Today's Birthdays

Carl Loewe (1796-1869)
Charles Valentin Alkan (1813-1888)
Sergei Liapunov (1859-1924)
Ludwig Thuille (1861-1907)
Ture Rangström (1884-1947)
Ray Henderson (1896-1970)
Klaus Huber (1924-2017)
Günther Herbig (1931)
Walter Weller (1939-2015)
Radu Lupu (1945-2022)
Semyon Bychkov (1952)

and

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
L(ucy) M(aud) Montgomery (1874-1942)
Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Jacques Barzun (1907-2012)
David Mamet (1947)

Today's Birthdays

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)
Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967)
John Brecknock (1937-2017)
Chuck Mangione (1940-2025)
Louise Winter (1959)

and

Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888)
Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)
C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)
Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007)

Today's Birthdays

Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)
Ferdinand Ries (1784-1838)
Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894)
Pamela Harrison (1915-1990)
Berry Gordy Jr. (1929)
Randy Newman (1943)
Diedre Murray (1951)

and

John Bunyan (1628-1688)
William Blake (1757-1827)
Friedrich Engels (1820-1895)
Stefan Zweig (1881-1942)
Nancy Mitford (1904-1973)
Rita Mae Brown (1944)
Alan Lightman (1948)

Today's Birthdays

Chiara Margarita Cozzolani (1602-1678)
Anton Stamitz (1750-1798 or 1809)
Franz Krommer (1759-1831)
Sir Julian Benedict (1804-1885)
Viktor Ewald (1860-1935)
Charles Koechlin (1867-1950)
Leon Barzin (1900-1999)
Walter Klien (1928-1991)
Helmut Lachenmann (1935)
Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
David Felder (1953)
Victoria Mullova (1959)
Hilary Hahn (1979)

and

Anders Celsius (1701-1744)
Charles Beard (1874–1948)
James Agee (1909-1955)
Marilyn Hacker (1942)
Bill Nye (1955)

Review: Oregon Symphony's Carmina Burana benefits from new stage

A massive stage build-out successfully accommodated massive choral forces to deliver an exciting performance of “Carmina Burana” with the Oregon Symphony at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on November 20. All-in-all, around 150 singers were perched on risers that took up most of the regular stage area. The build-out included an extension for the orchestra over the first few rows in the hall where the audience normally would sit. The result was a richer sound from the chorus and the orchestra and a feeling of immediate sonic presence.

Orff’s magnum opus benefitted from the revised configuration with Principal Guest Conductor Jun Märkl leading the entire enterprise that included the Portland State University Chamber, Rose Choir and Thorn Choir, plus the Pacific Youth Choir, and soloists. The opening statement, “O Fortuna,” burst out of the gates with bombastic vigor, creating the medieval backdrop where the lives of men and women were controlled by fate. The choirs countered that mood in the “Primo Vere” sequence, which celebrated the hopefulness of springtime, and they were enhanced by the regal baritone sound of Troy Cook. The singers conveyed the Minnesinger sentiment – ranging from chivalric to hyperbolic – of love poetry in the “Uf dem anger” section with panache, including a rousing “Hey” at its conclusion.

The men of the choir raised a lively ruckus during the In Taberna numbers. Tenor Mark Molomot used a large red scarf to aid his depiction of a roasted swan, but some of his highest notes didn’t ring clearly. Baritone Cook added to the fun as the alcohol-imbibing-abbot by removing his jacket in mock braggadocio.

The women of the choirs created enticing moments in the “Cour d’amors” section with a lovely, seductive sound. The Pacific Youth Choir added to the atmosphere, and soprano Katrina Galka topped it all off with evocative solos, culminating with an ecstatic “Dulcissime.” The final choruses brought the hour-long work to a satisfyingly declamatory ending as the wheel of fate from the beginning chorus reemerged.

Kudos to PSU conductors Ethan Sperry, Coty Raven Morris, Phill Hatton, and Annie Thomas as well as Pacific Youth Choir’s Artistic Director Chris Maunu for expertly preparing their singers.

Having almost all of the orchestra in the same room as the audience was just a terrific experience – not only for “Carmina Burana,” but also for the purely orchestral selections on the concert program. Audience members may not realize that the Schnitz was not built as a concert hall. It was built as a vaudeville and silent movie house. The stage area is almost like a separate room from where the audience sits. Ideally, it is best to have the orchestra and the audience in the same room. A few years ago, the orchestra spent a lot of money to upgrade the space with the Constellation acoustic system (by Meyer Sound). That renovation has improved the concert experience immensely, but positioning the orchestra further into the concert hall was unbelievably superb.

From my seat in the balcony, I could hear all sorts of details in the first piece of the evening, Debussy’s “Danse” (Tarentelle styrienne) as orchestrated by Ravel. This six-minute work positively sparkled. Carefully sculpted dynamics added a punchy quality and enhanced the colors and toe-tapping spirit of the piece.

Richard Strauss’s “Til Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks” also received an incisive and delightful performance from the orchestra. Til’s jokey motifs were evoked by Principal Hornist Jeff Garza and Principal Clarinetist Mark Dubec with elan. Scenes of mayhem, academic piety, and the final trial and execution were vividly expressed.

Directing the tone poem and the Debussy from memory, Märkl had the complete sonic palette at his fingertips and elicited outstanding performances from his forces.

Final note: The performance on Thursday night was the first time that that the orchestra had done so this year. That’s part of a new schedule that the orchestra is doing this season. The next one will take place on Thursday, January 29, with Music Director David Danzmayr on the podium.

Today's Birthdays

Earl Wild (1915-2010)
Eugene Istomin (1925-2003)
Alan Stout (1932-2018)
John Sanders (1933-2003)
Craig Sheppard (1947)
Vivian Tierney (1957)
Spencer Topel (1979)

and

Eugene Ionesco (1909-1994)
Charles Schulz (1922-2000)
Marilynne Robinson (1943)

Portland Native James Walton Premieres New Works in Trinity Music’s Christmas Organ Concert

From the Press Release:

On Friday, December 12, 2025, Portland native and Trinity’s Organ Scholar James Walton will present a festive organ concert for the season on Trinity Episcopal Cathedral’s world-class Rosales organ. The program features a world premiere of Walton’s newest composition, alongside seasonal works by Bach, D’Aquin, and Howells.

Walton will perform the premiere of his Intermezzo, written for this occasion, as well as his Chorale, Variations, & Fugue (2024). A new transcription of one of his improvised works will further highlight his facility as both creator and interpreter. These pieces are infused with Walton’s French Romantic–inspired compositional voice, beautifully suited to the fiery French accent of the Rosales.

The program also includes Claude D’Aquin’s brilliant Noël variations and Advent & Christmas works by J.S. Bach, along with Herbert Howells’ rhapsodic Psalm Prelude (Set 1, No. 1), a piece that showcases the instrument’s full dynamic and expressive range.

Recognized for his musical versatility and command across a wide spectrum of styles, multi-instrumentalist James Walton has been praised for performances ranging from early Renaissance to new music. A graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he earned the Performer’s Certificate for excellence in performance, he is active as an organist, pianist, singer, harpsichordist, and recorder player. Within the last year, Walton has also gained recognition as a composer, writing primarily organ and choral works; his art song “Ea illuvé estel” placed in the Indiana SongSlam competition.

From James Walton:

“Being Trinity’s Organ Scholar is a real pleasure. Inhabiting this glorious space is such a joy, Trinity having such a wonderful community and outstanding choir and music program. Playing on our fantastic Rosales for liturgies each week is both a musically and spiritually satisfying experience, something I will take with me for the rest of my life.”

Walton’s appearance reflects Trinity’s ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of organists through its Organ Scholar program and to presenting both emerging and established artists on its landmark Rosales organ.

Event Details

Christmas at the Organ: James Walton in Concert

Friday, December 12, 2025, 7:00 pm

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 147 NW 19th Ave, Portland, OR

Tickets and information: trinity-episcopal.org/music-series

Today's Birthdays

Franz Gruber (1785-1863)
Wilhelm Kempff (1895-1991)
Virgil Thomson (1896-1989)
Paul Desmond (1924-1977)
Sir John Drummond (1934-2006)
Jean-Claude Malgoire (1940-2018)
Håkan Hagegård (1945)
Yvonne Kenny (1950)
Gilles Cachemaille (1951)

and

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)
Helen Hooven Santmyer (1895-1986)
Lewis Thomas (1913-1993)
Murray Schisgal (1926-2020)
Shelagh Delaney (1938-2011)

and from the Composers Datebook:

On this day in 1934, conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler's article "The Hindemith Case" defending Hindemith's music appears in several German newspapers. A response attacking both Hindemith and Furtwängler appears in the Nazi newspaper "Der Angriff" on November 28. Furtwängler resigns all his official German posts on December 4 and leaves Berlin for several months. On December 6 Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels denounces Hindemith as an "atonal noisemaker" during a speech at the Berlin Sport Palace.

Today's Birthdays

Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
Willie ("The Lion") Smith (1897-1973)
Norman Walker (1907-1963)
Erik Bergman (1911-2006)
Alfredo Kraus (1927-1999)
Emma Lou Diemer (1927-2024)
Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)
Maria Chiara (1939)
Chinary Ung (1942)
Tod Machover (1953)
Jouni Kaipainen (1956)
Samuel Zygmuntowicz (1956)
Edgar Meyer (1960)
Angelika Kirchschlager (1965)

and

Benedict Spinoza (1632-1677)
Laurence Sterne (1713-1768)
Margaret Anderson (1886-1973)
Dorothy Butler Gilliam (1936)
Nuruddin Farah (1945)
Arundhati Roy (1961)

Violinist Kerstin Tenney's album "Light"

Last summer, I attended the League of American Orchestra's annual conference and while perusing some of the displays, I was asked by violinist Kerstin Tenney to consider her album, "Light." It's consists of 16 lovely selections for violin and orchestra, and all of the music is very calm. If you know of someone with frayed nerves, this might be just the right recording for him/her.

Today's Birthdays

Pierre Du Mage (1674-1751)
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)
André Caplet (1878-1925)
Guy Reginald Bolton (1884-1979)
Jerry Bock (1928-2010)
Vigen Derderian (1929-2003)
Krzysztof Penderecki (1933-2020)
Ludovico Einaudi (1955)
Thomas Zehetmair (1961)
Nicolas Bacri (1961)
Ed Harsh (1962)

and

Harpo Marx (1888-1964)
Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1897-1999)
Paul Celan (1920-1970)
Jennifer Michael Hecht (1965)

and from the Writer's Almanac:

On this day in 1889, the first jukebox was unveiled in a saloon in San Francisco. It was invented by Louis Glass, who had earlier worked as a telegraph operator for Western Union and then co-founded the Pacific Phonographic Company. He was fascinated by the phonograph technology and saw a market for charging people to listen to them, since phonographs were still too expensive to buy for your own home. He installed the machine in the Palais Royal saloon simply because he knew the owner and it was close to his house, so he didn’t have to carry the machine very far.

The word “jukebox” wasn’t invented until the 1920s. Glass called his machine the “nickel-in-the-slot phonograph,” since you had to pay a nickel to hear a song play. In today’s money, a nickel was about $1.27 at the time. The first machine had four different stethoscopes attached to it that functioned as headphones. Each pair of headphones had to be activated by putting in a nickel, and then several people could listen to the same song at once. There were towels left by each listening device so people could wipe them off after using. As part of his agreement with the saloonkeepers, at the end of each song, the machine told the listener to “go over to the bar and buy a drink.”

His phonograph was a huge hit and, at a conference in Chicago, Glass told his competitors that his first 15 machines brought in over $4,000 in six months. This led to other manufacturers making their own machines. Shortly after, Thomas Edison designed a phonograph people could buy for their homes, which also cut into the market. Glass’s invention eventually made the player piano obsolete, and competitors updated the jukebox with new technologies from record players to CDs. Now there is such a thing as a digital jukebox, but they never really caught on, since they come with the size and expense of a regular jukebox, without any of the charm of flipping through the records and watching the moving parts of the machine.

Today's Birthdays

Frantisek Benda (1709-1786)
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710-1784)
Conradin Kreutzer (1780-1849)
Edgard Varèse (1883-1965)
Hoagy Carmichael (1899-1981)
Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999)
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
Gunther Schuller (1925-2015)
Jimmy Knepper (1927-2003)
Hans Zender (1936-2019)
Kent Nagano (1951)
Stephen Hough (1961)
Sumi Jo (1962)
Edward Gardner (1974)

and

George Eliot (1819-1880)
André Gide (1869-1951)
Winfred Rembert (1945-2021)

And from The Writer's Almanac:

It’s the feast day of Saint Cecilia, who was the patron saint of musicians because she sang to God as she died a martyr’s death. She was born to a noble family in Rome near the end of the second century A.D.

It held a large musical festival to honor her, and the trend made its way to England in the next century. Henry Purcell composed celebratory odes to honor her, and the painter Raphael created a piece called “The Ecstasy of St. Cecilia.” Chaucer wrote about her in the Second Nonnes Tale, and Handel composed a score for a famous ode to her that John Dryden had written.

Today, Saint Cecilia is often commemorated in paintings and on stained glass windows as sitting at an organ.

Today's Birthdays

Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909)
Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933)
Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969)
Bernard Lagacé (1930-2025)
Malcolm Williamson (1931-2003)
James DePreist (1936-2013)
Idil Biret (1941)
Vinson Cole (1950)
Kyle Gann (1955)
Stewart Wallace (1960)
Björk (1965)

and

Voltare (1694-1778)
Arthur Quiller-Couch (1863-1944)
Mary Johnston (1870-1936)
René Magritte (1898-1967)
Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902-1991)
Marilyn French (1929-2009)
Tina Howe (1937-2023)

Paul Snyder Named Oregon Symphony President and CEO

 From the Press Release:

Oregon Symphony Names Paul Snyder President and Chief Executive Officer 

Portland, Ore., Nov. 20, 2025 — The Oregon Symphony Board of Directors names Paul Snyder as the Oregon Symphony’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. Snyder was appointed Interim President and CEO in July 2025.

As the strategic and operational leader of the Oregon Symphony, Snyder will oversee the a

rtistic, financial, and administrative aspects of the organization, working in close collaboration with Jean Vollum Music Director David Danzmayr to support his artistic direction and creative vision for the orchestra. Drawing on his service on the Oregon Symphony Board of Directors, Snyder brings a deep understanding of the Symphony’s culture and long-term direction. He began an organization-wide strategic planning process in 2025 that engaged board members, musicians, staff, and other stakeholders in shaping a bold and vibrant future for the Symphony.

“Paul impressed the board with his focus in driving the Strategic Plan, translating vision into tangible steps toward building financial resilience, expanding our audience, and strengthening connections with our community,” says Board Chair Courtney Angeli. “He brings a genuine passion for revitalizing Portland and a working knowledge of its civic ecosystem. During his interim tenure, he has earned widespread confidence and respect, and we are thrilled to have him as our next President and CEO.” 

Snyder moved to Portland in 2019 to serve as the Executive Vice President of Stewardship at the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA). In that role, he developed strong relationships with community leaders at the city, county, and state levels that will serve him well in his new position at the Symphony. Snyder also brings expertise in leading arts organizations through his 20+ years of board service at the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Symphony, and the Portland Opera. 

“The business side of the arts is changing rapidly, and we must continue to evolve to attract new audiences and contribute to the vitality of the surrounding community,” says Snyder. “I look forward to continued innovation at the Symphony that will ensure its relevancy into the future, while honoring its 129-year history. That is all possible because of the high caliber of our talented and hard-working musicians, the quality and boldness of our programming, and the inspiring alignment between the musicians, staff, and board.”

In Snyder’s previous role, he led TCCA’s Environment & Community Impact, Government Relations & Public Affairs, and Corporate Communications teams, working to develop, manage, and execute the cooperative’s strategies for sustainability, natural resource management, community and social impact, internal engagement, earned media, philanthropy, and policy advocacy. Prior to that, he was Global Vice President – Corporate Responsibility at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), where he led sustainability strategy and execution for the company’s nearly 5,200 hotels worldwide. 

A committed community leader, Snyder currently serves on the board of directors for B Local PDX and was recently appointed to the Metro Future Vision Commission. Previously, he served on the boards of Oregon Business & Industry, the Portland Metro Chamber, the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, and the American Red Cross of Georgia. Snyder earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Lawrence University and an MBA at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management. 

Review of Metropolitan Youth Symphony's season opening concert

My review of the concert that opened the 51st season of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony has been published in Oregon Arts Watch here.

Review of Portland Youth Philharmonic season opening concert in Oregon Arts Watch

My review of concert that opened the PYP's 102nd season has been published in Oregon Arts Watch here.

Today's Birthdays

Edmond Dédé (1827-1903)
Daniel Gregory Mason (1873-1953)
Maya Plisetskaya (1925-2015)
René Kolo (1937)
Gary Karr (1941-2025)
Meredith Monk (1942)
Phillip Kent Bimstein (1947)
Barbara Hendricks (1948)

and

Nadine Gordimer (1923-2014)
Maya Plisetskaya (1925-2015)
R.W. Apple Jr. (1934-2006)
Don DeLillo (1936)

and from the Composers Datebook:

On this day in 1805, Beethoven's opera "Fidelio" (1st version, with the "Leonore" Overture No. 2) was premiered in Vienna at the Theater an der Wien.

Review: Portland Opera's "La Boheme" brings pathos to a full house at the Keller

Rebecca Krynski Cox as Mimi and Aloc Kumar as Rodolfo | Photo by Sunny Martini

"La Boheme," one of the most popular operas ever written, opened Portland Opera’s season on November 15 the pizazz and a full house at the Keller Auditorium. The buzz in the lobby was palpable as concertgoers vied for photos against the Portland Opera backdrop and lined up for drinks. Inside the hall, I looked up to see people in the topmost balcony – a site that I had not seen in quite a while at Portland Opera’s mainstage productions. The packed house might have been due in part to the fact that only three performances of this famous evergreen are scheduled – a reduction from the usual four or more performances in pre-Covid times. But Puccini's beloved opera is a sure-fire way to kick off the season in any case.

This production of "La Boheme" featured a strong cast, which was supported incisively by the Portland Opera Orchestra under Nicholas Fox. Stage director/choreographer Cara Consilvio gave straightforward directions that made the story easy to follow and placed all of the action dead-center. Colorful costuming by Martin Pakledinaz and Faban Aguilar brightened up the dusky and evocative scenery designed by Michael Yeargan. Lighting by Marcella Barbeau superbly helped to focus the story.

The Bohemians with Richard Zellar as Benoit | Photo by Sunny Martini

The principal singers were led by Rebecca Krynski Cox as the ill-fated Mimi and Aloc Kumar as her lover Rodolfo. Both gave passionate accounts of their characters that won over the hearts of the audience. Katrina Galka fashioned a scene-stealing Musetta, and her flamboyant behavior clashed extremely well with her hot-headed and jealous lover Marcello, sung with a warmest of baritone voices by Markel Reed.

Adrian Rosales buoyed up his friends’ spirits with food and drink. As the philosopher Colline, Jason Zacher grand moment came when he delivered a poignant farewell to his overcoat, which he sold to buy medicine for Mimi. Richard Zeller masterfully conveyed two gullible characters: the landlord Benoit and the Alcindoro, the wealthy admirer of Musetta.

Katrina Galka as Musetta | Photo by Sunny Martini

Sets originating at San Francisco Opera placed the action squarely in the Paris of the 1890s, depicting a garret with an expanse of windows on one side, and the meager trappings of a bed, a table, a few chairs, and a stove. Icicles hung from the ceiling, indicating how cold the space was for the four, young bohemian artists who lived there. The scene at Café Momus took place inside the restaurant, which was kind of odd when the toy salesman came in with a group of kids circling around him. The scene at the city gates worked well, but the final scene, which returned the action to the garret seemed to be missing the framework of the windows, giving the impression that the characters could step right out – into skyscape of the city.

Photo by Sunny Martini

The orchestra was too dominant in the first scene, especially for most of the male voices, but they could be easily heard the rest of the way because all of the singing took place near the front of the stage. When action returned to the garret for the final scene, the orchestration was quieter, and that really worked to the singers’ favor and helped to deliver the gut-punch of the tragedy.

 

Photo by Sunny Martini

This production of "La Boheme" marked the last one that Sue Dixon would oversee as the Portland Opera’s General Director. Kregg Arntson, president of the company’s board of directors, gave Dixon, who held the GD position for the past six years, a touching send-off before the curtain went up, and that helped to make the evening a special occasion.

Today's Birthdays

Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow (1663-1712)
Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov (1859-1935)
Jean‑Yves Daniel‑Lesur (1908-2002)
Géza Anda (1921-1976)
Maralin Niska (1926-2010)
David Lloyd-Jones (1934-2022)
Agnes Baltsa (1944)
Ross Bauer (1951)
Derrick Skye (1982)

and

Allen Tate (1899-1979)
Sharon Olds (1942)

and from The Writer's Almanac:

On this date in 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was four and a half months after the devastating battle, and it was a foggy, cold morning. Lincoln arrived about 10 a.m. Around noon, the sun came out as the crowds gathered on a hill overlooking the battlefield. A military band played, a local preacher offered a long prayer, and the headlining orator, Edward Everett, spoke for more than two hours. Everett described the Battle of Gettysburg in great detail, and he brought the audience to tears more than once. When Everett finished, Lincoln spoke.

Now considered one of the greatest speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address ran for just over two minutes, fewer than 300 words, and only 10 sentences. It was so brief, in fact, that many of the 15,000 people that attended the ceremony didn't even realize that the president had spoken, because a photographer setting up his camera had momentarily distracted them. The next day, Everett told Lincoln, "I wish that I could flatter myself that I had come as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes."

There are several versions of the speech, and five different manuscript copies; they're all slightly different, so there's some argument about which is the "authentic" version. Lincoln gave copies to both of his private secretaries, and the other three versions were re-written by the president some time after he made the speech. The Bliss Copy, named for Colonel Alexander Bliss, is the only copy that was signed and dated by Lincoln, and it's generally accepted as the official version for that reason.

Today's Birthdays

Jean‑Baptiste Loeillet (1680-1730)
Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826)
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (1836-1911)
Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941)
Amelita Galli‑Curci (1882-1963)
Eugene Ormandy (1899-1985)
Lillian Fuchs (1901-1995)
Compay Segundo (1907-2003)
Johnny Mercer (1909-1976)
Don Cherry (1936-1995)
Heinrich Schiff (1951)
Bernard d'Ascoli (1958)

and

Louis Daguerre (1787-1851)
Asa Gray (1810-1888)
George Gallup (1901-1984)
Margaret Atwood (1939)

and from the Composers Datebook:

On this day in 1741, Handel arrives in Dublin for an extended stay, involving a number of concerts in the Irish capital, including the premiere of his latest oratorio "Messiah" the following Spring (Gregorian date: Nov. 29).

On this day in 1928, Mickey Mouse debuts in "Steamboat Willie," in New York. This was the first animated cartoon with synchronized pre-recorded sound effects and music -- the latter provided by organist and composer Carl Stalling of Kansas City. Stalling would later provide memorable music for many classic Warner Brothers cartoons.