CULTUREPHILE: PORTLAND ARTS

Pinchas Zukerman Plays Schumann

Posted by: Anne Adams on Nov 29, 2011 at 06:00AM 0 Comments

In this vintage clip, Oregon Symphony ’s next guest proves himself a master of rubato, gently tugging the tempo faster and slower to imbue the violin melody with a voice-like expressiveness. The Schumann piece itself vascillates unpredictably between major and minor, conjuring the emotional complexity that defines the “romantic” genre: sweet-yet-painful pangs of longing, reveries of remembrance, and swoons of surrender. Zukerman will play a Schumann piece this weekend, as well as works by Haydn, Tchaikovsky, and Rossini. Resistance is futile; go ahead and get swept away.

For more about Portland arts events, visit PoMo’s Arts & Entertainment Calendar, stream content with an RSS feed, or sign up for our weekly On The Town Newsletter!

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Tags: music, Oregon Symphony, classical, symphony

Oregon Symphony’s In The Black

The Symphony releases a new recording and encouraging financial news.

Posted by: Anne Adams on Nov 07, 2011 at 12:00PM 0 Comments

The Oregon Symphony’s Board of Directors approved audited financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2011 which show that the season produced a net surplus of $192,000. The financial results mirrored the artistic accomplishments of the 2010/11 season, the eighth under the musical direction of Carlos Kalmar. As President Elaine Calder noted, “The Oregon Symphony finished its 115th season with both an artistic and a financial surplus. It was an extraordinary year and one that feels like a real turning point. For the second year in a row revenues have exceeded expenses, despite the additional cost of taking the orchestra to New York’s Spring for Music festival and making a recording of Carnegie program." The program, Music for a Time of War , which included Ives’ The Unanswered Question, Adams’ The Wound Dresser, Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 4, was recorded on the PentaTone label and released last week.

The 2010/11 season, director Carlos Kalmar’s eighth, included a variety of work: Prangcharoen’s Phenomenon, Bolcom’s Violin Concerto, Sibelius’ The Oceanides, and Dalbavie’s Color were premiered, and balanced with audience favorites like Beethoven’s Eroica and Pastoral symphonies, Rachmaninoff’s 3rd Piano Concerto, and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. The lineup of international guest artists included cellist Yo-Yo Ma (returning for the first time in 12 years), pianist Lang Lang, and violinists Hilary Hahn and James Ehnes, both making long overdue Portland debuts.

These artistic highlights drove financial numbers that were extremely encouraging, especially during these challenging economic times. Ticket revenue of $5.7 million was up 5% over the previous year with a 6% increase in the number of tickets sold (130,530). Contributed income of $7.4 million was down slightly year over year by 5%, attributable primarily to the effects of the recession on endowment returns and fewer bequests. Combined revenue of $14,089,554 and expenses of $13,897,386 yielded an annual surplus of $192,168. This surplus marks the second consecutive season that the Symphony has posted positive year-end financial results.

For more about Portland arts events, visit PoMo’s Arts & Entertainment Calendar, stream content with an RSS feed, or sign up for our weekly On The Town Newsletter!

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Tags: Oregon Symphony, classical, symphony

Gomyo Plays Beethoven

Oregon Symphony’s upcoming guest has a coveted instrument and laudable credentials.

Posted by: Anne Adams on Oct 26, 2011 at 06:00AM 0 Comments

Karen Gomyo: The face of a model, and the touch of a maestro.

Is there such a thing as a “violin model?” If so, the casual observer might mistake Oregon Symphony’s next featured soloist, Karen Gomyo, for one. With her mahogany hair and refined features, she looks like a violin personified—but it’s no mere pose. The Tokyo native has played her genuine Stradivarius alongside the New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong Philharmonics; the Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Minnesota Orchestras; the San Francisco, Saint Louis, Cincinnati, Dallas, Houston, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Tokyo Symphonies; and the National Symphony of Washington, D.C!

[Pause for breath.]

In Europe, she’s performed with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lille, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Norwegian Opera Orchestra, Norköpping Symphony and Den Haag Residentie Orkest.

Her experience being plenty to recommend her, we still suggest that you perk your ears to her artistry in the following too-short clip of a prior performance of Beethoven’s violin concerto, in which Gomyo coaxes a lively, high melody from her nimble Strad.

For more about Portland arts events, visit PoMo’s Arts & Entertainment Calendar, stream content with an RSS feed, or sign up for our weekly On The Town Newsletter!

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Tags: music, Oregon Symphony, classical, symphony

Grieg + Lauderdale

Oregon Symphony’s lineup for the weekend features an iconic pianist and a classic piece.

Posted by: Anne Adams on Feb 23, 2011 at 03:00PM 1 Comments

I’m thinking of something that’s timeless and brilliant, that’s scheduled to appear with Oregon Symphony this weekend. What is it?

If you answered either “Grieg’s Piano Concerto” or “Pink Martini’s Frontman Thomas Lauderdale,” you’re correct. In case you’re not familiar with either or both, Culturephile has pulled together some video for reference.

Here’s venerated pianist Arthur Rubenstein performing the Concerto:

… and here’s Portland’s own Lauderdale, taking time between gigs to show off his favorite spots around town. If he brings his signature charm and verve to the Symphony stage, ticketholders should be in for a treat.

For more upcoming arts events, visit PoMo’s Arts & Entertainment Calendar, stream content with an RSS feed, or sign up for our weekly On The Town Newsletter!

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Tags: music, Oregon Symphony, classical, symphony, preview

Ghouls Night Out

Halloween happenings: from Deadbolt to dancing with blood

Posted by: Geoff Earl on Oct 26, 2010 at 11:00AM 2 Comments

BloodyVox by BodyVox. A true danse macabre.

You thought your significant other wanted to stay home and watch monster movies this weekend. Wrong! She really wants to stuff herself into the slutty witch costume that didn’t get used last year (you didn’t plan anything then, either). Quick, slap some “zombie makeup” on your grill and shuffle out into the night. We’ve selected a few destinations that offer an intriguing combination of scary, sexy, funny and, of course, blood-spattered.

Deadbolt at Dante’s Take lots of eerie reverb, a foreboding baritone, greasy pompadours, and songs about voodoo-this and voodoo-that, and you’ve got a night with “the scariest band on Earth.” That’s exactly what garage-rockers Deadbolt claim to be (though perhaps “sinister” is a more accurate descriptive). The sexy quotient of this All Hallow’s wingding is provided by Sinferno Cabaret, Dante’s own fire-dancin’, go-go burlesque ensemble. Sunday, 8pm. $12-13.

Toxic Zombie at Hawthorne Theater The kids prefer their Fright Night tuneage a bit less “nuanced.” Horror-glam-punks Toxic Zombie host an all-ages Halloween Monster Party at the Hawthorne Theater. As far as all-ages costume parties go, this is a big one. Best costumes can win a guitar (sweet!) and other prizes. Hosted by ex-White Zombie drummer and current KUFO DJ Ivan de Prume, the bill includes Stonecreep, Ditch Digger and Church of Hate. Friday, 8pm. $10.

Blood Shack Tired of spooky sports arenas and haunted mega-malls? A newcomer to the PDX Halloween scene, the Blood Shack is inhabited in the only way a structure in short Southeast could be—by haunted hipsters. Besides the “nonstop orgy of gore” and lots of “ghastly sights,” the Blood Shack offers creepy pinball, a beer garden, and the nightly wailing of local trash-rockers from beyond the garage. The Blood Shack is all ages and open seven nights a week. 55 SE Ankeny St. Mon-Wed 8pm-1am; Thurs 8pm-midnight; Fri-Sun 8pm-1am.

Psycho with the Oregon Symphony Get your fright night started early with Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror uber-classic, Psycho (on the big screen in the Schnitz, no less), while the Oregon Symphony performs Bernard Hermann’s iconic, shrieking, nightmare-inducing score. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 4pm. $14-58.

Of course, you could always stay home and watch TV.

Dia de los Muertos For a more dignified and sincere version of those who occasionally rise from the grave, Teatro Milagro (or the Miracle Theater, en engles) hosts its annual Dia de los Muertos celebration with the live production of Viva Don Juan. The bi-lingual production explores the Day of the Dead holiday by returning the chronically amorous, yet long-deceased Don Juan to the world of the living. Miracle Theater/Teatro Milagro. Thu 7:30 PM; Fri-Sat 8 PM; Sun 2 PM.

Bloody Vox If it takes a little corn syrup to get you in the door of a “cultured” Halloween event, what’s the big deal? During the Halloween season, BodyVox dance ensemble performs BloodyVox, a blood-spattered dance performance that includes zombies, vampires, and other outré creatures. And there’s a gala fundraiser called the BloodyVox Ball! Better iron your cape, Count. BodyVox Dance Theater. Thu-Fri 7:30pm; Sat 2pm and 7:30pm. $20.

Scary Movie Horror Sci-Fi Improv The Brody Theater’s Halloween show, Scary Movie, returns for its lucky 13th installment. The quick-thinking crew creates completely improvised and original horror and sci-fi “movies”; the double features are tributes to the golden age of horror and sci-fi movies of the 1930s-50s. Brody Theater. Sat-Sun 8pm and 10 pm; Halloween, 7pm. $7-10.

The Walking Dead Oh great. Now she doesn’t want to go out at all. No problem, just stay home, hand out candy to the little monsters, and then turn on the premiere of AMC network’s new “epic” post-apocalyptic zombie series, The Walking Dead, based on the awesome Robert Kirkman comic book. 10pm, Halloween, American Movie Classics, Channel 71.

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Tags: Dance, Holiday Events, Live, Oregon Symphony, Halloween, Zombies

Oregon Symphony
Kicks Off Season Outdoors

Al Fresco concert promises a sparkly season-start.

Posted by: Anne Adams on Sep 02, 2010 at 12:00AM 1 Comments

The Oregon Symphony will look totally different in daylight!

Ballet dancers! Fireworks! The bombast of brass and the swoon of strings! Two conductors! Musical homages to Paris, Vienna, Rome, St. Petersburg and New York! All for free. Tonight, at 7pm, wander your lucky spoiled self over to Tom McCall Waterfront Park to see it. Or arrive at five to catch the Portland Youth Philharmonic and claim a close-in spot, from which you might get a glimpse of Jun Iwasaki, concertmaster and Fall Arts Package featuree.

Culturephile can only feature a few First Thursday picks, but for a more comprehensive list of upcoming events, visit the Arts & Entertainment Calendar!

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Tags: Southwest Portland, music, Outdoor Fun, Live, outdoors, Oregon Symphony, classical, Russian, symphony