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.

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…)

Bright new (energy-efficient) lights came on in downtown Portland’s cultural district today with the grand re-opening of Portland State University’s renovated Lincoln Hall.  Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and PSU President Wim Wiewel presided over the ribbon cutting in the 465-seat venue that will host national and regional dance, theater and music companies such as White Bird’s Uncaged dance series, Friends of Chamber Music, NW Dance Project and PSU’s own symphony and theater programs.  There’s already a buzz around town about PSU’s world-renowned opera program’s presentation of Kurt Weill’s “Street Scene” next spring.  (Note to theatergoers – there  are excellent venues such as Higgins bar nearby for deconstructing the evening over a post-performance pint!) (more…)