PROGRAM NOTES: JACQUES OFFENBACH’s Overture to ‘La Belle Hélène’

Posted on April 12, 2019

Photo from the BBC

Paris in the 1860s, the home stretch of the brief, eighteen-year Second Empire, between two bloody wars: Haussmann’s boulevards bringing light and fresh air into the city; industrial and infrastructure growth, along with the first department stores and investment banks, leading to the birth of the bourgeoisie; the everyday landscapes and still lifes of Manet and Monet shaking... Read More ›

PROGRAM NOTES: BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ‘s Concerto for Oboe

Posted on April 10, 2019

Photo from the BBC

PYP alumnus (2008) Max Blair, now Associate Principal Oboe with the Pittsburgh Symphony, returns to Portland to perform Martinů’s beautiful Oboe Concerto with PYP on Sunday, May 5, 2019, in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

Bohuslav Martinů wrote his Oboe Concerto in 1955 at the request of Czech oboist Jiri Tancibudek. Like other composers, most notably Richard Strauss, Martinů... Read More ›

AUERBACH & MARTINŮ OBOE SOLOIST MAX BLAIR

Posted on April 8, 2019

PYP alumnus (2008) Max Blair, now Associate Principal Oboe with the Pittsburgh Symphony, returns to Portland to perform Bohuslav Martinů’s beautiful Oboe Concerto with PYP on Sunday, May 5, 2019, in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

Max’s appearance is sponsored by PYP alumna (1943) Vlasta Becvar Barber.

Max Blair joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Oboe in 2016. He has... Read More ›

DAVID HATTNER’S APRIL PLAYLIST

Posted on April 1, 2019

PYP Musical Director David Hattner shares what’s currently on his playlist. Revamp your own playlist with selections from our PYP Playlist on his Twitter every #MusicMonday.

With PYP’s upcoming West Coast premiere performances of Lera Auerbach‘s Symphony #1 “Chimera,” (in Canby, OR on Thursday, May 2, 2019 and in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on Sunday, May 5, 2019) I wanted to highlight the... Read More ›

PYP alumnus Charles Crabtree’s 2019 Fundraising Breakfast Speech

Posted on March 22, 2019

Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Meet the Musicians Fundraising Breakfast on March 20, 2019. French horn coach and PYP alumnus Charles Crabtree (2009) was our guest speaker at the event. Below please find a transcription of his speech.

Good morning everyone.  I am honored to be here to share with you my experience of the power of music to... Read More ›

DAVID HATTNER’S MARCH PLAYLIST

Posted on March 7, 2019

PYP Musical Director David Hattner shares what’s currently on his playlist. Revamp your own playlist with selections from our PYP Playlist on his Twitter every #MusicMonday.

This month, I would like to feature three works by Elizabeth Maconchy.

I had not heard of Ms. Maconchy until very recently, but I am very impressed with these three works. They are interesting, well written... Read More ›