mark your calendars

While the Oregon Symphony will always and forever have the keys to my tiny heart, it’s certainly worth shining a light on the rest of Portland’s brilliant classical scene.  Looking to catch some truly alternative shows this new year?  Well, as luck would have it, the classical beaver is here to offer its top 10 picks for the next few months.  And by all means… if something catches your eye, click on the date to collect more deets!

January 11 ~ Cappella Romana > Um, have you heard these folks yet?  They’re basically a gang of angels in the Pacific Northwest who occasionally hide their wings and sing the most transporting music you may ever encounter.  Like, ever.  This Friday night at 8pm is Portland’s chance to catch ’em sing the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

January 27 ~ Rastrelli Cello Quartet > That’s right.  Four (count ’em) four guys from Germany each armed with a cello and a yowzer of a Classical/Jazz set list.  Tchaikovsky and Saint-Saëns on the one hand, Brubeck and Piazzolla on the other.

February 2 ~ FearNoMusic > Join Stumplandia’s most mind-blowing 21st-Century ensemble as it welcomes vocalist Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond to perform a song cycle based on Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey.  Every single time I attend a FearNoMusic concert, I consider myself a human being that just got a little bit more self-actualized.

Februay 3 ~ 45th Parallel > Superbowl, Shmuperbowl.  I say skip “the big game” and head on over to the Alberta Rose Theater for a Club Mod experience like no other.  Wanna know what happens when one of the best music groups in town teams up with one of the best radio programs in town?  Um, yes please!

February 24 ~ Mousāi Remix > Four of the hottest chicks (musically speaking, of course) from the Oregon Symphony string section bust out Felix Mendelssohn’s Quartet #5 and Sergei Prokofiev’s Quartet #1.  Did the Beavs mention this gig is at a downtown jazz club with NO COVER CHARGE?  Well, it’s true… and you better call for reservations right the eff now: (503) 241-6514.

February 28 ~ Third Angle New Music Ensemble > New York City’s Bang-on-a-Can co-founders Julia Wolfe and Michael Gordon team up with P-Town’s very own Third Angle.  I’ll tell you what: This ain’t gonna be your great-great-grandfather’s chamber music.

March 1 ~ Parties of Note > A super-duper intimate show benefiting the Friends of the Oregon Symphony.  20 lucky folks get to witness a handful of virtuosos in an unbelievable chamber music setting.  Amazing eats and drinks included!

March 15 ~ Arnica String Quartet > Witness one of Rip City’s most accomplished quartets perform works by two of this rodent’s all-time favorite composers: Benjamin Britten and Osvaldo Golijov.  [sigh]

April 27 ~ Portland Symphonic Choir > Spend a splendid Saturday night with this incredible (and I do mean incredible) powerhouse of 120 voices.  The ultimate SATB gang sings a slew of choral favorites as they celebrate 10 glorious years with Dr. Steven Zopfi at the helm.

April 28 ~ Camerata PYP > Hear Portland Youth Philharmonic’s all-stars bring it on at the Wieden+Kennedy Building.  The kids kick things off on Sunday afternoon with a contemporary piece by Kenji Bunch (awesomely entitled Supermaximum) and then bring down the house with Beethoven’s Symphony #8.  Wow!

rhythm nation, under god – part III

now before ol’ beavey rambles on about uncle camille’s organ, can i just say a few more words about those 23 string players accompanying nadja on her seasonal journey through buenos aires?  dear god.  quite simply, they are some of our town’s finest musicians ~ violinists, violists, cellists, and bassists of the highest order who have devoted their lives to their instruments ~ founding members of celebrated portland chamber ensembles like *third angle, *mousāi remix, and *fearnomusic.  it was a rare treat to hear these two dozen folks strut their tango-riffic stuff and let it all hang out, rhythmically and technically speaking (of course).  and the most wonderful surprise of the night?  getting to witness principal cellist nancy ives play this amazing extended solo during the final autumnal chapter… a solo so amazing and so extended (like, 2 minutes!) that ms. salerno-sonnenberg graciously stepped aside to ensure all eyes and ears were focused on that gorgeous cello sound.  when people ask me if there are any perks to writing this blog, my number one answer is the opportunity to meet the musicians of our orchestra.  and from the bottom of my tiny heart, i have to say i’ve met no one finer than ms. ives… an absolutely stellar musician consistently dedicated to her craft and a genuinely warm human being who inspires me to be a better rodent.  smooches to nancy and the whole string summit!  xoxo, cb

oh, what a little moonlighting can do

as if those oregon symphony peeps aren’t busy enough toiling under the exacting baton of coach kalmar, many of the musicians take part in some absolutely stellar extracurricular activities.  wanna get up close and personal with some of the band’s string players?  well, the beav is here to offer a bevy of kick-ass options:

turning the big two-oh this year, *fearnomusic counts violist joël belgique, cellist nancy ives, and violinist inés volgar among its ranks.  their performance last year with gabriel prokofiev was the most insanely sweet instrumental show this rodent witnessed outside of the symphony season.  and with the recent john cage b-day happening earlier this month, artistic director (and fiddler!) paloma griffin has already produced (hands down!) the most thought-provoking and adventurously ambitious concert of 2012.  and yes, i know it’s only february.  stay tuned for fnm’s next show in april, yo!

the new kids on the classical music block, *mousāi remix string quartet features violinists emily cole and shin-young kwon, viola goddess jennifer arnold, and cellist marilyn de oliveira.  the four muses have wisely decided to kick things off with stellar works from LvB & brahms in a brand spankin’ new venue.  come celebrate tax day with the beavs at ivories jazz lounge on april 15th!

highlighting the considerable skills of violist (and brother blogger) charles noble, along with violinists fumino ando and shin-young (my she’s busy) kwon, the *arnica string quartet always seems to be offering stumplandia the absolute best in straight-ahead chamber music.  seriously.  on march 23rd, just $5 gets you in the door for their next program of purcell, golijov (!), britten (!!), and Beethoven (!!!) – in beautiful southeast pdx, no less.

violinist (and down-right wonderful human being) ron blessinger serves as *third angle ensemble’s artistic director.  he unerringly taps a revolving roster of musicians that often hail from the oregon symphony.  don’t believe me?  well, mark your calendars for saturday march 10th – third angle’s next concert celebrates the art museum’s mark rothko exhibit with some outrageously modern compostitions.  in a word: yay!