Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Portland Symphony Music Director Eckart Preu leads the closing program of the orchestra’s 100th Anniversary season. American violinist Tai Murray makes her PSO debut at this concert, though she has performed previously in Portland with other organizations. The music on this program highlights views of the USA from inside and out…. Read More
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Classic Romance Program at a Glance
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 Portland Ballet is Portland’s professional ballet company and has shared the Merrill stage with PSO for multiple performances. It is flutist Mimi Stillman’s first appearance with the orchestra, and the first time the PSO has played music by Chinese American composer Zhou Tian. Ballet itself has roots that go back to… Read More
Carmina Burana Program at a Glance
Sunday, April 27, 2025 Tuesday, April 29, 2025 PSO Music Director is joined for this program by the Silver-Garburg Duo in two-piano concertos by J. S. Bach and Mozart. The Silver-Garburgs last played here in February, 2022 with concertos by Bach and Poulenc. After intermission, Carl Orff’s eternally popular Carmina Burana takes the stage, employing… Read More
Carmina Burana Program Notes
Johann Sebastian Bach Concerto for Two Pianos and String Orchestra in C Major, BWV 1061 Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany on either March 21 or March 31, 1685 and died in Leipzig, Germany on July 28, 1750. This concerto, originally for 2 harpsichords and strings, dates from the 1730s and is scored… Read More
Wind Quintet Program
THE PROGRAM Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Quintet in E-Flat Major, Opus 16 for oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and piano Grave; Allegro ma non troppo Andante cantabile Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo Amanda Jane Fox Infinity for flute and piano INTERMISSION Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Opus 47 Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) Sextuor… Read More
String Quartet Program
THE PROGRAM WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Quintet in A Major, K. For Clarinet and Strings Allegro Larghetto Menuetto Allegretto con variazioni INTERMISSION CAROLINE SHAW Entr’Acte, for string quartet FRANZ PETER SCHUBERT Quartettsatz, Movement for String Quartet Arr. DANISH STRING QUARTET Peat Dance, for string quartet Arr. DAVID KRAKAUER Der Gasn Nign, for clarinet and string quartet… Read More
Mozart Meets Klezmer Program at a Glance
Sunday, March 30, 2025 This concert provides, among other things, a portrait of the brilliant American clarinetist and composer David Krakauer, who moves easily between the worlds of classical music and klezmer. He appears with the PSO for the first time. Conductor Anna Handler, newly appointed an assistant conductor at the Boston Symphony, also makes… Read More
Mozart Meets Klezmer Program Notes
Wolfgang Amadè Mozart Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in A major K. 622 Wolfgang Amadè Mozart (he never used “Amadeus” except when making a joke) was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756 and died in Vienna in 1791. He composed this concerto in November of 1791, and it was likely performed soon thereafter with Anton… Read More
Also sprach Zarathustra Program at a Glance
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Beloved Maine pianist Diane Walsh makes a long-awaited return to the PSO with Beethoven’s most serene piano concerto, the 4th, in G Major, Opus 58. Pre-pandemic, she performed Clara Schumann’s youthful piano concerto with conductor Ruth Reinhardt in March 2019, and Chopin’s second concerto with Robert Moody in January 2017. Mexican… Read More
Also Sprach Zarathustra Program Notes
Gabriela Ortiz Kauyumari Gabriela Ortiz was born in 1964 in Mexico City, Mexico. She continues to live in Mexico. Kauyumari was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and first performed by that orchestra with its music director Gustavo Dudamel on October 9, 2021 at Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles. The work is scored for… Read More