Conductor David Hattner has been appointed as the fifth conductor and music director of the Portland Youth Phiharmonic, known as America’s first established youth orchestra, founded in 1924.

Hattner’s first musical career was as a professional clarinetist, and his positions have included the Princeton Symphony, Cascade Music Festival Orchestra, New Jersey Opera Theater and the Key West Symphony Orchestra.

As a conductor, Hattner has worked with many professional ensembles, including the Brooklyn Symphony and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.

You can find a complete press release here, which includes additional biographical information.

OSO music director Carlos Kalmar is one of the contributors for Drew McManus’ Take A Friend To the Orchestra 2008 essay project.

Kalmar’s essay will appear on Monday, April 7, 2008.

You can find the list of contributors and other articles at adaptistration.com.

In a stunning turn of events, an ‘angel’ donor who wishes to remain anonymous has donated a staggering $100 million dollars to fund a purpose-built hall for symphonic music in Portland.

The Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has been attached to the project, which is due to break ground on a plot of land near the Memorial Colosseum in mid-2010.

The Oregon Symphony will not only be the primary tenant, but will own the hall through a separate foundation, to which another donor has pledged an endowment to ensure that the hall’s upkeep and expenses will be covered in perpetuity.

Oregon Symphony President Elaine Calder, when checked for comment, said only “check the date”.