The Venezuelan-born, El Sistema-trained trumpeter, conductor, and composer discusses his new flute concerto – which receives a repeat performance this weekend by commissioning flutist Adam Eccleston and Orchestra Nova Northwest – and his work with Oregon Symphony, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Portland Youth Philharmonic.
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January 21, 2026James Bash
The guest conductor got into a mind-meld with the orchestra, creating a spectacular concert that also included works by Beethoven and Lili Boulanger.
January 21, 2026Brett Campbell
Guitar virtuoso Towner has died at 85, following vocalist King's death last year. In the early 1960s they and jazz bassist Moore kicked off their world-class careers together at the University of Oregon.
January 20, 2026Lynn Darroch
Remembering the life and irresistible jazz vocals of Kilgore, the great Portland-based singer and interpreter of the American Songbook, who has died at age 76.
January 16, 2026Angela Allen
The string trio performed music by Bach and Meyer – without a page of sheet music – at The Reser for Chamber Music Northwest.
January 15, 2026Matthew Neil Andrews
NSO’s late September concerts featured a hearing-themed program revolving around Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Elegia Andina,” two by Ludwig van Beethoven – Oregon-born pianist Ben Kim performing the “Emperor” concerto and Willamette Master Chorus joining in for the “Choral Fantasy” – plus Jake Runestad and Todd Bass’s interpretation of LvB’s chilling and heroic “Heiligenstad Testament.”
January 12, 2026Charles Rose
The aptly-named “ensemble” (a loose collective) of Eugene musicians making “difficult” (or “experimental”) music hosted their fourth annual gathering in October.
January 8, 2026Matthew Neil Andrews
ChatterPDX shows us how it’s done; Jennifer Wright echolocates; Pyxis Quartet takes Portland to school; New Wave Opera previews Caroline Louise Miller; Orchestra Nova Northwest revives Giancarlo Castro D’Addona’s flute concerto for Adam Eccleston; Jimmie Herrod dominates the Oregon Symphony.
January 8, 2026Charles Rose
Chatter’s ever-changing string quartet, with co-artistic director and clarinetist James Shields, premiered a new work by Osberg, one of three composers in Chatter’s unique residency program.
January 7, 2026Daryl Browne
From A Notion, A Scream’s all Rosephanye Powell concert to Sweet Honey in the Rock with Resonance Ensemble to the return of Super Bach Sunday.
December 31, 2025Matthew Neil Andrews
In a long, sometimes stressful, and often beautifully sounding year, the most important thing we do is talk to each other.
December 25, 2025Dee Moore
At the Crystal Ballroom, Dexter and the Moonrocks take a Texas twang to the quintessential Northwest sound – and bring Gen X and Gen Z together in a sublime sweat.
December 17, 2025James Bash
Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s “graphic novel opera,” running at Portland’s World Trade Center Theatre through December 21, is anything but cartoonish in this climb to the top of the world.
December 11, 2025Charles Rose
Two iconic Portland bands paired up for the conclusion of OSO’s “Sounds Like Portland” festival.
December 10, 2025Brett Campbell
New leadership comes to All Classical Radio, Oregon Symphony, and Oregon Bach Festival. Plus: new homes for Oregon youth orchestras, and more Oregon music news.
December 8, 2025Angela Allen
The Norwegian-Swedish vocal trio invited the Oregonian duo to join them on their recent Friends of Chamber Music concert in Portland.
December 7, 2025James Bash
Oregon Symphony’s Director of Classical Programming discusses everything from spreadsheets and contingency planning to catching the conducting bug at Yale and his early days schlepping timpani at New York’s 92nd Street Y.
December 6, 2025Lynn Darroch
The long-time Portland saxophonist moonlights every week with San Francisco tech company OpenAI.
December 4, 2025Matthew Neil Andrews
Holiday tidings, Christmas and otherwise, from ChatterPDX to Portland Baroque Orchestra’s “Messiah” to Christmas on the Oregon Coast and beyond.
December 3, 2025Angela Allen
Composer/librettist Jodi Goble and co-librettist Michael Ching’s WWII-era opera celebrates the Greatest Generation.
December 3, 2025Matthew Neil Andrews
A photo essay featuring Pyxis Quartet and mousai REMIX, who recently performed Shaw’s complete string quartet music as part of the “Sounds Like Portland” festival.
November 27, 2025Matthew Neil Andrews
The violinist and teacher discusses his long, strange trip from son of a Philadelphia violin teacher to head of a concert rock band and teaching academy.
November 26, 2025James Bash
The conductor, teacher, violinist, and founder of Metropolitan Youth Symphony discusses his journey from Hungary – fleeing first Nazis and then Soviets – to Portland.
November 26, 2025
As the holiday season kicks into high gear, musician and Ukrainian folklorist Inna Kovtun highlights a winter festival, and an arts & farm festival bridges the urban/rural gap.
November 24, 2025Jim Flint
Rogue Valley Symphony will play original orchestrations of the singer’s classic songs at the Bowmer Theatre; Joan Ellison, who specializes in restoring and performing Garland’s tunes, will be the vocalist.
November 21, 2025Charles Rose
A (re)consideration of the Portland indie rock band on the occasion of their recent orchestral collaboration, part of the symphony’s “Sounds Like Portland” festival.
November 20, 2025Angela Allen
PO’s seasonal warhorse production at The Keller, running through November 23, hits all the marks.
November 20, 2025Daryl Browne
Gratitude and love, comfort and joy, and all the Messiahs.
November 18, 2025James Bash
Two – maybe three – world premieres marked the MYS season opener: Giancarlo Castro D’Addona’s new flute concerto, commissioned by Eccleston; a tone poem by Young Composers Project student Max Evans McGlothin; and the likely West Coast premiere of Ethyl Smith’s “Symphony for Small Orchestra.”
PYP launched their 102nd season on a crescendo with Beethoven, Grainger, and Ortiz.
