Piques Eddy creates mesmerizing Carmen in Portland Opera’s production

Sandra Piques Eddy - ©Photo by Cory Weaver 

On Friday night (February 6) at Keller Auditorium, Sandra Piques Eddy gave one of the best performances of Carmen that anyone can possibly imagine. She captivated the audience with a tantalizing combination of emotions that made Carmen absolutely bewitching. One moment, she could be playful and enticing and then sullen and calculating and then mean and derisive. Piques Eddy embodied it all with her beguiling mezzo and nuanced acting, which included flicking the ashes from her cigarette into the waiting palms of some poor schmuck.

In the role of Don José, Chad Shelton’s voice started out a little tight, but it became more expansive as his character became more and more desperate to win Carmen’s love. He convincingly went berserk in the final scene, escalating from stalker to threatener to slasher.

Eric Greene’s Escamillo flaunted his bull fighting stature with gusto but his voice sounded bottled up at times. One of his best moves came in the tavern scene when he jumped from a table and landed on the floor like a cat on the prowl.

Jennifer Forni created a superb Micaëla, singing with tenderness and beauty when conveying the letter from Don José’s mother to him and making her pitch for marriage. Later her voice supported Micaëla's steely nerves as she followed the gypsies to their mountain campsite.

Jeffrey G. Beruan commanded the stage as the serious and overly confident Zuniga, and José Rubio’s Morales lightened things up a bit with his dalliances with available women. Alexander Elliott and Ian José Ramirez created two swaggering smugglers. Katrina Galka and Angela Niederloh were flirty and energetic gypsy girls in the roles of Frasquita and Mercédès. Their voices blended perfectly in the quintet, “Quand il s’agit” with Elliott, Ramirez, and Pasques Eddy in the tavern scene.

The opera chorus sang lustily and the orchestra, conducted by George Manahan, played ardently.

Erick Einhorn’s directions had a lot going on. The children, for example, gleefully tromped about and lightly mocked the soldiers. A lot of pistols and rifles were used in this production. They seemed to come out of nowhere whenever the gypsies felt threatened. It underscored Einhorn’s vision of the violent culture of the gypsies as did their harsh treatment of Zuniga. Carmen’s rope-a-dope reversal on Don José’ was flawless.

Two flamenco dancers, Glenda Sol Koeraus and Antonio Granjero, cut up a storm, but the brief sequence on top of the table in the tavern unfortunately drummed out the singing of Pasques Eddy.

The production, from Opera Omaha with scenery created by Paul Shortt originally for New York City Opera, was traditional, but the mountain scenery was the most striking with its iron-grey cliff and sky, cold campfires, and tall archway with a broken cross or wheel of fate at the apex. It created a sense of impending doom that led to the final tragic sequence between Carmen and Don José.

"Carmen" continues for three more performances: Tuesday, February 10th, Thursday, February 12th and Saturday, February 14th. It has great music and an excellent cast anchored by the stellar Piques Eddy in the title role.

Here are more photos from the production:

Jeffrey G. Beruan  - ©Photo by Cory Weaver

Sandra Piques Eddy - ©Photo by Cory Weaver

Eric Greene - ©Photo by Cory Weaver

Alexander Elliott and Ian Jose Ramirez - ©Photo by Cory Weaver

Katrina Galka, Sandra Piques Eddy, and Angela Niederloh - ©Photo by Cory Weaver

Chad Shelton and Sandra Piques Eddy - ©Photo by Cory Weaver

Oregon Symphony Brings out Portland's Trekkers with Star Trek (2009)

On Friday night, January 31 the Oregon Symphony shared with Portland a project that is of special significance to a great number of folks around the world. J.J. Abrams' Star Trek  (2009) caused an instantaneous rift amongst Trekkers (or Trekkies, if one prefers the old term) when it first came out. Some saw it as an abomination, its one unforgivable crime being that it had the audacity to have an entire set of new, younger actors take over the beloved roles from the Original Series and its follow up films. Or maybe it was that it altered the original Trek timeline that led to the events portrayed in the Original Series. Or maybe it was that the style of the genre itself was rebooted--this was a sci-fi action film first and foremost. So there were a number of unforgivable crimes depending upon whom you ask. Or there were none (count me in this category of fan.) The one inarguable fact is that it re-enervated, in the general public's mind, a moribund franchise which had had no TV or motion picture presence for over 5 years--yet before that had had an unbroken string of 10 films since 1979 and 4 TV shows since 1987 (and that's not including the Original Series and an animated series in the 60s and early 70s)--almost inarguably the largest footprint of any Sci-Fi franchise in history.

Whenever the discussion of the Star Trek reboot films (this one and 2013's Star Trek: Into Darkness) comes up  there is invariably controversy, but amongst Trekkers I know, no one was complaining about this opportunity to see the OSO perform Michael Giacchino's thrilling score live, accompanying a screening of the 2009 film. Upon first hearing I was immediately excited that the Oregon Symphony chose to take on this production; I remember being glued to my chair at 6 years old in the late 70s, riveted by a TV show that took my imagination to places no other show could touch. I have seen every single Star Trek film in the theater since the first in 1979 when I was 7; that's 12 films over 34 years), and have watched hundreds upon hundreds of TV episodes over the years. So it was very personally thrilling to have the chance to support both OSO and Trek, two organizations that have brought so much joy to my life.

And many, many others share this view; there were Star Fleet officers scattered throughout the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and while I was disappointed that I spotted no Klingons or Borgs in full battle array (I hope they were there and I just somehow missed them), it was fun to see so many enthusiastic Trekkers filling the hall. The orchestra was in the spirit as well: right before tuning up there came from somewhere deep within the woodwinds on the darkened stage the iconic, 4-note prelude to the Original Series theme song, bringing an eruption of laughter from players and audience alike.

Hearing a soundtrack performed live while watching a film is a thrilling experience. The OSO grasped this and imparted a sensation of the music being more immediate--more intense, menacing, pathetic, whatever the particular emotion of the scene. The difficulty lies in not drowning out the sound effects and dialogue, and with a group the OSO's size it's not an easy task. Still, for the most part the blend they achieved was just right, and the Pacific Youth Choir did an admirable job in their role.

It also takes a special conductor. While in opera or other staged musicals the actors/singers are (ostensibly) watching the conductor, there is no such collaboration with a film, so the director must be exacting and extremely precise--missing a cue by a fraction of a second could turn a scene into a confusing dud. Conductor Erik Ochsner has a tremendous amount of experience in these types of productions, and it really showed. The ability of the orchestra to segue in and out so seamlessly was such that at times, when engrossed in the film, it was easy to forget that all the music was being performed live. The OSO played up to its usual high caliber; in Giacchino's score there was tremendous work for the low brass, and the audience ate every bit of it up.

It's always fun to see the OSO step outside the bounds of what we think of a classical symphony orchestra doing, and especially so for this Trekker last Friday night. I'm a big fan of live to projection music; a local group Filmusik has been doing this on a smaller scale here for years and I've reviewed them many times, so it was great to hear a group like OSO tackle this project.

Oregon Symphony introduces 2015-16 lineup

From the orchestra's press release:

Music Director Carlos Kalmar and President Scott Showalter have announced the details of the Company’s 2015/16 season. It will be Kalmar’s 13^th season at the artistic helm, Showalter’s second season as President, and the Oregon Symphony’s 120^th year.

 

The new season, which opens September 12, 2015 and closes May 23, 2016, includes—at press time—40 performances of 16 Classical subscription concerts, 8 performances of 4 Pops subscription concerts and 3 performances of 3 Kids subscription concerts, for a total of 51 performances of 23 different subscription concerts.

 

Discussing the season, Music Director Carlos Kalmar commented: “At the level the Oregon Symphony is now playing, many things are possible. We can play favorite works in fresh ways. We can share previously unplayed works from familiar composers in ways that will delight our audiences. And, of course, we can—and will—treat our audiences to some new surprises.”

 

Two renowned classical performers will join the Symphony for two additional Special Concerts. Guitarist Pablo Villegas, who performed before standing-room-only audiences last October, returns this September. And the popular pianist Lang Lang takes the stage in October.

 

Each season, the Symphony performs between 20 and 30 concerts outside of its subscription series. These Special Concerts span a wide spectrum of musical offerings. Patrons can expect the full slate of these Special Concerts to be announced in May.

 

The 2015/16 season will include Colin Currie as the Oregon Symphony’s new Artist in Residence, a position that involves performing onstage as well as working around the community. Currie deploys an array of percussion instruments, including his own body, to perform and teach.

2015/16 Season Highlights

On the Classical side of things:

 

Themed as “Just for You,” the season approach focuses on the all-important experience of the audience as they enjoy music curated, rehearsed and performed just for them.

 

That audience will enjoy many classical favorites like Handel’s Messiah, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Holst’s The Planets, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”), Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Strauss’ Don Quixote, Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and many others.

 

In addition to those favorites, the season is spiced with 14 Oregon Symphony debut pieces, including Strauss’ Oboe Concerto, Bloch’s Violin Concerto, Portland composer David Schiff’s Infernal, Ginastera’s Harp Concerto, Gubaidulina’s Offertorium: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, and Adés’ Violin Concert (“Concentric Paths”), among others.

 

The 2015/16 season sees the return of some of the world’s best-known classical stars as well as performers who have won favored status among Portland audiences, including violinists Joshua Bell, Simone Lamsma, Augustin Hadelich, and Vadim Gluzman; pianists Lang Lang, Kirill Gerstein, Natasha Paremski, and Garrick Ohlsson; percussionist Colin Currie; and guitarist Pablo Villegas.

 

Guest artists making their Oregon Symphony debuts include oboist François Leleux, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis, pianists Francesco Piemontesi and Benjamin Grosvenor, and cellist Christian Poltera.

 

In addition to the many performers who join us as soloists, Oregon Symphony Concertmaster Sarah Kwak steps back into the solo spotlight playing Bloch’s Violin Concerto; she will be joined by trumpet Jeff Work and English horn Kyle Mustain playing Copland’s Quiet City in March.

 

In addition to Music Director Carlos Kalmar and Resident Conductor Paul Ghun Kim on the podium, conductors Matthew Halls (Artistic Director, Oregon Bach Festival), Tomáš Netopil, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Robert Spano, and Yan Pascal Tortelier make their Oregon Symphony debuts.

 

From a Pops perspective:

 

The popular Jeff Tyzik continues his eighth year as Principal Pops Conductor, curating and conducting the Pops Series. The 2015/16 Pops season includes eight performances of four separate Pops concerts, spanning the musical spectrum.

 

Broadway stars Lisa Vroman and Ron Raines join the Symphony for Broadway Classics in October, followed by Holiday Pops in November, a Return to the Cotton Club with trumpeter Byron Stripling in February, and showman vocalist Curtis Stigers makes his debut in The Sinatra Century, a tribute to the Chairman of the Board in honor of the centennial of his birth.

 

For the younger audience:

 

Young audiences are an important part of the Oregon Symphony family. They’ll be dazzled by three concerts, designed especially for the young and the young at heart: Blast Off! celebrates space and the solar system in November; the Musical Zoo is a musical depiction of creatures great and small in January; and kids can get their wiggle on with Dance Party in April.

 

Education and Community Engagement:

 

Beyond the concert hall, the Oregon Symphony continues its work in the community, bringing musical experiences to over 50,000 additional people in schools, libraries, hospitals, correctional facilities and public gathering spaces throughout our region.

During the 2015/16 season, 24 Symphony Storytimes are scheduled in local libraries in three counties for preschoolers, 36 Kinderkonzerts, representing all four sections of the orchestra, will be held in three area host schools for K-2^nd graders. Four Young People’s Concerts will be offered at the concert hall on three school days for the 3-8^th grade students in spring 2016.

 

The musicians of the Oregon Symphony will return to work with the students in the David Douglas School School District, through the Oregon Community Foundation’s Studio to School Grant. This will be the second in a five-year residency aimed at educating, recruiting and training the musicians of the future.

 

Prior to all 2015/16 classical concerts, early arrivers can enjoy lively discussions about the concert selections between conductors, musicians and the engaging All Classical Portland hosts. More than 40 musical performances in the lobby will be presented by local school and community groups prior to most concerts through the very popular Prelude Performance series.

 

A complete list of 2015/16 concerts can be viewed at: www.orsymphony.org/season

 

A 2015/16 Season Brochure can be viewed at: www.orsymphony.org/seasonbrochure

 

Subscription Details

Oregon Symphony subscribers will receive their renewal packages beginning today and have until March 30 to renew their seats or request seating changes. New subscribers may purchase their season ticket packages beginning immediately.

 

Tickets to the Pablo Villegas and Lang Lang Specials are available at this time only to patrons renewing their subscriptions and patrons purchasing new subscriptions. Subscribers not only have access to these shows but receive, as a subscriber benefit, a discount of up to 10% on those Special Concert tickets.

 

Tickets to all Oregon Symphony Series concerts will go on sale to the general public in August.

 

Classical Series season tickets are priced as follows:

                                                               

14-concert series, beginning at $280

12-concert series, beginning at $240

7-concert series, beginning at $147

5-concert series, beginning at $105

 

Pops Series season tickets begin as low as $84 for the 4-concert package.

 

Kids Concert Series begin as low as $27 for the 3-concert series.

 

Subscriptions may be renewed or purchased online at OrSymphony.org; by phone at 503-228-1353; or in person/by mail at 923 SW Washington, Portland.

 

For more information, go to www.orsymphony.org or call the Ticket Office at 503-228-1353.

Eric Einhorn talks about directing Portland Opera's "Carmen" and more

Eric Einhorn

Eric Einhorn is an award-winning stage director who is directing Portland Opera’s production of “Carmen," which opens this Friday at the Keller Auditorium. Einforn has directed productions on stages throughout the nation and has been a Metropolitan Opera staff stage director since 2005. When he is not on the road, he lives in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, with his wife and two kids. According to Einhorn, Ho-Ho-Kus is the only town in America that officially has two hyphens.

When did you first direct “Carmen?”

Einhorn: In high school – the very first thing I ever directed was a 30-minute adaptation of “Carmen.”

Holy smokes! Sexy “Carmen” in high school!

Einhorn: I think that if I looked back at it, it would be incredibly G-rated. It was a really fun experience. I started an opera club in high school, because I knew that I wanted to be an opera singer. I had the dream of going to a music conservatory and becoming a singer, but there were no opportunities in high school to experience opera. So I started the opera club. So we did “Carmen” as a vehicle so that I could be Escamillo and sing the Toreador song.

The next year we did an Offenbach one act. I found out that directing came to me much more easily than singing. Singing was much more challenging, and I wanted to do it, even if it killed me. So, I went to Oberlin Conservatory – all set to be a singer. But during the course of my studies, I rediscovered directing. After graduating I started assisting and the directing bug sort of hit me.

Did directing appeal to you because you wanted to command everybody around?

Einhorn: It hit me from necessity, because when I started the club in high school, I didn’t want to direct, but no one else wanted to do it either. So I did it. I must have been all of 16 or 17 years old when I directed “Carmen” in the high school production, and I yelled the whole time. I didn’t have my rehearsal technique down! All of my friends endured it, and they remained my friends! But I quickly found out that that is not how you make art!

You must have directed something at Oberlin.

Einhorn: I went there as a voice major. Oberlin has a great design-you-own-major program. So I was able to do a directing major alongside a voice major. I directed some scenes early on and did a junior and senior thesis. For my junior thesis I directed “Starbird” by Henry Mollicone. The opera department was doing one of his full-length operas, “Coyote Tales” at that time, and he agreed to come back and conduct my production. It was great to my first show – right off the bat – conducted by the composer. For my senior year, I directed “Emperor of Atlantis,” by Viktor Ullmann, the composer who died in a concentration camp during World War II. It’s an amazing opera.

Tell us a little about the upcoming “Carmen” at Portland Opera, and how you work with the cast.

Einhorn: We have an outstanding cast. Everyone is unbelievably solid all the way through. The production is big. We have two flamenco dancers, many soloists, a children’s chorus, adult chorus, supernumeraries – everything but animals in this show.

With any show that I direct, the thing that I don’t want to be is fussy: worrying about the buttons, place settings, and things like that. For me, opera is about people: these characters, their relationships to one another, and what they are doing. I remember preparing for “Carmen” the first time for a full production. I was digging into the piece and had only seen it once. So I had very little baggage. When I read it, it gave me the same feeling as I had when I read “Oedipus Rex. I immediately wondered if everyone understood the greatness of this opera. It not only has outstanding music, but what makes it so great is the perfect storm of music, drama, storytelling, and text – and it all comes from a place of real humanity. We intend to get beyond the typical stereotyping of these characters: Carmen the vamp, Micaëla the nice girl from the country, Don José the victim of Carmen the seductress. I maintain that these are real people going through real emotions and such and like anyone in a real life conflict, it’s not loss, or love. I think that Carmen is an incredibly vulnerable person. She presents herself in a certain way because of her life experience. She’s been hurt before. She’s been through a lot. The gypsy culture that she comes from is transient and sometimes violent. So she comes from a rough upbringing. She has become who she is because of that. Don José – we know from the novella – there’s some dialogue in the opera but most of it is cut for modern audiences – he is from a small village, he dropped out of seminary, he can’t hold a job, and he killed a man over a game that he lost. So he had to run away and join the military. So, he’s a guy with a violent past and an explosive temper.

Carmen is one of the most performed operas in the repertoire. How do you make it fresh?

Einhorn: When you look at an autograph of a Mozart score, you hardly get any stage directions except for something like “he enters.” But often when you come to Puccini and Bizet, we stop asking questions, because their operas have specific direction, and we start to think that’s just how it is. But if you treat this kind of opera as a Handel or a Mozart opera, then that perspective opens up new opportunities. You can give life to these characters in a new and engaging way that will not jar you out of what you believe “Carmen” to be.

A theater director once told me that if you accomplish 70 percent of what is in your head for a production, then you’ve had a good day. As a director, I come in with a plan. I have thoughts on everything about the show. It’s my job to have those thoughts. But I tell singers that I don’t have all of the answers and I’m perfectly okay with being wrong. That’s what makes rehearsals so exciting. You come with a starting point, but you have to leave your ego at the door. To achieve the best possible performance, you might start at A but arrive at somewhere completely different. You might arrive at something that works for the production and the performers through the dialogue of collaboration. I feel very strongly about the power of the performer to make choices and help in the collaborative process. At the end of the day, it is the performers who are up on the stage, and they have to be comfortable with what they are doing.

Do you use some kind of software or sketch out where the chorus moves?

Einhorn: I diagram the choruses. Because I have less time with them, I always have a distinct game plan. If you don’t have that, then I’m wasting everyone’s time. I give them a framework and encourage them to create their own stories within that framework. When Carmen comes onstage, you want the people around her to react to her individually: some may love her, some hate her, some may want to sleep with her, some people are indifferent. That’s the way it would be in life.

Can you talk about the lighting and how you work with the lighting designer?

Einhorn: I want to take some inspiration from Goya for the lighting. Oftentimes, “Carmen” can be too squeaky clean like a perfect day in Seville. One of the factors in the first act is the oppressive heat. It’s so hot that it’s hazy. We are at that intersection of heat and temper. At the stifling hot cigarette factory where the women are working long hours, someone makes a snide comment and that causes another person who just can’t take it anymore to take a knife and cut a co-worker. So I’ve talked with Shawn Kaufman, the lighting designer, about how to create this impression: hazy around the edges, charcoal and a little rought-hewn, chiaroscuro effects, playing with light and dark effects that mold this world into a more three-dimensional place.

There are 500 hundred lights being hung for this production. Shawn and I have worked together on shows for 10 years. We have a real shared experience and vocabulary. He knows how I like to tell stories. So he and I can work very quickly. I can show him a couple of research images, and he knows what the means in terms of how we work together. The lighting designer is often in a precarious position: he is the last one to get into the process of creating the show, and he has the shortest amount of time to do the most amount of work. But because Shawn and I have worked together so much, we have a good way of getting things done efficiently.

You are the artistic director of the On Site Opera company. What is that?

Einhorn: About three years ago, a colleague and I started a site-specific opera company. It was born out of a desire to see what else is possible. We didn’t pioneer the idea, but we are the only opera company that relies solely on site-specific productions. And we are interest in venue-relevance in terms of connecting the venue with the opera. So we did Rameau’s “Pygmalion” at Madame Tussauds s wax museum in New York City and Gershwin’s “Blue Monday” at The Cotton Club in Harlem. We pioneered the idea of Google-glass for supertitles for one of our productions. Overall, it’s all going very well!

Where do you go after “Carmen” is done?

Einhorn: I fly directly to Chicago. I’ve adapted a new opera for Lyric Opera for their outreach program. It’s called “The Property” and it’s from a graphic novel by Rutu Modan. It’s a companion piece to “The Passenger,” which is a holocaust story that was done for the main stage. We think that “The Property” is the first Klezmer opera.

Wow! All of this work sounds terrific. Good luck!

Einhorn: Thanks!

EAR TRUMPET - Portland's new music calendar - February edition

Here is the listing of concerts in the Portland metro area that feature new music, as compiled by Bob Priest, composer, impresario, and Mr. March Music Moderne.

11 - Wed - 10 am
OREGON MUSIC TEACHER'S ASSO.
Kenji Bunch - composer
Monica Ohuchi - piano
Portland Piano Company
portlandpianocompany.com

*
12/13 - Thur/Fri - 7:30 pm
THIRD ANGLE
Steven Mackey
Zoomtopia
thirdangle.org

*
<<< ET PICK >>>
13 - Fri - 8 pm
CREATIVE MUSIC GUILD
Joelle Leandre - double bass
Dana Reason - piano
Redeemer Lutheran Church
creativemusicguild.org

*
14 - Sat - 2 pm
PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Susan Chan & Elise Yun - piano
Contemporary Chinese Music
Lincoln Recital Hall
music.pdx.edu/calendar

*
15 - Sun - 2 pm
ARNICA QUARTET
Barber, Bunch & Ott
Mago Hunt Recital Hall (U of P)
arnicaquartet.com

*
15 - Sun - 7 pm
MUSE FORWARD
Emerging Music Salon
The Waypost
museforward.org

*
15 - Sun - 7 pm
MAKROKOSMOS PROJECT
Duo Stephanie & Saar
Crumb & Bejerano
Portland Piano Company
makrokosmosproject.org

*
17 - Tue - 7:30 pm
FRIENDS OF CHAMBER MUSIC
Nordic Voices
Ligeti, Petrassi & Ravel
St. Philip Neri
focm.org

*
18 - Wed - Noon
SACK LUNCH CONCERT
Celebrate Women Composers
Marlise Stroebe - piano
Boulanger, Capers & Chen Yi
The Old Church
theoldchurch.org

*
21/22/23 - Sat/Sun/Mon - 7:30 pm/2 pm/8 pm
OREGON SYMPHONY
Witold Lutoslawski
Arlene Schnitzer Hall
orsymphony.org

*
22 - Sun - 7 pm
MOUSAI REMIX
Bartok's 2nd String Quartet
Cyril's @ Clay Pigeon Winery
mousairemix.instantencore.com

*
26 - Thur - 7 pm
PDX JAZZ FESTIVAL
Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble
The Old Church
pjce.wordpress.com

==============================

Radio:

7/14/21/28 - Saturday: 8-10 pm
CLUB MOD
All-Classical @ 89.9 FM
allclassical.org

*
2/9/16/23 - Monday: 8-10 pm
A DIFFERENT NATURE
KBOO @ 90.7 FM
kboo.fm

==============================

ET Recording of the Month:

DOBRINKA TABAKOVA
String Paths
ECM New Music Series 2239

Soprano Kowalski delivers outstanding “Wesendonck Lieder”

Soprano Christina Kowalski

Soprano Christina Kowalski’s singing of Wagner’s “Wesendonck Lieder” at the Vancouver Symphony concert this afternoon (Saturday, January 24) was superb. Kowalski sang with grace, power, and a terrific understanding of the arch of each phrase in the five songs. Her top notes were golden and all tones down to the lowest were solid and full of dramatic intensity. She communicated with passionate intensity and impeccable diction (even a non-native German speaker like this reviewer could understand each word). Overall, she gave a luminous interpretation of Wagner’s music.

Kowlaski was supported expertly by the orchestra under its Music Director Salvador Brotons. The orchestral sound was kept in check, which allowed Kowlaski’s voice to soar freely. The elegant cello and oboe in “Der Engel”, the muted horns and the slowly ascending violins in “Im Triebhaus,” and the evocative horn and oboe solos in “Träume” glimmered from within the sonic texture. If the flutes could have been softer at the end of “Im Triebhaus,” then that piece would have sounded even better.

Also on the program, was the Brahms’ Third Symphony, which the orchestra played intelligently and with great spirit. The violins put an impressive verve into their attacks and almost always commanded a unified sound. The lower strings also played with greater unity than I’ve heard in the past. The treacherous horn solo in the third movement was deftly fielded by principal Allan Stromquist. The woodwinds and the brass played with great expression and intensity. Brotons, conducting from memory, urged the orchestra with a huge variety of gestures and expressions. The orchestra wasn’t flawless (for example, there were some intonation problems in the strings in the third movement), but it was an impressive outing that shows how far this orchestra has come.

The concert got off to a sultry, jazzy start with Gershwin’s “Cuban Overture.” The percussion battery had a field day with the infectious rumba rhythm, and principal trumpet Bruce Dunn led the trumpets in stirring up the heat. The principal woodwinds laced their solos with care and the strings layered it all with a lush sweep of sound. Under Brotons, all the musicians seemed to be having fun.

Because of it has a wild finish, the Gershwin piece generated a lot of enthusiastic applause, and the Brahms and the Wagner were also well appreciated by the audience. But Kowalski’s performance was the highlight of the concert. Hopefully, she will be back invited to sing again with the orchestra in the near future.

Sergey Prokofiev International Airport in disputed Ukranian territory blasted to smithereens

I didn't realize until today that the full name of the Donetsk International Airport in the eastern part of Ukraine is actually the Donetsk Sergey Prokofiev International Airport. It may be the only airport in the world named after a composer. The Wikipedia states that the airport "was built in the 1940s and 1950s and rebuilt in 1973 and again from 2011 to 2012. The airport is named for 20th-century composer Sergei Prokofiev, who was a native of Donetsk Oblast." Unfortunately, Ukrainian forces and separatist Russian forces have been battling over the control of the Donetsk Sergey Prokofiev International Airport. This Reuters report shows recent photos of the destruction. Hopefully, someday soon the airport will be reopened, and all people (including musicians and composers) can safely fly in and out.
--
After writing this, I remembered that Poland has the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport.  So there is at least one other airport named after a composer.

New approach to attract younger audiences to classical music

I published an interview with Dr. Mike Hsu in Oregon Music News, regarding his ensemble ARCO-PDX, which presents a new approach on exposing younger audiences to classical music. ARCO stands for Amplified Repertory Chamber Orchestra. Those of you who ponder the future of classical music may find the article of special interest.

FYI: I am still writing for Oregon Music News on an occasional basis,

Rebellion, treachery, love - Seattle Opera's "Tosca" brings it all to a boil

Greer Grimsley (Baron Scarpia) and Ausrine Stundyte (Floria Tosca) in Puccini's Tosca.

© Elise Bakketun

One would think that a reliable warhorse like “Tosca” might be a dull affair because it is performed so often, but the most recent Seattle Opera production shows that Puccini’s masterpiece still can grip audiences in the gut. The performance on opening night (January 1oth) at McCaw Hall had an edge of spontaneity that made it riveting. I am referring to the intense scene in which Tosca (Lithuanian soprano Austine Stundyte) kills Scarpia (bass-baritone Greer Grimsley) with a knife. Stundyte scampered about after dispatching Grimsley). It was an impulsive moment in which Stundyte seemed to get an extra rush of adrenaline – just like it would probably happen in real life – and it was extremely effective. The other huge impression of the evening was the trumpet-like clarity of Italian tenor Stefano Seccco, who sang the role of Cavaradossi. His tone quality was excellent from top to bottom. He sang effortlessly, with great emotion and plenty of power, including a wonderfully long high A at the end of “E lucevan le stele.”

Stundyte’s vocal prowess was first rate, and her singing of “Vissi d’arte” a highlight of the show, but the top end of her voice didn’t shimmer as much as Secco’s. Grimsley sang with a stentorian heft, barking orders to torture Cavaradossi, threatening Tosca with his imposing presence, and topping it all off with a smart and smug attitude.

Alasdair Elliott created a vivid impression vocally and in the acting category as the detective Spoletta. Aubrey Allicock plunged the audience into the midst of his desperate situation as the political fugitive Angelotti . Peter Strummer brought just the right mix of piety and amiability to the character of the Sacristan. Barry Johnson distinguished himself in the role of the police sergeant Sciarrone, and Matthew Bratton’s plaintive voice was perfectly suited for the song of the Shepherd Boy.

Bulgarian conductor Julian Kovatchev elicited a magnificent sound from the orchestra. It became a little too magnificent at one point in the second act and actually drowned out Grimsley for a few measures, but it didn’t overwhelm the stellar sound from the chorus, expertly prepared by John Keene, during the spectacular religious procession (“Te Deum” scene) at the end of the first act.

The stage directions of Jose Maria Condemi gave this production of “Tosca” a realistic feel. The death of the evil Scarpia was so palpable that many in the audience responded with applause. The painted sets of Ercole Sormani suggested the faded glory of Rome, but the best moments came in the final act when the lighting of Connie Yun gradually changed the night sky, dotted with stars, to a morning sky, pillowed with ominous clouds. New York City Opera, which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, provided traditional costumes that fit this production to a T.

The strong cast and superb directing from Condemi make this production of “Tosca” another feather in Seattle Opera’s cap. It runs through the 24th.

Spring for Music Festival shifts to the Kennedy Center and gets a new name and a slightly new concept

The Spring for Music Festival, which brought many orchestras - including the Oregon Symphony - to Carnegie Hall, ran out of money. But, fortunately, the festival concept is being resurrected and re-structured by Deborah Rutter and the folks at the Kennedy Center. It's called Shift: A Festival of American Orchestras. According to Musical America, the festival, which is scheduled to get underway in the Spring of 2017, is funded by $900,000 from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, $700,000 of which is matching funds. Shift will place its emphasis on the artistic excellence of the orchestra and its relationship to the community.

For more information about Shift: A Festival of American Orchestras, read this account in The Washington Post or refer to this one in The New York Times. Of course, you can also take a look at the festival announcement from the Kennedy Center.

So this presents another chance for the Oregon Symphony to hit the big time and make another huge, positive impression like it did at Carnegie in 2011.

EAR TRUMPET - Portland's new music calendar - January edition (slightly altered)

A couple of weeks ago, composer, impresario, Mr. March Music Moderne, and tireless advocate of new music, Bob Priest, sent, via email, a compilation of concerts that feature new music during the month of January. With his blessing, I'm re-posting this schedule (minus the first couple of concerts that already flown by) so that you might consider attending one of the performances.

17 - Sat - 8 pm
ARCO-PDX
Amplified Chamber Orchestra
Bunch & Cellotronik
Refuge PDX
arcopdx.com

*
18 - Sun - 7 pm
MUSE FORWARD & C-REV
Emerging Music Salon
The Waypost
museforward.org

*
22/23 - Thur/Fri - 7:30 pm
THIRD ANGLE
Horn Trios
Ligeti & Prangcharoen
Zoomtopia
thirdangle.org

*
24 - Sat - 7:30 pm
CASCADIA COMPOSERS
Mixed Ensembles
Bernstein, Floyd, Hsu, Safar & Woody
Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church
cascadiacomposers.org

*
24 - Sat - 8 pm
CREATIVE MUSIC GUILD
Henry Kaiser - guitar
Performance Works NW
creativemusicguild.org

*
29 - Thur - 7:30 pm
CHAMBER MUSIC NORTHWEST
McDermott & Vonsattel - piano
Barber, Debussy & Stravinsky
Lincoln Hall
cmnw.org

*
31 - Sat - 7:30 pm
45th PARALLEL
Mixed Ensembles
Bunch, Carreno & Winslow
Alberta Rose Theatre
45thparallelpdx.org

============================

Radio:

10/17/24/31 - Saturday: 8-10
CLUB MOD
All-Classical @ 89.9 FM
allclassical.org

*
5/12/19/26 - Monday: 8-10
A DIFFERENT NATURE
KBOO @ 90.7 FM
kboo.fm

====================

Blogs:

ALITISA
alitisa.com

*
EXPERIMENTAL PORTLAND
experimentalportland.com

*
NOBLE VIOLA
nobleviola.com

*
NORTHWEST REVERB
northwestreverb.blogspot.com

*
OREGON ARTS WATCH
orartswatch.org


===================

ET was birthed by MMM
marchmusicmoderne.org

Innovative Programming and Stellar Artistry at the Oregon Symphony

Marc-André Hamelin

An interesting, if not too surprising, phenomenon of note at Oregon Symphony concerts (as is true at any major symphony I'm sure) is the 'post-hit desertion.' That is to say, if the big, famous, popular work (you know, a Rachmaninov 3 piano concerto or a Dvořák Cello Concerto in B Minor) is played in the first half, then a certain portion of the audience tends to...disappear before the less popular work(s) of the second half. Maestro Kalmar addressed the very fact that the OSO was flipping the traditional concert order on its head by playing the big symphony first, then the concerto and overture-like works last. So as it was, everyone who wanted to hear Ravel's Bolero had the great pleasure of sitting through the marvelous, lesser-known offerings by Dutilleux, Messaien, and  (arguably) Franz Liszt.

Opening with Henri Dutilleux's Symphony No. 1 was a bold stroke for the OSO, and it worked out well. The at-first-barely audible string pizzicato, and its subsequent ingenious passing between sections was deftly handled. The work as a whole was marked by radical contrasts; long, slow singing sections interrupted by thunderous crashes from percussion or brass, and then a sudden, quiet reversion into subtlety. It demanded intensely rhythmic ensemble playing to navigate the tempestuous, moody texture, and a focused approach was necessary to keep interesting the sometimes abstruse tonal (or atonal) musical languages of this mid 20th century piece. The OSO certainly had the skills to navigate all those challenges.

Olivier Messaien's Oiseaux exotiques  (Exotic Birds) was a startling change. Consisting of winds, percussion and piano, it was patterned after the songs of 18 birds from around the world. Messaien, a bird-lover himself, could clearly articulate not only the bird song but convey images of hopping, dancing, flitting and strange avian rituals that only a bird-enthusiast and accomplished composer could so convey. Pianist Marc-André Hamelin had an interesting role: pouncing, plunking, thundering and whispering delicacy were all called for. The dizzying amount of coordination between the percussion and winds, especially at such a sustained and rapid-fire pace, was amazing to behold. Precision, rapt concentration and lightning execution were all present in this stunning, boiling euphony.

The second half opened with Liszt's Todtentanz for Piano and Orchestra.  The opening, menacing theme, at which death seems to stride the world, immense and unchallenged, gave way to scintillating brilliance on the part of Hamelin. Suddenly he displays a jolly, crisp and brilliant staccato, firing away exacting glissandi one after another. He then plays with such cantabile tenderness in the quasi-fugal portion, a feeling like retiring into death's cool embrace. The astonishing amount of technical accomplishment alone, to say nothing of his artistry--Hamelin had every bit of the chops and then some; for much of this piece he was a one-man orchestra.

Ravel's Bolero was the grand finale. The bassoon in particular rendered the theme splendid and saucy. It was great fun to see an army of violinists and violists holding their axes like small guitars, plucking away. The piccoli had some difficulty with the doublings, but it was a small blemish. Kudos to the snare drummer and his rock-solid rhythm, the only player to hit every single beat from the first to the last. The percussion section and winds in particular were spectacular all evening; it is a joy to listen to such top-notch performers night after night with the OSO.

Superb recording of Leclair's duo violin sonatas features superior talents of Ewer and LaMotte

If you are fond of pure violin music (that is, without accompaniment of any sort), then you should listen to the music of Jean-Marie Leclair in “The Complete Sonatas for Two Violins” in a recording that was released last year under the Sono Luminus label. You’ll hear two of the Northwest’s top violinists, Greg Ewer and Adam LaMotte, perform Leclair’s sonatas so superbly that you’d think they were same person. Their playing exhibits incredibly matched timing, excellent tonal balance, and elegant dynamics – all of which combine to bring out the sinewy textures and subtle colors of Leclair’s sonatas in this 2-CD set. Together, Ewer and LaMotte make a strong case for the Leclair’s music, which has been quietly residing in the dust bin for quite some time.

It turns out that Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764) was a French violinist-composer, who wrote sonatas and concertos in which Italian models (Corelli in particular) were gracefully Frenchified a la the ballet music of Jean-Baptiste Lully. Leclair’s mastery of the violin was considered to be of the highest level, and he was especially noted for his command of double stops (a technique that flavors the duo violin sonatas). Matthais Maute, in the CD’s liner notes, mentions that Leclairs “duos influenced later composers such as Mozart, de Beriot, Viotti, and closer to our own time, Bartok and Berio.”

The recording of Leclair’s sonatas for two violins by Ewer and LaMotte fills in a gap that has been ignored for a long time. Hopefully, they will find another recording project soon.

Comparison chart of bugeted arts funding by the legislators in each state of the nation

For the past few years I have belonged to Americans for the Arts Action Fund. That organization recently sent out this information, which I'd like to share:

State Appropriations Nationwide
State legislatures have determined their budgets for FY 2015, and arts funding continues to grow - especially in Florida, whose appropriation increased by more the 350 percent. Where does your state fall?

As you can see (hopefully), Oregon increased its funding for the arts to $2,155,508. That is much better than Washington ($1,093,000), Idaho ($702,000), and Montana ($538,391), but it doesn't compare very well with Minnesota, which has budgeted $34,189,000.

Oregon Symphony to release new recording - Spirit of the American Range - featuring works by Copland, Piston, and Antheil

From the orchestra's press release:


The Oregon Symphony today announced that its upcoming CD—the third under the baton of Music Director Carlos Kalmar—is set to be pre-released locally on the Pentatone label on January 8.

This latest CD, entitled Spirit of the American Range, follows Music for a Time of War, a recording of the program performed at the Symphony’s 2011 Carnegie Hall debut which hit the classical billboard charts and received numerous critical accolades including two Grammy Award nominations, and This England, released in 2012. Like its predecessors, Spirit of the American Range was recorded in hybrid multichannel Super Audio CD format.

The CD features works by Aaron Copland (Symphony No. 3), Walter Piston (Suite from The Incredible Flutist) and George Antheil (A Jazz Symphony). These works were recorded live at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in April 2013 and January 2014 by Soundmirror recording engineers John Newton and Blanton Alspaugh, both of whom engineered the two previous CDs.

Music Director Carlos Kalmar said: “It is a great pleasure to share these important American works for which I have the greatest fondness and appreciation. They aren’t widely performed and certainly deserve to be enjoyed by a wider public.”

Job Maarse, Pentatone’s Artistic Director, commented on the CD, saying “From day one the co-operation between Pentatone and the Oregon Symphony and its Music Director Carlos Kalmar has been something magical. The quality of the orchestra and the program ideas of Carlos Kalmar attracted the attention of a large group of music lovers in and outside the U.S. During a pleasant meeting at the Chicago airport almost two years ago the idea for this new album was discussed. I believe all at the table liked it and now everybody can hear how these three pieces, although by composers with different styles, fit perfectly in one program. And of course the Copland symphony is one of the best pieces ever written by an American composer.”

Spirit of the American Range will receive its first radio broadcast on Portland’s own 24/7 classical music station, All Classical 89.9 FM (streaming internationally at allclassical.org), at 7 pm on January 8.

The recording was made possible in part by the James DePreist Fund for Broadcast and Recording.

Following its local release, Spirit of the American Range will be available for purchase only at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office (923 SW Washington) or at the Pentatone website (pentatonemusic.com) until its official international release in February 2015, when it will become available at most music outlets.

SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN RANGE

• Copland: Symphony No. 3 
• Piston: Suite from The Incredible Flutist 
• Antheil: A Jazz Symphony

Seattle Opera to open 2015-2016 season with Verdi's "Nabucco"

From the company's press release:


Seattle Opera Announces 2015/16 Season:

Nabucco, An American Dream, The Pearl Fishers, Mary Stuart, The Marriage of Figaro and The Flying Dutchman

Company Presents First Season of Aidan Lang’s Vision

Year-Round Opera Returns in Seattle

It’s a new era at Seattle Opera. The company today announced its 2015/16 season, the first to be presented by General Director Aidan Lang, and a return to full-year programming with a total of six operas, including new productions and a world premiere. Under Lang’s leadership, the company hopes to serve the community through the magic of theater and music in McCaw Hall, and in learning and engagement programs across the Pacific Northwest.

“We are excited to offer a season that is so varied, both in terms of repertoire and presentation style,” Lang said. “In addition to a world premiere, we have in Nabucco and Mary Stuart two great, highly dramatic works that have never before been seen in Seattle. And it is especially pleasing to maintain our Wagnerian credentials with a compelling, new-to-Seattle production of The Flying Dutchman. I know our audiences are in for a thrilling ride.”

The 2015/16 season includes two company premieres: Nabucco (Verdi) and Mary Stuart (Donizetti); a world premiere: An American Dream (composed by Jack Perla with libretto by Jessica Murphy Moo) conceived from the company’s community storytelling initiative, the Belonging(s) Project; and new-to-the-company productions of The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart), The Pearl Fishers (Bizet) and The Flying Dutchman (Wagner). In addition to mainstage performances, programs that serve the community are at the heart of Lang’s vision. In the 2015/16 season, Seattle Opera launches the Flight project, a multi-year series of programs and events that includes the commission of a trilogy of new operas for family audiences and in-school performances. Flight is modeled on the three-year Our Earth project, which to-date has served 31,893 people in more than 158 performances.

The mainstage season kicks off in August 2015 with a new production of an opera that’s never before been presented in Seattle: Nabucco, Verdi’s first masterpiece. The power and grandeur of the Old Testament story will come alive with innovative staging designed to bring the audience right into the action and closer to the music, notably the famous chorus “Va, pensiero.” Gordon Hawkins returns in Verdi’s first great baritone role, the King of Babylon. Mary Elizabeth Williams takes on the challenge of his fearsome daughter, Abigaille. Christian Van Horn makes his Seattle debut as Zaccaria, the High Priest. Russell Thomas returns as Ismaele, and Jamie Barton makes her Seattle Opera debut as Fenena. Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro returns following Verdi’s Attila (2012) and more recently, The Consul (2014). François Racine, who won Seattle Opera’s Artist of the Year Award for directing the acclaimed Canadian Opera Company production of Bluebeard’s Castle and Erwartung (2009), returns to direct a new production with sets by Seattle Opera’s own Robert Schaub (The Magic Flute, 2011); projections by Robert Bonniol, MODE Studios; and costumes by Ginette Grenier.  

Running concurrently with Nabucco in August is the world premiere of An American Dream—an opera based on real stories from the Pacific Northwest. The heartbreak of World War II binds strangers together after a Japanese American family is forcibly removed from where they live on an island in Puget Sound, and the new residents slowly piece together the history of their home. Morgan Smith (Seattle Opera Young Artists Program graduate) returns to create the role of Jim, an American soldier married to Eva, a German Jew who has fled the Nazis and moved to the Pacific Northwest. Making their Seattle Opera debuts are D’Ana Lombard as Eva and, as the Japanese American family, Nina Yoshida Nelsen (Hiroko Kimura), Adam Lau (Makoto Kimura), and Hae Ji Chang (Setsuko Kimura). Conductor Judith Yan makes her Seattle Opera debut. Peter Kazaras, longtime Seattle Opera director, singer and former head of the company’s Young Artists Program, returns to direct following The Consul.   

An American Dream is inspired by stories from Seattle Opera’s Belonging(s) Project (seattleopera.org/belongings),­ a community storytelling initiative where participants were asked to consider: “If you had to leave your home today and couldn’t return, what would you want to take with you? Why is that object, that memory, or that connection to your past so important?”

The simultaneous presentation of An American Dream with Nabucco is in itself a compelling artistic choice, and a deliberate pairing by the company’s general director.   

“Every now and then in life, things suddenly fall neatly into place; and so it was with An American Dream,” Lang said. “The workshop process of An American Dream revealed an unexpected resonance with one of the key themes of Nabucco, which we had already planned. So we jumped at the opportunity to present the two works in parallel. In attending both operas, our audiences will inevitably have an even richer human experience than they would by seeing each piece in isolation.”

Next, Bizet’s hypnotic love story The Pearl Fishers heats up the fall. Internationally beloved designer Zandra Rhodes returns following her Artist of the Year Award costuming Seattle Opera’s The Magic Flute (2011) to create a grand vision of exotic splendor and vibrant color with her sets and costumes. Maureen McKay, a Seattle Opera Young Artists Program graduate who has gone on to impressive achievements in Europe, makes her mainstage debut as the beautiful priestess Leïla. John Tessier and Brett Polegato return to sing the two men who love her, Nadir and Zurga. Jonathan Lemalu makes his Seattle Opera debut as Nourabad. Both stage director Andrew Sinclair and conductor Emmanuel Joel-Hornak make their Seattle Opera debuts.   

During the holiday season, Seattle Opera’s Education Department will deepen its collaborative partnership with Seattle Symphony. The Youth Opera Chorus will again perform with the symphony for its holiday concert on December 15, 2015 at Benaroya Hall. Additionally, the two companies are introducing a new pilot program: an in-school partnership between Opera Time (musical storytelling that fosters literacy for kindergarten-second grade) and Link Up: Seattle Symphony. Link Up allows third-fifth graders the opportunity to “join the orchestra” in a highly participatory program in which they learn to sing and play recorder in the classroom, and perform with the symphony from their seats.

Then, in the new year, Seattle Opera presents The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart’s endlessly enjoyable comedy of manners. General Director Aidan Lang returns to stage directing to mount his own production, which The New Zealand Herald called “engrossing, astute and unmissable.” Chinese bass-baritone Shenyang makes his Seattle Opera debut as Figaro, partnered by Nuccia Focile as Susanna. Morgan Smith returns as Count Almaviva, and Bernarda Bobro debuts as his forgiving wife. In the other cast, Aubrey Allicock as Figaro weds Talise Trevigne as Susanna. The ensemble also features Arthur Woodley, Steven Cole, Karin Mushegain, and Seattle Opera Young Artist alumni Caitlin Lynch, Elizabeth Pojanowski, and Deborah Nansteel. Gary Thor Wedow returns following Don Giovanni (2014) to conduct. 

A Seattle Opera premiere, Mary Stuart takes the stage next in February 2016. Based on Friedrich Schiller’s brilliant play, Mary Stuart dramatizes the battle of titanic wills between Queen Elizabeth I of England and her Catholic cousin Mary Stuart Queen of Scotland. In extravagant period costumes, these two iconic royals clash in a haunting story of jealousy, pity, doubt, menace, exaltation and remorse. Christine Rice and Joyce El-Khoury share the honors as Donizetti’s doomed queen, with Mary Elizabeth Williams and Keri Alkema as Queen Elizabeth I, her hated rival. Baritones Weston Hurt and Michael Todd Simpson appear as the scheming courtiers Talbot and Cecil. Carlo Montanaro is at the podium and Kevin Newbury makes his Seattle Opera debut as director. 

Finally, the company concludes the season doing what it does best—Wagner! In May 2016, several of Seattle’s favorite Wagnerians return to sing The Flying Dutchman, a tale of a cursed sea captain who can be redeemed only by true love. Greer Grimsley and Alfred Walker return as the Dutchman; Alwyn Mellor and Wendy Bryn Harmer sing Senta, who will break the doomed mariner’s curse. Nikolai Schukoff and David Danholt (winner of the 2014 International Wagner Competition) sing Erik, and Daniel Sumegi returns as Daland. A new production for Seattle audiences, this compelling and stylish show from the Canadian Opera Company brings together a visionary creative team in director Christopher Alden, set/costume designer Allen Moyer, and lighting designer Anne Militello. Sebastian Lang-Lessing, who made his Seattle Opera debut during the company’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration in August 2014, returns to the podium. 

Inspired by the fate of the Dutchman, as well as the plight of the Israelites in Nabucco, Seattle Opera and the University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences will launch the first in an annual series of programs, performances, and events that will explore the theme of exile in the 2015/6 season.  Together, with experts from a variety of disciplines in history, philosophy, literature, and the performing arts, audiences will extend and enhance their performance experience through multiple perspectives on historical and contemporary representations of exile.  Programming will be offered in conjunction with performances of Wagner's work in May 2016.

Oregon Symphony moves into New Year on an uptempo - plus a bambino for the maestro

From the orchestra's press release:

January 2, 2015

OREGON SYMPHONY’S 2014 CRESCENDOS TO A BIG NOTE

When hundreds of balloons dropped from the ceiling of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall at the New Year’s Eve “Ode to Joy” celebration, the uproarious applause sounded a rousing conclusion to a spectacular calendar year.

“The Oregon Symphony has grown, in both its artistic quality and its community impact,” said President Scott Showalter. “Still, we are in a crescendo mode. And our growth will continue as the second half of the 2014/15 season unfolds.”

Highlights of 2014 include:

• Scott Showalter hired as the Company’s new President

• Fifth consecutive fiscal year with a budget surplus

• Record ticket sales and record number of new contributors

• Record number of new ticket buyers in the first four months of the 2014/15 season, contributing to several sold-out concerts

• Record attendance at the Waterfront Concert, the biggest free community concert in Oregon

• 13 new members added to the Board of Directors

Growth of education and community programs—including Alban Gerhardt’s third year as Artist in Residence; an intensive new program in the David Douglas School District; and performances around the region, from the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility and various churches, to St. Mary’s Home for Boys and the Hillsboro Hops

The whole year was capped off by one, important last-minute addition: the birth of a son to Music Director Carlos Kalmar and his wife Raffaela. Luca Pedro was born at 7:05 am on December 31, which explains why Carlos’ performance that same night conducting Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony appeared especially joyous. Mother and son are thriving.