PORTLAND YOUTH PHILHARMONIC ANNOUNCES CONCERT LINEUP FOR MILESTONE 100TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
Posted on September 6, 2023
The season will feature five incredible concerts and an east coast tour
Portland, OR - Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP), the longest continually operating youth orchestra in the United States, is thrilled to announce its 100th anniversary season. This moment marks a century of musical excellence, dedication and transformative experiences for countless musicians and audiences.
Since its inception in 1924, PYP has been committed to nurturing the artistic talents of young musicians, providing a platform for their growth and development and inspiring the community with exceptional orchestral performances. Over the decades, PYP has become a symbol of artistic excellence and musical education and an essential part of Portland’s cultural fabric.
“The 100th anniversary season is a momentous occasion for PYP and the entire Portland community. We are immensely proud of our legacy and of the countless musicians who have made PYP what it is today,” said Music Director David Hattner. “This season, we have curated a series of performances that celebrate our past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future. We look forward to celebrating with our community throughout the year.”
The anniversary season will feature a diverse range of musical works:
This Midnight Hour – November 11, 2023 at 7:30 PM
- The Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra opens its centennial season with three dazzling works: Anna Clyne’s “This Midnight Hour,” Antonín Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony, and Camille Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 2, with pianist and 2023 Portland Piano International (PPI) Concerto Competition Winner, Nolan Tu.
Concert-at-Christmas – December 26, 2023 at 7:30 PM
- A Portland tradition since 1961, this post-holiday concert celebration showcases the Philharmonic Orchestra, Conservatory Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble, and an orchestra uniting PYP Alumni, representing many decades of PYP’s first century. We’ll find ourselves in Chicago through James Stephenson’s ROAR, and take a road trip to Brooklyn with John Philip Sousa’s Manhattan Beach.
Serenade in the Wind – March 2, 2024 at 7:30 PM
- The Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra welcomes GRAMMY-nominated Imani Winds to perform Jeff Scott’s Paradise Valley Serenade. Also on the program is Amy Beach’s too-long neglected romantic and harmonic Gaelic Symphony, which draws inspiration from English, Irish, and Scottish melodies. We will also hear Jessie Montgomery’s delightfully exciting Strum for String Orchestra, which will show off the powerful string section and have audiences clamoring for more of this rhythmically compelling work.
New Beginnings – May 5, 2024 at 4:00 PM
- In the season of new beginnings, the Philharmonic Orchestra, String Ensemble, Conservatory Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble, present a concert filled to the brim with brilliant new music by Polina Nazaykinskaya, Giancarlo Castro D’Addona, and Nancy Ives. The 2023 PYP Concerto Competition Winner, still to be announced, will also perform their winning piece with the Philharmonic Orchestra.
A Century of Unforgettable Music – May 31, 2024 at 7:30 PM
- PYP concludes its centennial season with a performance of Franz Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony – the first piece ever performed by this orchestra, formerly known as the Portland Junior Symphony on the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall stage. Pianist and Pink Martini Band leader Thomas Lauderdale and Classical Music in the Wild pianist Hunter Noack will perform their unique version of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, also celebrating its 100th year. Additionally, we will see former musical director and frequent guest conductor Huw Edwards present Benjamin Britten’s distinctive Four Seas Interludes from Peter Grimes.
“For one hundred years PYP has created a space for students of music to learn and excel,” said board president Leslie Wu. “To put it simply and in terms I might have used back when I was in the orchestra—PYP is awesome. I think one-hundred years’ worth of other musicians would agree.”
As PYP embarks on its centennial year, the community is invited to join in the celebration of this historic milestone and experience the power of live orchestral music performed by some of the most talented young musicians in the country. For more information about the Portland Youth Philharmonic’s 100th anniversary season, including concert dates, ticket subscriptions and more please visit www.portlandyouthphil.org.
About Portland Youth Philharmonic:
Portland Youth Philharmonic prepares young people for success through musical excellence. PYP is a vibrant community of over 250 young people who explore their passion for music and grow as individuals, while making lifelong friendships. The orchestra’s tradition of excellence in education and performance dates to its founding in 1924.
About David Hattner:
David is only the fifth Musical Director in the Portland Youth Philharmonic’s 100-year history, and he is the first to be born in America. Former music critic for The Oregonian, David Stabler, commented that under Hattner’s baton the orchestra “Roared like a Maserati!”
Also a noted clarinetist, David Hattner has regularly been featured in recital on All Classical Portland’s Thursdays @ Three. He served as the principal clarinetist of the Princeton Symphony, New Jersey Opera Theater, and the Cascade Festival of Music. He has also played with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Oregon American, and New Jersey Symphony Orchestras, as well as Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.