Joshua Ji’s PYP Playlist

Posted on October 14, 2019

Photo by Robert Leong

15-year-old Joshua Ji is the winner of the 2019 Portland Piano International / SOLO Piano Concerto Competition, presented in partnership with PYP. He will perform George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto with PYP at our Season 96 opening concert on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

We asked Joshua to share some of his favorite pieces with you as his PYP... Read More ›

Joshua Ji, Winner of the 2019 Portland Piano International / SOLO Piano Concerto Competition

Posted on October 11, 2019

Photo by Robert Leong

Congratulations to Joshua Ji on winning the 2019 Portland Piano International / SOLO Piano Concerto Competition, presented in partnership with Portland Youth Philharmonic. As part of his prize, Joshua will perform George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto with PYP on the orchestra’s upcoming tour to Corvallis and their 96th Season opener on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at the Arlene... Read More ›

George Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F Major

Posted on October 11, 2019

Photo from PBS

PYP will perform Gershwin’s Piano Concerto with soloist Joshua Ji on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

George Gershwin was born at the corner of the 20th century, a time when popular and classical music were growing farther and farther apart. Living on the streets of Brooklyn where he could hear operas on one block and... Read More ›

Oscar Lorenzo Fernández: Batuque from “Reisado do Pastoreio”

Posted on October 10, 2019

Photo from glosas.mpmp.pt

PYP will perform Fernández’s Batuque on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Batuque by Oscar Lorenzo Fernández may not sound shocking compared to other 20th century music, but in Rio de Janeiro in 1930 it was stunningly radical. Along with his colleague Heitor Villa-Lobos, Fernández worked toward an authentically pan-Brazilian, modern musical language. To do that, they... Read More ›

AMY BEACH AND THE “GAELIC” SYMPHONY (Part 1 of 9)

Posted on October 9, 2019

Amy Marcy Cheney, ages 2 and a few years older.  Special Collections, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham.

PYP performed Amy Beach‘s Gaelic Symphony on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Click here to watch our performance.

Introduction and Amy the Pianist

If asked to name a female American composer, many people with a passing familiarity with classical music history will... Read More ›

AMY BEACH AND THE “GAELIC” SYMPHONY (Part 2 of 9)

Posted on October 8, 2019

Amy Beach n.d. (maybe around 16?) courtesy Special Collections, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham.

PYP performed Amy Beach‘s Gaelic Symphony on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Click here to watch our performance.

Amy the Composer part 1

Amy couldn’t help it; she started composing at age 4, with four little songs she came up with all in her head... Read More ›