website, www.orsymphony.org.

Girls With Glasses (photo by Chris Hughes)

I recently participated in Ladies Rock Camp, a program of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls that’s held twice a year. This three-day event is unlike anything I’ve ever done before. You sign up to either learn or improve your skills on the instrument of your choice — drums, guitar, bass, keyboard or vocals. Once you’re at camp, you form a band, write a song, learn how to play your instrument and perform a show on the final day.

What struck me most when we were introducing ourselves on the first day is how many ladies were from places other than Portland. At one point, I started to think that the locals were in the minority. There were people from Tennessee, Michigan, a couple of different areas in California, Illinois and Australia. Some of these ladies were here for the first time, while others had been before.

I’ve always known that people visit town for music events like the Blues Festival, the Portland Jazz Festival and MusicfestNW, but this was a new way for me to look at Portland’s musical appeal. We all had a great time. The out-of-towners enjoyed themselves, and I heard several planning to come back and spend more time in the area, to which I give an approving thumbs-up. (more…)

As usual, the city’s choirs offer a choice of performances of Handel’s famous “Messiah” oratorio (technically an Easter story), and plenty of other holiday-related sounds abound as well. But by mid-December we’ll likely be overloaded with carols and other holiday tunes, so it’s nice to know that Portland’s vibrant classical music scene offers both spiritual and secular music alternatives to standard holiday fare.

Schubert’s “Winterreise”
Nov. 4
Ken Beare and Maria Choban, Community Music Center, 3350 S.E. Francis St.

The dynamic tenor and pianist present a heated new translation (Warning: not for kids!) of what may be the great song cycle ever written, Franz Schubert’s tale of lost love, Winterreise, which the pair are subtitling “Love’s Lost Journey into Frostbite.”

The Von Trapp Children

“A Von Trapp Family Christmas”
Nov. 26
Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway

The famous singing family returns with the sound of holidays.

“Winter’s Voice”
Dec. 2
Portland State University choirs, Lincoln Recital Hall, 1620 S.W. Park Ave.

The school’s reinvigorated choral program (including the Chamber Choir, Man Choir and Woman Choir) sings a very affordable program of wintry music from Russia and Estonia, and classical masters from Bach to Debussy.

Tallis Scholars

Tallis Scholars
Dec. 4
Chamber Music Northwest, St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1739 N.W. Couch St.

The choir has been at the forefront of early music choral groups since its founding in 1973, and they’ll bring a mostly holiday-themed program of both Renaissance and more recent music to Portland.

“A Holiday Gift of Music”
Dec. 4
Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Mt. Hood Community College Theater, 26000 S.E. Stark St., Gresham

This reasonably priced concert features Prokofiev’s famous kids’ classic “Peter and the Wolf,” with puppets by Tears of Joy theater.

“Winter Bells”
Dec. 4
Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway

The Cleveland High School chorus and handbell choir join the young players for holiday sounds.

See more holiday music recommendations >>

As the holidays draw nearer, Portland offers even more musical celebrations!

“Gospel Christmas”
Dec. 9-11
Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway

Charles Floyd and the Northwest Community Gospel Choir return for the season’s most exuberant sounds.

“Glory of Christmas”
Dec. 11,16-18
Oregon Repertory Singers, St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1716 N.W. Davis St.

Under new director Ethan Sperry, the venerable chorus sings favorite carols, plus modern and traditional Hannukah songs, sacred music by Benjamin Britten, Anton Bruckner, Henryk Gorecki, Portland’s Joan Szymko and more.

The Canadian Tenors

“The Canadian Tenors Christmas”
Dec. 16
Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway

The Oprah-approved quartet sings holiday tunes.

Handel’s “Messiah”
Dec. 16-18
Portland Baroque Orchestra, First Baptist Church, Southwest Taylor at 12th Ave.

If you can catch only one Messiah, PBO’s is the truest, because it uses the instruments, tunings and performance styles closest to the composer’s intentions — and it sounds magnificent, especially abetted by the sublime voices of one of the West’s finest choruses, Cappella Romana, and soloists from New York, Boston and Toronto. A young people’s concert on Dec. 19 features excerpts for shorter attention spans. (more…)

Portland is known for its fine food and drink, its natural beauty and its indie style. Now it seems it’s our musicians’ turn to take the world by storm.

Blind Pilot rocks Astoria; photo by Larry Clark.

Blind Pilot, fresh from headlining at MusicfestNW and launching their second release, “We Are the Tide,” in Astoria, is now on a nationwide tour and will return to Portland’s Crystal Ballroom in November.

TLE's Jared Mees with Typhoon's "A New Kind of House" on clear vinyl.

Portland’s Tender Loving Empire label is also riding high. TLE’s Typhoon appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman (and on The Portland Collection’s video debut) and Radiation City performs multiple gigs this week at New York’s CMJ Festival.  Meanwhile, chamber pop ensemble Loch Lomond will tour Europe and the UK – where they have already gained notoriety thanks to a remarkable Scottish cyclist. (more…)

This fall’s classical music season is far more eclectic than in days of old when warhorse symphonies dominated. The concert of the season, for example, might be Sō Percussion’s account of Steve Reich and John Cage, and the Oregon Symphony’s fall season features Dawn Upshaw singing great American songs and a Pink Martini collaboration. On the other hand, Portland Baroque Orchestra will settle in for Vivaldi and In Mulieribus will sing a program of women composers, ancient and contemporary. Here are some of the highlights.

Thomas Lauderdale and Storm Large

Oregon Symphony with Pink Martini – Sept. 11-13
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1111 S.W. Broadway

Pink Martini pianist Thomas Lauderdale isn’t just classically trained — he’s a longtime symphony supporter and current board member, so these collaborations between the city’s orchestra (fresh off its Carnegie Hall triumph) and its bubbly retro-Latin big band amount to much more than the usual crossover fare.

Portland Vocal Consort – Sept. 11
The Grotto, 8840 N.E. Skidmore St.

In a free tribute to the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the choral ensemble will sing some of history’s most moving requiems by Spanish Renaissance composer Tomas Luis de Victoria and Samuel Barber, as well as patriotic songs.

Uri Caine

Uri Caine – Sept. 20
Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E. Burnside St.

The latest in Portland Piano International’s intimate, edgier series brings the jazz-tinged classical pianist and composer to town to explore the delightful possibilities along the boundaries of each genre.
(more…)

Downtown Portland is a vibrant place that never ceases to surprise — even around 9:45 on a Saturday night in  mid-July, when I happened upon this scene in front of the Nordstrom on Broadway: self-described “street band” All the Apparatus, wrapping up an energetic (and, judging from the assembled crowd of dancers and head-nodders, enthusiastically received) set.

The band — which, according to my colleague Courtney, moves around to two or three downtown street corners on Saturdays — might soon be popping up in a city near you. Check their website for details of their August tour of western states.

One of my favorite summertime traditions is to pack a picnic basket and go to the symphony.  For 31 years, the Portland Festival Symphony has presented live classical music in Portland’s beautiful parks.  It’s a wonderful way to experience the symphony in beautiful outdoor settings that bring the community together.

This season there will be six symphony concerts at public parks around Portland, from July 30 to September 4. The concerts are all at 6 p.m., and are always free — no tickets required. Just bring chairs or blankets for seating.  This is a fun family event; there’s even a “Toy Symphony” where children can participate.

On September 1, the Oregon Symphony performs for FREE at Waterfront Park to launch their season. The Portland Youth Philharmonic will start off the concert at 5 p.m. Closing festivities include the traditional grand finale — Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with an elaborate fireworks show, complete with military cannons from the Oregon Army National Guard 218th Field Artillery.

So pack your picnic basket and enjoy the sounds of summer!

The Fruit Bats playing at Pickathon, photo by Tim LaBarge

Am I the only one who’s been listening to the Decemberists’ latest album nonstop since it came out in January? The Portland band’s most recent record, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, is filled with songs at the same time fresh and nostalgic, channeling musicians like Tom Petty and R.E.M. in the band’s distinctive style.

“The King is Dead” was recorded in the Workshop Barn at Pendarvis Farm, one of six venues at the annual Pickathon music festival, coming up Aug. 5-7, 2011. (more…)

Travel Portland is working with Oregon Arts Watch, a new, nonprofit journalism enterprise, to cover upcoming art exhibits, performances and events in the city.

Here are some of this summer’s music highlights (see visual arts and theater highlights):

Emerson String Quartet (photo credit: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco)

Chamber Music Northwest
Various venues
June 20-July 24

The summer center of Portland’s vital chamber music scene, the 30 concerts in the 41st annual edition of this festival include the world premiere of a new clarinet quintet commissioned from composer Marc Neikrug (July 1); classic unfinished works by Bach, Mozart, Schubert and others completed by leading contemporary composers and performed by the Brentano String Quartet (July 9); and perhaps the world’s most accomplished classical foursome, the Emerson Quartet (July 16). (more…)