Rose City Chamber Orchestra Feb 3

This is just a quick reminder to any readers in the Pacific Northwest this weekend that the Rose City Chamber Orchestra will be performing Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde in the Schoenberg reduction on Saturday, Feb 3 at 7 PM at the Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church in Portland. I’ll be conducting, Brennen Guillory will sing the tenor songs, and Kathryn Alexis Hamilton will be our mezzo. We’re only half way through the rehearsals at this point, but I think it’s likely to be a very good and very special concert- certainly we’re lucky to have two really first rate singers who are just right for this music. It’s a strong orchestra, and everyone has been working their hearts out in preparation for this show. Come to this concert!!!!! I’m serious, don’t miss it, you’ll love it, lot’s of wonderful musicians have worked very hard to organize it and prepare it, it’s some of the most fantastic music ever, and you’ll regret it for the rest of your life if you could have made it and don’t. Burn your tickets to that other orchestra. Cancel your dinner reservations. Abandon your children. Lock the poor dog in the back yard. Tell your parents you can’t come to supper because you have an infectious disease. Tell your children you’ve only been going to school plays to be nice, and it’s time for mommy and daddy to do something they enjoy for once instead of suffering through the endless burden of looking after them. Miss this concert, and you may need special counseling for months or years as you attempt to come to terms with the regret, the guilt and the sense of emptiness that comes with missing an opportunity to be a part of something of truly historic importance. You may have missed Woodstock and the Kennedy assassination, but you can be there for Mahler in Portland. Book your flight right now- this is just the reason to use all those frequent flyer miles you’ve been saving.

Also on the program is the world premiere of Snapshots by Oregon native and LA resident, Chris Thomas. It’s colorful, humorous, clever and fun.

The Rose City Chamber Orchestra first came into being in Spring of 1998. A small group of musicians, who felt that their artistic needs were not being met in the greater Portland community, decided to venture out on their own and establish a small chamber orchestra together. The goal of the musicians in the Rose City Chamber Orchestra was (and continues to be) to achieve the highest quality musical experience to be enjoyed by both performers and community. The “premiere” concert was performed by the orchestra on April 5, 1998 and conducted by Tim Hankewich, former conducting apprentice for the Oregon Symphony, and now Assistant Conductor for the Kansas City Symphony. The “premiere” concert was a huge success, and the Rose City Chamber Orchestra was well on its way to becoming one of the most talked about and most highly respected chamber orchestras in Portland and the region. The Rose City Chamber Orchestra is unique because the orchestra is run by the musicians themselves. All members of the Rose City Chamber Orchestra are empowered in all decision-making processes to the extent that each individual wishes to be. Those decisions range from the conductors engaged to the music performed. Everyone has a voice.

I do hope some of you will join us.

Ken