Choral

Eager to gather: The formation of new choirs, the continuity of old choirs

From the newly formed A Notion, A Scream to Bach Cantata Choir’s SuperBach Sunday.

The beauty of human voices in choral communion: Our talented and literate choral community goes on and grows

After the holiday rush, Oregon choirs launch into another busy new year.

“Messiah” da capo: A reflection on Julian Perkins’ first annual oratorio with Portland Baroque Orchestra and Cappella Romana

In which the “Messiah” was performed.

Voices in radio history: The legacy of Roger O. Doyle and the new KQAC All Classical choral series that bears his name

The long-running All Classical program Thursdays @ Three opens its next season this week with Doyle’s former choir, Choral Arts Ensemble.

Think of yourselves as actors declaiming the text: PBO’s “Messiah,” part two

In which Maestro Perkins meets with Cappella Romana.

The introduction of music into the dramatic text will not make the text invisible: Portland Baroque Orchestra and Cappella Romana’s first “Messiah” with Artistic Director Julian Perkins

The harpsichordist and choral scholar discusses the importance of drama, universality and libretto in his upcoming performances of the beloved holiday oratorio.

Grounded in community: Reflections on a Blacknificent 7 afternoon with Resonance Ensemble

The Oregon choral group hosted the seven strong, all Black composer collective for a Sunday of commissions, premieres, and future classics.

The holly and the jolly: Choirs begin their vast, almost overwhelming holiday season

From multiple “Messiahs” and “Magnificats” to music from around the world, Oregon’s humongous choral family gets into the holiday spirit.

Choirs Are Back!

Fall concerts and revels; choral music for films; the first stirrings of Christmas.

Mid-week Monteverdi by world-class ensemble Vox Luminis

Cappella Romana hosts the Belgian vocal and period instrument ensemble in their Pacific Northwest debut.

A metaphor for love: Choral communities celebrate women composers, music from Oregon and the Baltics, and more

Maddalena Casulana, Margaret Bonds, Uģis Prauliņš, chants for St. Demetrios, and three “Homegrown” composers–Sydney Guillaume, Stacey Philipps, and Joan Szymko–find their way onto Oregon choral programs this month.

Brilliant little gems: Oregon choirs sing re-discovered classics, local composers, and more

Listening forward to choral seasons which “educate, enrich, honor, confront, and uplift.”

With a voice of singing: The eternal return of choral music in Oregon

Every singer in Oregon gets back to work, with music ranging from local to ancient.

Such heavenly harmony as we can attain: William Byrd Festival enters its 25th year

A slice of the recently-concluded festival, featuring Ross W. Duffin’s union of Byrd’s music with poetry by Sir Philip Sidney and Cantores In Ecclesia singing music of modern British composers alongside Byrd’s.

It’s very full circle: Looking back on the career of retired Pacific University choral director Scott Tuomi

Tuomi’s impact as a singer, conductor, educator, and advocate has been felt by generations of students from all over the world.

Beyond belief or within it: William Byrd Festival pairs music by its namesake with works by Britten, Finzi, MacMillan, Vaughan Williams, and more.

This year’s festival features a variety of choral concerts and lectures, most of them free, at churches around Portland.

Sonorous mystery: An imaginative presentation of Holst and Stravinsky at Oregon Bach Festival

A warm, synaesthetic performance of “Symphony of Psalms” preceded the multi-media “The Planets,” both under Alevtina Ioffe’s commanding direction, at OBF 2024.

Turn your silvered sail toward the light: Eric Whitacre at Oregon Bach Festival

The choral composer and conductor, artist-in-residence at this year’s OBF, performed his radiant “The Sacred Veil,” a collaboration with Charles Anthony Silvestri in memory of Silvestri’s late wife.

Nurturing nature: Sarah Kirkland Snider’s “Mass” and the ongoing future of the Oregon Bach Festival

OBF artistic partner Craig Hella Johnson conducted a concert of new, old, and revitalized choral music.

Choral continuity: Oregon Bach Festival continues with strong voices

This summer’s OBF in Eugene features artistic partners Jos van Veldhoven and Craig Hella Johnson; visiting artist-in-residence Eric Whitacre; Bach specialist John Butt; Anton Armstrong, Therees Hibbard and the young singers of the Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy; and plenty more.

The end goal is peace: In Medio sings Randall Thompson and Judy A. Rose

The Portland choir celebrated its “third official year” with the Thompson classic “The Peaceable Kingdom” and a commissioned companion piece from Portland composer and educator Rose.

A mindset of possibility: Resonance Ensemble and the student composers of Linfield University

The choral ensemble workshopped and performed five student compositions in a semester-long mentorship residency culminating in this month’s showcase concert on May 8.

Waiting with their light: Oregon choirs sing on into summer

Peaceable Kingdoms, Beethoven’s Ninth (again), 15th and 30th anniversaries, and so much more.

100+: Oregon Rep Singers, Choral Arts Ensemble celebrate long life

The two choirs, longstanding pillars of Oregon's vital choral scene, wrap up their 50th and 55th anniversary seasons with premieres and music by Pacific Northwest composers.

We who believe in freedom will not rest: Sweet Honey in the Rock with Resonance Ensemble

Two legendary vocal groups united at The Reser for a packed house of enthusiastic fans.

Peace, love, fortune, and flowers: Spring concerts continue with Masses, a Lament and a Gloria, wedding music, and three performances of “Carmina Burana”

Every singer in Oregon, voices raised for spring.

How the light gets in: Spring choral concerts include Renaissance and Baroque and Morten Lauridsen and Matthew Lyon Hazzard

Central Oregon Mastersingers and Bach Cantata Choir prepare for tour; Oregon Repertory Singers premieres Hazzard’s "Finding Light"; Choral Arts Ensemble performs Sydney Guillaume, Brian Holmes, Dawn Sonntag, Tomáš Svoboda, Patrick Vu.

Learning about the world through music: Camas High School’s choral students and director Ethan Chessin work with Alicia Jo Rabins on the composer’s “Songs of the Matriarchs”

The Oregon singer-violinist-composer-poet-scholar-storyteller worked with the Camas choirs in cultural and musical workshops, a preview concert and Portland premiere. The entire local artistic team will debut the full work in New York City this May.

From cloister to back porch to altar: Wintry Lent gives way to Springy Easter

Choral offerings from Bach chorales to world peace to Sweet Honey in the Rock.

Conversations and connections: Darrell Grant with Resonance Ensemble, Andrea Reinkemeyer with In Mulieribus

The famed jazz pianist partnered with the choral ensemble and Portland poet/activist A. Mimi Sei to create “From the Book of Sankofa”; the former Linfield Music Department Chair returns to Oregon for the live premiere of her “Cycles of Eternity,” recorded in 2019.