“In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.”

William Blake, “Proverbs of Hell.”

What are you doing this Christmas? We recommend doing one – or all – of three things. Firstly, and most obviously, you could simply go to your nearest church. No doubt they have a decent choir, and all the usual trappings. Or, if you’re more into the whole pagan thing, you could pack a warm blanket and a flask of [redacted] tea and head out to the forest with your loved ones and a sober companion to guide you home. Better still, go camping with a whole bag of [redacted], look at the stars, sing carols to the birds and the bears.

If you’re lucky enough to live in Oregon, where there are churches and parks on every corner and campgrounds every few miles, you could probably do all of these things at the same time. For instance, First United Methodist Church of Portland is a literal stone’s throw from Washington Park. If you’re in Eugene, Central Lutheran Church with its glorious Brombaugh organ is just across the street from the part of UO that’s built around not only a park but a pioneer cemetery.

In Ashland you’ve got First United Methodist a couple blocks from Lithia Park. In Salem, Corvallis, McMinnville, even Tigard and Wilsonville and Roseburg – ditto, mutatis mutandis. Bend, for that matter, is nothing but parks and forests and rivers and mountains, just miles of natural splendor in every direction. In Newport you’ve got churches all up and down the beach, with the whole ocean to behold in all its majesty. Lots of good options everywhere you go.

Or you might prefer – as the present author does – to simply stay home and stay cozy. Hot cocoa and flannel pyjamas, fireplace and lava lamp, Bach and Tchaikovsky CDs, a wall full of sci-fi paperbacks and various other religious scriptures, a lovely view of frosty trees and wintry skies, Fantasia and Eyes Wide Shut on DVD, a beautiful wife and a fridge full of eggnog. What else do you really need?

But if you insist on going to a proper concert instead of going to church or getting lost in the forest or staying curled up in your jammies – well, you have several good options here in Oregon this month. Before we get into Christmas, though, let’s check in with how ChatterPDX is wrapping up their year.

Conversations in residence

ChatterPDX, ever at the cutting edge of the oldest musical tradition we still practice in the West (we’ve mostly forgotten how to do chant properly), has announced a composer-in-residence program with a peculiar structure. Here’s how they describe it in their most recent press release:

“ChatterPDX proudly announces the start of a major residency program for composers. The program offers not one but three commissions to each composer over a three-year period, in addition to the programming of pre-existing works throughout Chatter PDX’s 52-concert season. ‘There are a lot of composer programs out there that can offer a commission and a performance,’ shares Chatter PDX Artistic Director, Trevor Fitzpatrick. ‘But there are relatively few opportunities for composers to get their works programmed on a regular basis. Chatter’s structure — a concert a week all year — puts us in a unique position to really support composers in a novel way’.”

And who is their first composer-in-residence? None other than Kimberly R. Osberg, whom we interviewed last year. Here’s what we had to say about her at the time:

Kimberly R. Osberg is one of those restless composers. You know the story, the “there’s two types of composers” story. One is the brooding type, the Beethovens and Brahmses who spend ages perfecting some Grand Statement. The other is the fleet-footed type, the Haydns and Mozarts who compose for a living and crank stuff out all day every day. You can compose good music either way (not for nothing does the divine J.S. Bach embody both archetypes), but there’s certainly a difference in the approach and the feel.

So. Osberg is one of the Haydn types. Her homepage reads “Original music for anyone, anywhere.” She composes for specific people and specific circumstances, she earns a living taking commissions as a freelance composer, she cranks stuff out using a vivid imagination and a well-used sketchbook, she gets her music performed and recorded and puts it in her catalog and keeps going. She’s the sort of working class composer most of you probably didn’t know existed.

Now, here’s a funny detail, and we hope all you composers are paying attention:

That’s right, dear reader – Kim works for Chatter, as their Communications Manager. Her first job in Portland was working for Resonance Ensemble, who have also performed her music.

Now, we don’t want anybody to get the wrong idea – this is a perfectly good way of getting involved in a music community where your music can be heard. Composers always have to pay for their presence somehow; no less an icon than John Williams got his start as an orchestrator and studio pianist for folks like Henry Mancini. I myself used to sweep floors for Cascadia Composers before joining their board and producing concerts for a couple of seasons. Remember what we just talked about, concerning Haydn.

Anyways, next weekend at their usual spot in Downtown Portland, Chatter will premiere Osberg’s Conversations for Clarinet and String Quartet, with Chatter’s co-Artistic Director James Shields in the title role and a quartet centered on co-Artistic Director and cellist Fitzpatrick (the rest of the band is drawn from the usual Chatter crew: violinists Yuqi Li and Ruby Chen, violist Haojian Wang). They’ll also perform the darkest of all twentieth-century string quartets which is also still beautiful and listenable, to wit Shostakovich’s heavy metalicious String Quartet No. 8.

Here’s a bit more of Osberg’s music, “Running in the Eye,” performed last year by an astonishing number of Texan flutists:

The remainder of Chatter’s December is mostly “normal” classical music.

On the 14th, the whole Chatter crew gathers for a “Baroque Solstice Party” featuring Vivaldi’s Clarinet Concerto No. 2, “La Fenice,” Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 (the one with all the string trios), and Olli Mustonen’s Nonet No.2 “Kammermusikfest Lockenhaus.”

Now, there are several things wrong with this. First of all, Mustonen is hardly a “normal classical” composer – he ain’t even Baroque, being a modern Finn. But we’ll let it slide, because his Nonet is quite lovely, as all who heard at this year’s Chamber Music Northwest can attest (read Alice Hardesty’s review here).

More troubling is that “Vivaldi clarinet concerto.” Technically the clarinet did exist in the Baroque period, evolving from the earlier recorder-like chalumeau, but Vivaldi never composed for it. Whence, then, this so-called “Vivaldi clarinet concerto” – are these guys gaslighting us or what?

What happened is this. In 2018, Swedish clarinetist Martin Fröst commissioned German composer Andreas Tarkmann to create three clarinet concertos using music by Vivaldi. This one, the second, uses as the basis of its three movements three arias from Vivaldi’s operas: “Alma opressada” from La fida ninfa, “Vedro con mio diletto” from Giustino,” and “Armatae face” from Juditha Triumphas. Fröst recorded the concertos on his album Vivaldi, winning an Opus Klassik award in the process. Here’s what it sounds like:

Extra special bonus at this one, which like all Chatter concerts features poetry or spoken word: Ginette DePreist, whose lovely memoir Reach Up: My Beautiful Journey with James DePreist sits even now on my desk, waiting to be read and reviewed. Sorry Ginny!

The following Sunday, Chatter celebrates the Winter Solstice by wrapping up – finally! – their trip through the Beethoven Cycle. The lineup for Op. 135 will be violinists Sunmi Chang and Searmi Park, violist Haojian Wang, and cellist Pansy Chang (these four might as well just claim the languishing “Oregon String Quartet” title, since nobody else is, but that’s their business). Chatter famously started (in New Mexico, this was) as “Church of Beethoven,” and it’s a big deal that they’ve finally come to the end of the road. So what now, folks? Back to Op. 18, or start in on Haydn or Mozart or Brahms or something? Really, they ought to dive into the Fifteen Shosties – but, again, that’s their business.

Chatter ends the year with Fitzpatrick and Shields. They’ll do two of Bach’s Cello Suites – Trevor on the D minor, James on the bass clarinet playing the G major (please, God, make James Shields play more bass clarinet) – and another premiere from another of their three composers-in-residence. As explained earlier, their uniquely structured residency involves three years of premieres, and on this concert they’ll perform music by the second composer: Akshaya Tucker’s Fables for Clarinet and Cello. Tucker is, alas, a Los Angeles composer. But we can forgive that when her music is this beautiful:

ChatterPDX performs at 10:30 am every Sunday at Pacific Center in Downtown Portland (851 SW 6th Ave). More information and tickets are available right here.

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealéd

Okay, now on to Christmas. Let’s start with the Messiah, specifically Handel’s. It always gets several different performances around the state, and you can get into the finer details of all that in Daryl Browne’s latest choral column, but there’s one that catches our ears every winter: Portland Baroque Orchestra. In years past they’ve partnered with long-standing collaborators Cappella Romana, but after last year’s stirring performances – PBO’s first with new Artistic Director Julian Perkins (read about that here, here, and here) – the orchestra and choir have parted ways. Consider yourself lucky if you got to hear these two retro acts together.

This year, PBO inducts a new choral collaboration and welcomes a startling guest conductor: Jos van Veldhoven, Baroque interpreter extraordinaire and current Oregon Bach Festival artistic-whatever-they’re-calling-it-now-that-Craig-Hella-Johnson-is-out.

Here’s Daryl with the news:

“Longtime PBO Messiah audiences will note a wonderful new addition to the PBO musical family: Portland Baroque Voices. This bold new initiative, said PBO executive Director Hilary Butler in a recent e-mail to OAW, allows Artistic Director Julian Perkins to more specifically ‘suit the stylistic needs of each program … drawing on the latest scholarship in historical performance practice.’ You will be pleased to see that some of your favorite regional professional choristers are still on the Messiah stage.”

And who are those choristers? Check out the lineup (from the program book):

Yep, those are some familiar names, alright!

Here, for instance, is longtime Cappella Romana and Resonance Ensemble countertenor Tim Galloway singing at Trinity Cathedral a few years ago:

And here’s another CR/RE singer, composer Carolyn Gale-Quick:

Scholar, author, and singer Kerry McCarthy is well-known to all William Byrd Festival audiences:

Here’s Vakarė Petroliūnaitė singing Oregon composer Renée Favand-See with Resonance (and oh look there’s Renegade Opera co-founder Madeline Ross):

Catherine van der Salm with Arwen Myers and Musica Maestrale:

Here’s John Gladen doing Britten:

We could go on all day, we really could, and that’s without even getting into the vocal soloists. But that eggnog isn’t going to drink itself, you know!

Portland Baroque Orchestra and Portland Baroque Voices under the direction of Julian Perkins and Jos van Veldhoven present Handel’s “Messiah” for four performances Dec. 11-14 in Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational Church in Southwest Portland. More information and tickets are available right here.

Christmas on the Coast

There’s a whole cluster of Christmasy concerts happening at the coast this month. And when we say “the coast” we mainly mean “Newport and environs,” since that’s where most of the culture on Oregon’s hoary shores happens (sorry, Astoria and Florence).

First up is Coast Voices and their “Tidings of Comfort and Joy” concerts. Here’s what they have to say about it:

“We present a heart-warming and lively celebration of songs from four winter holiday traditions: Kwanzaa, Chanukkah, Solstice and Christmas. Selections include a mix of sacred and secular music, as well as traditional and popular tunes. There will be pieces in Swahili, Latin and Italian, as well as in English.”

But wait, there’s more!

“An audience sing-along follows intermission, and there will be a raffle for song-themed gift baskets. Come celebrate the season with us!”

Sing-alongs and gift basket raffles – yes, that is the most Christmasy thing ever. These afternoon concerts are on four dates in four towns on the north central coast: Dec. 6 at Newport Performing Arts Center; Dec. 7 at Chapel by the Sea in Lincoln City; Dec. 13 at Depoe Bay Community Hall; and Dec. 14 at Yachats Presbyterian Church. Not being satisfied with that, Coast Voices also host a pair of “Fa-La-La Sing-Along” shindigs later in the month, Dec. 20 at Newport Elks Lodge and Dec. 21 at Lincoln City Cultural Center.

More information and tickets for Coast Voices concerts are available right here.

***

Next up is Oasis Ensemble, whose five-stop “Classical Holiday” tour hits Lincoln City on the 7th and Newport on the 9th (they start at PSU on the 5th, head home to Eugene on the 12th, and scoot out to Scappoose on the Columbia River on the 14th). You may recall this odd trio – flute, cello, piano – from Senior Editor Brett Campell’s feature on them earlier this year. Although the group is known for its commissions from contemporary composers – two of which appear on this program (Jackson Hollo’s “Slipping Daylight” and Jay Anthony Gach’s “Imps & Angels”) – this holiday show is solidly old-fashioned: Bach, Mozart, and Ibert (flutists just love Ibert).

Oasis Ensemble’s “Classical Holiday” hits five stops around the state this month. More information and tickets available right here.

***

Next is Newport Symphony Orchestra’s “Christmas at the Coast” concerts on the 10th (one at 2 p.m., the other at 7:30 p.m., both at Newport First Presbyterian Church). Music Director Adam Flatt and the orchestra welcome two special soloists: NSO Concertmaster Casey Bozell (host of the “Keep Classical Weird” podcast) and organist Hanna Brewer (Director of Music & Organist at St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church in Northeast Portland, where she has accompanied such luminaries as Cappella Romana, In Mulieribus, Resonance Ensemble).

NSO and the gang will perform the “Sinfonia” from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Arcangelo Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Organ, Haydn’s Organ Concerto in C major, Albinoni’s Adagio for Organ and Strings, and probably a few Christmas carols.

Newport Symphony Orchestra presents “Christmas at the Coast” at 2 pm and 7:30 pm on Dec. 10 at Newport First Presbyterian Church. More information and tickets are available right here.

***

And then we have even more singing at the coast: Pacific Coast Singers will present their “Holiday Sounds of the Season” for two performances, 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 13 at Congregational Church in Lincoln City. Note that “this concert is free, but please bring packaged or canned food items for donation.” Did we say sing-alongs and gift basket raffles are the most Christmasy thing ever? We lied; this is (consider Matthew 25:31-48, aka “The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats”).

***

We close this coastal Christmas thing with – who else? – concert rock violinist Aaron Meyer (read our recent interview here). His 25th anniversary “Rock the Holidays” tour started last weekend in Corvallis before moseying north into Washington; they’re rolling into Walla Walla right now for their performance there on the 5th; after that they’ll swing through Hood River on the 7th and hit Bend on the 10th (that’s going to be a frosty drive down Highway 97).

Then the crew heads west for two performances Dec. 12 & 13 at the Newport Performing Arts Center. And then, yes, they will head on up to Portland – West Linn, technically, but who’s counting? – to close the tour on Dec. 19 & 20 at Southlake Foursquare Church.

Aaron Meyer’s “Rock the Holidays” is on tour in Washington and Oregon. More information and tickets are available right here.

Let the revels begin

Now, we know what you’re thinking: “Forget the choirs and the churchy stuff; where do I get an earthier, more paganistic winter holiday experience?” Look no further than the latest from Portland Revels: “Highland Hearth,” opening Dec. 12 at the Scottish Rite Center in Southwest Portland and running through the Solstice on the 21st. Lorin Wilkerson went to last year’s Midwinter Revels – “Norse Fire, A Celebration of the Solstice” – and wrote about it for ArtsWatch (read that right here). That one looked like this:

Here’s what the Revels folks have to say about this year’s production:

”When Glasgow officials decree that Yule celebrations are forbidden, a determined Highland community must decide whether to surrender their cherished traditions — or find a way to keep the light alive. Perhaps the children (and a few mischievous brownies, or Scottish household spirits) hold the key. Told through the music, story, and dance of Scotland, Highland Hearth is a rousing tale of resilience, hope and renewal.

“‘This show captures the warmth and fierce spirit of the Highlands,’ said Artistic Director Bruce Akpan Hostetler of his final writer-director show with the Revels before his January retirement. ‘It’s a reminder that even when times are dark, the power of community can drive the dark away.’

”The Portland Revels’ Midwinter show was at the Scottish Rite Center from 1997 through 2013. After a baker’s dozen years at various other Portland venues, the company is delighted to return to its ‘home’ at the beautiful Scottish Rite. This year’s production features a multi-generational cast of singers, dancers, and actors, with musical direction by Daniel Buchanan and children’s musical direction by Lynn Mendoza-Khan.

”As always, audiences can expect the unique Revels blend of folk tradition and theatrical magic, with live music performed by the Revels band and chorus, audience singalongs, traditional Scottish dance, and storytelling that bridges generations.”

And, bonus, this year’s cast includes accordionist, singer, Buskathon champion, and “wearer of many hats” Maeve Stier, whom you may remember from their memorable appearances with Renegade Opera.

Portland Revels presents “Highland Hearth” at eight performances across two weekends, Dec. 12-14 and 19-21, all at Scottish Rite Center. More information and tickets are available right here.

***

45th Parallel Universe, hot off the victory lap of their “Caroline Shaw Concert Crawl” last month (check out Joe Cantrell’s photos right here), has their usual spread of holiday cheer planned for mid-month. Up first is “Cello Christmas” at Polaris Hall on the 14th and 15th, led by Trevor Fitzpatrick and featuring most of the Oregon Symphony cello section (minus, of course, principal cellist Nancy Ives, who is on holiday). They’ll perform a variety of French music – funny how much classic Christmas music comes to us from Gaul – and that old chestnut, The Nutcracker. Nobody knows why The Nutcracker sounds so good on a bunch of cellos; it just does. Here’s more or less the same crew playing it during the pandemic:

The next night, up at Mississippi Studios, it’s the 45|| “Holiday Variety Show.” The celli will be there, switching over to Duke Ellington’s version of The Nutcracker and an arrangement of Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas music by cello sextet member Toni Gan. Drummer Sergio Carreno and vocalists Abbe Drake and Jim Brunberg (owner of this fine establishment) join in the fun, as do the 45|| clarinetists. Just like last year, James Shields and Ricky Smith and 45|| Executive Director Lisa Lipton will perform a whole mess of klezmer music. Mazel tov!

45th Parallel Universe presents “Cello Christmas” on Dec. 14 & 15 at Polaris Hall and “Holiday Variety Show” on Dec. 16 at Mississippi Studios. More information and tickets are available right here.

***

What, you want more holiday celli? Join Portland Cello Project for two performances on Dec. 20 over in Beaverton at The Reser. Joining these celli is a special guest singer: Sarah Clarke of Dirty Revival fame.

Portland Cello Project performs at 2pm and 7:30 pm at The Reser. More information and tickets are available right here.

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose

We close with two of the most time-honored of Portland Christmas traditions: Michael Allen Harrison’s “Christmas at The Old Church” and Oregon Ballet Theatre’s presentation of the classic George Balanchine rendition of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. These are so time-honored and famous that we barely need to do more than mention them – so here we leave you, dear reader, with a “Ho ho ho” and a “Merry Christmas!”

Oregon Ballet Theatre’s “The Nutcracker” starts this weekend and runs through Christmas Eve. More information and tickets are available right here.

Michael Allen Harrison’s “Christmas at The Old Church” runs for several shows Dec. 14-24 at, naturally, The Old Church in Downtown Portland. Tickets and more information are available here.