It’s All in the Family at PYP’s Concert-at-Christmas

The youth orchestra’s 63rd annual holiday show sent everyone home with a smile.
Portland Youth Philharmonic Alumni Orchestra in 2023. Photo by Zachary Person.
Portland Youth Philharmonic Alumni Orchestra in 2023. Photo by Zachary Person.

The month of December offers a plethora of holiday shows, but one of the most special and unique is the Portland Youth Philharmonic’s Concert-at-Christmas. This heartwarming program – now in its 63rd year – features several ensembles under the PYP familial umbrella at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. On December 26 a full house of concertgoers heard impressive performances by the Portland Youth String Ensemble, The Portland Youth Wind Ensemble, the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, the Portland Youth Philharmonic, and the Alumni Orchestra. The combined effect – with parents, grandparents, relatives, music teachers, and enthusiastic young musicians in the audience – enhanced the evening with a magical quality that added sparkle to the holiday spirit.

The Alumni Orchestra kicked off the musical extravaganza with a robust rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Slavonic March (Marche Slav) under PYP Musical Director David Hattner. This group, composed of musicians who have graduated from the PYP, forms as a one-time, one-shot ensemble explicitly for the Concert-at-Christmas. This year’s edition of the Alumni Orchestra was a tad brass heavy with three tubas, eight trumpets, seven trombones, and seven horns. Nevertheless, the veterans gave it everything they had and polished Tchaikovsky’s gem with verve. 

Next, providing a wonderful age contrast, came the Portland Youth String Ensemble, which was stocked with some really young grade-school kids. Under the baton of Inés Voglar Belgique, the PYSE did very well with intonation and dynamics, playing a set of three pieces. Norman Leyden’s Serenade for Strings sounded sweet but not syrupy. The pace picked up for the Main Theme from The Incredibles by Michael Giacchino, and the youngsters delved into the rhythmically driven Alma Llanera (Soul of the Plains) by Venezuelan composer Elias Gutierrez in an arrangement by Giancalo Castro D’Addona. One of the cool things is that Voglar Belgique and Castro D’Addona both have Venezuelan roots. ¡Chévere!

The Portland Youth Wind Ensemble conducted by Castro D’Addona began with Julie Giroux’s lovely and mild Let Your Spirit Sing. That was followed by a robust rendition of John Philip Sousa’s Washington Post, and then a spirited performance of John Williams’ Music from Jurassic Park. For the latter, Castro D’Addona wielded a custom-made baton that was crowned with an amber knob and a replica of a mosquito inside (a nod to the iconic John Hammond walking stick from the movie). Extra kudos go to the twelve clarinetists in the ensemble who played together (they have to live up to scrutiny from Hattner who is a professional clarinetist). 

After intermission the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, led by Lawrence Johnson, took the stage and delivered a fine performance of the third movement of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 10 in a fully orchestrated version prepared by Deryck Cooke. In this piece, the orchestra excelled with array of passages that isolated one instrument or a small group of instruments. Cooke’s orchestration is one of several that have been done, because Mahler finished only fragments of that symphony.

The concert concluded with the PYP, under Hattner, playing three pieces. First up was Castro D’Addona’s Journey, which received its world premiere in orchestral form. (It was performed earlier in the year by the PYWE.) Journey began with a sweet theme – with a phrase that reminded me of “My Old Kentucky Home” – but it broke away to a colorful, uptempo section that featured alto and tenor saxophones. After returning to the slower, beginning melody, the tempo picked up again and the piece ended with a brilliant splash. 

The PYP also played Alexander Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia, which put the spotlight on the woodwinds, including some ultra-smooth playing by the principal clarinetist. The Borodin was followed by John Williams’ Flying Theme from E. T. (The Extra-Terrestrial). The orchestra sailed into that number with elan, acing the sudden pause which added some extra spice. 

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Cascadia Composers and Delgani String Quartet Portland Oregon

Enthusiastic, sustained applause brought Hattner back to the podium. So the orchestra gave an encore, the “Trepak” (Russian Dance) from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, and that sent everyone home with a smile.

James Bash enjoys writing for The Oregonian, The Columbian, Classical Voice North America, Opera, and many other publications. He has also written articles for the Oregon Arts Commission and the Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd edition. He received a fellowship to the 2008 NEA Journalism Institute for Classical Music and Opera, and is a member of the Music Critics Association of North America.

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