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This Sunday the Oregon Symphony performed a concert consisting of three pieces which it had never before in its history performed. (My apologies for that seemingly Google-translated-to-English-from-German sentence). The Delius Irmelin Prelude was pleasant fare, and having a couple nice section viola melodic moments (and one big, exposed viola solo at the end, nicely played [...]
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This weekend is a bit of a strange classical week for us, with this program being played only once in Portland, on a Sunday matinee. On Saturday evening, we bring the show on the road (down Route 99W, to be exact) to Newberg, to the excellent auditorium at George Fox University. We usually alternate classical [...]
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Oregon Symphony music director Carlos Kalmar has been appointed music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE (Spanish Radio/Television Orchestra), effective September 2011. The initial contract is for a five year period. He succeeds British conductor Adrian Leaper, the orchestra’s music director since 2001. It’s not clear what effect this will have on Kalmar’s duties [...]
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This weekend’s set of Classical series concerts at the Oregon Symphony feature the Canadian violinist Karen Gomyo, who I had a chance to hear several times when she was still just on the cusp of a career, most recently when she came to play the Bruch G minor Violin Concerto with the OSO in 2002 [...]
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The orchestra got a copy of the brochure for next year’s concerts, and the season looks extraordinary! There will be lots of reasons to buy a subscription, including nearly 30 pieces never before played by the Oregon Symphony, a slew of A-list soloists, and some old chestnut favorites, too. I’ll write a post on my [...]
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A suite of three instrumental sections from Thomas Adés’ opera Powder Her Face will be amongst the works performed this coming weekend on the Oregon Symphony’s next classical series of concerts. Here’s a clip of the Overture, as performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and Christoph von Dohnanyi. Enjoy!
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On this coming weekend’s performances there are two seminal works of two major composers who blazed a trail for their respective nation’s modern musical heritage: the composers are Charles Ives and Béla Bartók, and the works are Ives’ Three Places in New England and Bartók’s Second Piano Concerto. To round out the theme (intended or [...]
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This month’s issue of Portland Monthly has a major feature article on OSO music director Carlos Kalmar. I have some pretty strong feelings on this article, but first, I’d love for you all to read it and give me your feedback.
Here’s the setup to the article:
Who was this Kalmar fellow, I wondered? Who was this [...]
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The OSO’s music director Carlos Kalmar has demonstrated an affinity for the music of Gustav Mahler throughout his tenure with the orchestra, usually opening or closing a season with a major work of the Austrian composer. This year, at his other gig, Kalmar began the home stretch of the season of the Grant Park Music [...]
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From the Oregonian:
see video after the jump:
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Johannes Brahms
Ever fallen in love with a familiar piece all over again? That’s what happened to me this week with the Brahms 3rd Symphony. It was the first Brahms symphony that I played, back in the Tacoma Youth Symphony under our wonderful conductor Harry Davidson (now at Duke University). I was playing 2nd violin then [...]
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Tomas Svoboda
Tomas Svoboda’s new opus is opus 197, to be exact: Vortex for Orchestra. It’s quite a piece, very elegantly crafted, full of energy and vibrant textures, and it’s really something of a concerto for orchestra. Tomas Svoboda is clearly at the height of his powers these days (was he ever anything but thus?) and [...]
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Sir Edward Elgar, pictured in 1901, two years after the premiere of the Enigma Variations. [click to enlarge photo]
Sunday’s Inside the Score concert is concerned with Elgar’s ever-popular Enigma Variations. It’s frankly a relief to get to play it in its entirety, rather than playing just the Nimrod variation in the wake of a tragic [...]
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Would you like a conducting lesson with OSO music director Carlos Kalmar?
A violin lesson with PBO’s music director Monica Hugget?
How about a piano lesson with Pink Martini’s Thomas Lauderdale? Well, you’re in luck, because these fabulous experiences and many other great products and services are available at the Portland Youth Philharmonic’s online auction fundraiser. Surf [...]
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Support the Oregon Symphony with your purchase of Symphony Blend coffee from Badbeard's! $2.00 of every purchase of this delicious blend of world-class Panama, Sumatra and Ethiopian coffees will be given to our local Oregon Symphony Orchestra. Our contribution to the forthcoming OSO debut in Carnegie Hall in 2011!
Local Portland pickup available (please specify when ordering!) at Sweet Masterpiece Chocolates in the Pearl district and Spella Caffe at the corner of SW 9th and Alder downtown.
A joint venture between Badbeard's Coffee and Spella Cafe, the smooth blending of notes in Symphony! will brighten any morning! 1 lb. bag $11.95 lb.
Order your Symphony Blend now!
