Happy New Year to all. I hope you enjoy seeing “6” instead of “5.” Time moving forward happens without our consent but somehow it feels like a personal accomplishment. So, hooray!

There is choral music and much more ahead for our region and we are delighted to be here to tell you about it.

A one woman show

A Notion, A Scream, a Portland choir which presented its inaugural concert in March 2025, brings us the music of Rosephanye Powell on January 17.

A Notion, A Scream Choir President Julie Earnest wrote in recent email to OAW: “It is very interesting for me to explore a single composer’s works like this. For a choir that is ‘not’ a lot of things (not a church choir, not a sacred music choir, not a gospel choir) but says ‘yes’ to equity, inclusion, connection, care, beauty, and joy, this has been a fascinating journey for us, musically and philosophically.”

Those “yes” words apply so well to Rosephayne Powell’s music. Quiet Revolutionary, 2023, is dedicated to Harvard Professor Eileen Southern’s contributions to honest, equitable and inclusive musicology. Powell’s four settings of the poetry of Langston Hughes are testaments to the power of hope and vision. One of them, I Dream a World, will be performed.

But it is Powell’s 2012, four-movement Cry of Jeremiah, an illumination of the Prophet Jeremiah’s quest for hope against despair, which will serve as a cornerstone for this concert. Jaebon Hwang is guest organist on Trinity Cathedral’s Rosales organ for this striking work which “combines this ancient text with music that draws simultaneously from both the African American musical heritage as well as the classical music traditions” (Gentry Publications website). Watch this NYC premiere of the work with the composer as narrator and her spouse William Powell conducting choir, organ and orchestra.

A Notion, A Scream is giving special attention to the highly respected composer and her works to support and honor her in the same way Powell honored Eileen Southern – through respectful performance. Learn more about Powell’s current endeavors to promote creative integrity when actor La’Tevin Alexander, narrator for this concert’s performance of Cry of Jeremiah, interviews Artistic Director DeReau K. Farrar in a pre-concert Q&A.

“This pre-show interview will be an outstanding introduction, not to be missed” said Julie Earnest. A portion of this concert will “affirm and support the work of PRISMID Sanctuary” (choir website, and read about PRISMID here).

Wrap yourself in the music of Rosephanye Powell when A Notion, A Scream presents “Still, Rise” on Saturday, January 17 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.Interview begins at 6:30; music begins at 7:00. Registration for the donation-based seating is suggested. More information ishere.

Farrar also serves as Artistic Director for Portland’s LGBTQ+ and allied youth choir Bridging Voices.That choir is presenting their concert “Try, Try Again” on January 10, at Multnomah Arts Center. Tickets are available here. 

Sweet Honey Returns

Did you catch Sweet Honey in the Rock’s concert in April of 2024 when Resonance Ensemble brought the renowned ensemble to town? Aw, you missed them? Cried for days? Well they’re back in town on January 24 and 25, still going strong after 53 years – still bringing us purposeful and culturally significant new works. 

Hear one of those new works as the appearance culminates, states Resonance web site, “in the world premiere of a new work commissioned especially for this season, created for Resonance and Sweet Honey to perform together.” That’s…so…cool! And Resonance Ensemble opens the concert with a set of their own– an additional treat.

Sweet Honey always brings something new, but listen here to one of their classic bests. And then grab those tickets so your tears will be ones of joy. 

Resonance Ensemble brings Sweet Honey to two area venues. Saturday, January 24, 7:30 at the Newmark Theater in Portland5’s Antoinette Hatfield Hall and Sunday, January 25, at 3 pm at Beaverton’s Patricia Reser Center for the Arts. Tickets and more information may be accessed here. 

Getting ready for ACDA…

Several Oregon Choirs are gearing up for participation in the upcoming Northwestern American Choral Directors Association Conference, “Sing for a Change,” in Tacoma, Washington on March 4-7. Portland State Chamber Choir performs in the opening night concert on which seven other collegiate choirs – including University of Portland and Oregon State Choirs – are participating in the Collegiate Showcase directed by guest director Tram Sparks of USC. Choirs from Lake Oswego and West Salem High Schools will also perform alongside or with choirs from six NW division states. The entire conference schedule is available here.

…but first a preview at home

Also honored to be included in the Tacoma conference is In Medio Choir. And how wonderful that the choir is offering a “home” concert of their conference repertoire on January 24. They will perform selections from The Peaceable Kingdom by Randall Thompson and Walk In Beauty/Walk In Light by Portland composer Judy A. Rose (read more about Rose here). In Medio commissioned Rose’s work as a companion piece to the Thompson epic and premiered the duo in June of 2024. Read about that performance here. It’s great that the music of one of Portland’s excellent composers will get a broader regional exposure. But we can hear it first.

In Medio presents “We Shall Have a Song” at Beaverton’s St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church on January 24, 2 pm. The program repertoire is here. Tickets may be found here.

Out of this world

Gustav Holst’s The Planets is such a joy. Beaverton Symphony Orchestra is looking forward to performing the work on January 23 and 25. Of course, it’s an orchestral piece and that treble choral role in the seventh and final movement is so brief. But, golly, when the choir enters it the final movement it reveals the firmament and pulls eternity right into your gut. Holst was into mysticism – and he knew the power of the human voice. The Oregon Chorale treble voices will join BSO for this concert.

But you’ll be excited to hear that BSO is adding a few “extras” to this performance. It’s going to be a full sensory experience. 

A multimedia presentation by artist Mercer Hanau will accompany the performance. This is the artist’s first full encounter with The Planets but Hanau commented in recent email to OAW that she has long been fascinated by astronomy and cosmology. “It’s been fun to explore the ‘vibe’ of each movement and what imagery it brings up for me.” BSO Artistic Director Pierre-Alain Chevalier confirmed in recent email to OAW that “it will be a mix of human and natural imagery, space imagery and artistic effects.”

Yet another layer of interest, said Chevalier, is newly written text designed to “build a bridge between the visual imagery and music” narrated by special guest, KQAC’s Christa Wessel. Value added.

The Planets is perfect for all ages which is why this long-standing community orchestra is going beyond to give great big welcoming hugs to your whole family. BSO is setting up an instrument petting zoo – oh, bring your cameras – offering sweet treats and space-themed costumes are encouraged. And in collaboration with Beaverton School District, two movements, Mars and Jupiter, will be the “bringers” (insider joke) of ten Beaverton instrumentalists to the stage to perform with the BSO musicians. Listen to Mars here.

Beaverton Symphony invites all to “The Planets and Beyond” on Friday, January 23, 7 pm and Sunday, January 25, 3 pm at Village Church, Beaverton. Tickets and more information are here.

More mysticism in music

On February 7 Cappella Romana offers a concert of “mystical” music leading to “sonic transcendence” (website). That gets a “wow!”

One of the great things about Cappella Romana is their ability to utilize its phenomenal vocal resources – aka incredibly gifted singers – in a variety of ways. And the upcoming “Mystical Chamber Music” concert on February 7 sounds like a wonderful example of this flexibility. On the program are sacred works of Tikey Zes, Arvo Pärt,Ivan Moody, John Taverner and Michael Adamis. If you know Cappella Romana, you know these names. All are 20th-century men composing in the music traditions of the Eastern orthodox church. 

For all these composers have in common, you’ll not hear one particular sound from any one region or era. It will be expansive, it will be intimate, evoking the ancient and contemporary. But you can be sure Cappella Romana will bring out the best in each work. And the opportunity to hear the singers in small ensembles or as soloists, partnered with musicians of 45th Parallel Universe? Good stuff. Listen here to Pärt’s Stabat Mater. The full concert repertoire is posted here.

Cappella Romana presents “Hope and Light: Mystical Chamber Music” on Friday, February 6, 7:30 pm in Seattle at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church and Saturday, February 7, 2 pm at St. Mary’s Cathedral Portland. Tickets, full program and details are here.

An uncontested Super Bach

It’s too early to name the teams competing in 2026’s Super Bowl – gasp – Sixty!? Yes folks, it was Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers who won Super Bowl I in 1967. And exhaustive research reveals that no concerts were on the Oregonian’s Calendar of Events on that January day? Who would dare compete with a Super Bowl?

Cue the Lully fanfare because taking the field once again is the Bach Cantata Choir in another uncontested Super Bach appearance. C’mon y’all, trade in your yard lines for measure lines, cleats for clefs and join BCC in the annual pre-bowl concert on February 8. 

For the well-known Wir danken dir, Gott/We thank you, God (BWV 29) conductor Ralph Nelson performs the extensive organ role, passing the conducting baton to stalwart keyboardist John Virgin. Nice lateral. Listen here to Jos van Veldhoven presenting a 25-minute teaser of the work.

Also on the program is Es erhub sich ein Streit/There arose a strife (BWV 19) – the strife depicting the conflict between St. Michael and the dragon – and a more serene work, O Dulcis Jesu, by 17^th century nun Chiara Margarita Cozzolani.

But it is a motet, Lobe den Herrn, by Bach contemporary Johann Schelle that Nelson says is the show stopper. Attend; judge for yourself.

“Super Bach,” brought to you by Bach Cantata Choir, is back on Sunday, February 8, 2 pm at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church. This concert, as always, is free. More information is here.

***

Oh, speaking of the Art of Football, did you note that during the Oregon Duck’s victory over Texas Tech on New Years Day the opening salvo of “O Fortuna” from Orff’s Carmina Burana resounded numerous times in the commencement of battle. Invoking the great choral Orffian Goddess and they win? Just saying. 

But at least the band was getting you psyched for Willamette Master Chorus’s upcoming Carmina Burana performance in Salem on February 21 and 22. WMC presents the complete work – “O Fortuna” and much more – with full orchestra, soloists, 120-voice adult choir and children’s choir. 

Bringing the innocence of youth to Carmina’s decadent debauchery is WMC’s Elementary School Honor Choir. The Salem area children, selected by recommendation of their teachers, will join soprano Leslie Katter in the lovely “Amor volat undique” (Love flies everywhere). Baritone Zachary Lennox and tenor Esteban Zúñiga Calderón complete the solo trio. And members of Portland Symphonic Choir, celebrating their 80^th season, join WMC for this always rousing work which WMC last performed in 2017. Worth the wait.

Willamette Master Chorus invites you to two performances of “Carmina Burana”. Attend on Saturday, February 21, 3 pm or Sunday, February 22, 3 pm, both concerts at Smith Auditorium on the Willamette University Campus. Tickets are available here.

Evenstar

Choirs are thriving once again in our region. At the start of 2021 we were keeping up with singers recording themselves in shower stalls, marveling at ZOOMy choral compilations and greatly appreciating posts of choirs under bridges and in parking garages. Now in 2026 we can report that membership in many existing choirs has increased and new choirs and choral initiatives have been formed. You, your neighbors, your families – thousands of you – are singing.

Three new choirs — Portland Sage Singers, Northwest Vocal Arts and A Notion, A Scream (mentioned above) — are enhancing the choral scene in the Portland area. And Renaissance Era choral music is in good hands with two more new choral endeavors, Rose City Renaissance and Evenstar Ensemble who will be performing in these early days of 2026.

In their January 31 concert Evenstar Ensemble is highlighting the Burgundian Court, a thriving artistic center during the Renaissance. Ah, yes, Burgundian you say, scanning your brain to remember where that “court” was located. Can’t place it? Neither could the Burgundians. The Renaissance Burgundian Ducal reign which began in, roughly, the mid-1300s under Philip the Bold, was nomadic until late in the 15^th century when Philip the Handsome landed in the Burgundian-Hapsburg court. (Yeah, left a whole lot of history out, there.) But several highly regarded composers (e.g. Hayne van Ghizeghem) traveled with the court which led to a proliferation of beautiful choral works including secular offerings, a break from the norm which turned out to be quite influential. But the travels and combative climate also resulted in poor conservation of those works. Which is why Evenstar’s inclusion of not only well-documented Burgundian composers like Dufay and Binchois but also lesser appreciated composers – like the aforementioned Ghizeghem and Robert Morton – is a treat. This well-researched programming deserves a big thumbs up. Evenstar’s full concert repertoire is posted on their website.

Listen here to De tour bien plaine/Full of all good things, Ghizeghem’s rondeau, the melody of which was arranged by several composers, including this setting by Josquin des Prez.

Evenstar sings “Music from the Burgundian Court”, Saturday, January 31, 7 pm at The Parish of St. Mark, Portland. Tickets, full program and more details are here.

Scenery off the track

Budding choral conductors should jump on the upcoming Rose City Renaissance workshop with both, uh, hands. Veteran conductors, too! In fact, any choral wonk wondering why Renaissance and Early Music appeals to you, or doesn’t, will enjoy the February 8 “Breaking the Pattern” workshop. Participate or observe.

Selected conducting practitioners will receive personalized guidance followed by an opportunity to conduct the RCR 8-voice professional workshop choir. John Cox has chosen music which includes “examples from the repertoire where two goals, rhetoric and meter, are in conflict” (RCR website). The entire “lesson plan” can be read here.

This “fly on the wall” audience concept, watching conductors putting new skills to practice in lab setting, helps perpetuate a thriving artistic community. One that it is appreciative of and knowledgeable about the music they are hearing. This is so Portland, isn’t it?

Explore more meaning in early music with Rose City Renaissance’s “Breaking the Pattern” workshop on Sunday, February 8, 1-4 pm at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church. More information and registration is here. Teachers: this workshop might qualify for Oregon Professional Development Units (PDU’s). Consult Oregon TSPC.

Love songs

Love songs are being sung throughout the entire Valentine weekend this year in Eugene. Eugene Concert Choir and Vocal Arts presents a two-day, three-event love fest beginning with a family-centered February 14 afternoon Hult Center happening. 

At “Songs from the Heart for Kids” (and by kids) children and adults can enjoy games, songs, treats – all part of ECC’s EdOp initiative. 

Read more about that full family-centered concert on Saturday, February 14, 1:30 pm in the HULT and get tickets here.

Then it’s time to step out for a “date night” that same evening. Food and music in the Hult lobby, a concert in Silva Hall and then dancing the night away to Darline Jackson’s MyBand. Not so up on the dancing? Enjoy “easygoing dance lessons led by professional ballroom dancers sponsored by Vault Dance Studio” (ECC media).

Here’s more info about that Saturday, February 14, 6:30-10 event, including tickets.

And to keep love in the air join ECC for a day-after concert on February 15 and explore the numerous ways in which love can be expressed in choral works and songs. One of those choral works is a new commissioned work, Siento Mi Latido, by Guarionex Morales Matos. When ECC members tour to Puerto Rico this coming March they will meet Matos and perform the new piece with his choir. Here is a snippet of the text from that new work:

Take a chance, listen to the sound,
You will end up a little dizzy if you know how to love.

Choral works, jazz covers, ballads – this concert has it all. Jazz combo with Nick Rieser. And when you add rumba and swing dance by Vault Dance Studio, well, things can heat up. Maybe that date-night never ends.

Stop in for a concert in the name of love when Eugene Concert Choir and Vocal Arts presents “Love is in the Aire” on Sunday, February 15, 2:30 pm at Silva Concert Hall at the Hult Center. Tickets and details are here.

Citywide Celebration

As Portland State Chamber Choir celebrates their 50^th founding year they have partnered with the entire family of PSU Choirs for a season called “Make Our Garden Grow.” So far, they have “broken ground,” offered “unceasing love” and planted a “holiday garden.” Coming up on February 22 is a concert which “centers on our communal roots and the deep power of musical storytelling.” (PSU choral website). It is “A South African Celebration.”

Guest educator/conductor Michael Barrett leads the PSU choirs and “a massed choir of 200 of the finest high school singers from across the Portland area. Expect music that challenges and uplifts — music that reminds us how, when voices come together, our shared soil becomes something profoundly alive” (PSU media).

This event is in the PSU Viking Pavillion. Does that image raise goosebumps? Music not coming at you but surrounding you. Singers not clustered by school or region, but massed to create a vortex of sound. New, exciting and still “growing” strong. 

Portland State’s “A South African Celebration” welcomes you on Sunday, February 22, 4 pm in the Viking Pavillion on PSU campus. Tickets may be purchased here.

Spanning the generations

Two vital Portland choirs are joining voices to bring us a celebration of water and earth on February 28 and March 1. Choral Arts Ensemble adult choir and Pacific Youth Choir present “Convergence: Fluidity and Timelessness” which explores the “power of collective voices and strength found in collaboration” (PYC website).

The choirs will perform independent sets. CAE brings us the music of Jake Runestad (Come to the Woods), Dominick DiOrio (Red-Gold Darkness of Rain) and more. PYC continues their season theme of “Elements.” But the biggest thrill will be when the two choirs get together for Steven Chapman’s Voices of Earth or Ola Gjeilo’s Lake Isle. The singers will also reconfigure to present works for treble voices and for bass/tenor.

What a fitting collaborative concert to usher us into Music in our Schools month. Mixed ages, common passions for beautiful music and a welcoming audience to witness it all.

Appreciate the point of “Convergence” and join CAE and PYC on Saturday, February 28, 7:30 and Sunday, March 1, 3 pm at Rose City Park United Methodist Church. Tickets may be accessed here and here.

***

That’s it for now. But there’s a whole new year of great music ahead. See you again soon.

Connections

Portland’s Cantores in Ecclesia, in additional to their offerings at Holy Rosary and St. Agatha’s Churches, is welcoming organist James O’Donnell to the 30th Anniversary Dedication celebration of the Bond organ at Holy Rosary. The full January 26 program is here. 

O’Donnell will also be at the organ with Cantores Choir on Sunday, January 25 for a performance of Lennox Berkeley’s Missa Brevis.

All are welcome as Cantores welcomes the renowned organist on Sunday, January 25, 11 am and Monday, January 26, 7 pm. All offerings at Holy Rosary Church. Information may be found here.