PYP Press Room - For the Media

Pink Martini Band Leader Thomas Lauderdale and In a Landscape Pianist Hunter Noack join America’s oldest youth orchestra to celebrate the conclusion of PYP’s historic Centennial Season on May 31

Posted on May 10, 2024

PORTLAND, OR – Established in 1924, the Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) is the longest continually running youth orchestra in the nation. In 100 years, over 5,000 young musicians have passed through their ranks; they annually serve 20,000 young people in our community, introducing the orchestra and spreading the joy of making music with audiences of all ages. On May 31, 2024, the musicians of PYP’s centennial orchestra perform their finale concert “A Century of Incredible Music,” on the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall stage, alongside outstanding guest artists.

To mark this momentous occasion, PYP welcomes special guests, pianist and Pink Martini Band Leader Thomas Lauderdale, and IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild pianist Hunter Noack, who will perform their unique piano four-hands version of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, also celebrating its 100th year!

“Thomas Lauderdale has a special love for PYP going back to his high school days in Portland,” said Musical Director David Hattner. “He has invited PYP to perform alongside Pink Martini on many occasions. These are always memorable for our musicians and for audiences. With Hunter Noack alongside, this special version of Rhapsody in Blue will celebrate the 100th anniversary of both PYP and this important American composition.”

Hattner will also conduct Jessie Montgomery’s Strum for string orchestra, another American piece that is quickly becoming a classic in the repertoire. Montgomery recently won a GRAMMY for another one of her compositions.

Additionally, former Musical Director and frequent guest conductor Huw Edwards will present Benjamin Britten’s distinctive Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Johannes Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture and Franz Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony—the first piece ever performed by this orchestra, which was known as the Portland Junior Symphony until 1978. Hattner remarks that Edwards is a “remarkable part of PYP’s history.” As only the third permanent conductor in PYP’s long history, Edwards “brought a youthful energy and fresh programming to the rehearsal room and concert hall,” which inspired many future professional musicians.

“Although I was only music director of PYP for 7% of its illustrious 100-year history, it has played a huge part in my life and impacted my growth as a musician in a seismic way,” said Edwards. “I look back fondly on my seven years, possess so many good memories, made so many lasting and valued friendships, and the pieces I surveyed with the PYP still resonate so much many years later. It is very touching—and satisfying—to be a part of the centenary season and I look forward to doing pieces by Brahms, Schubert and Britten at the May 31 finale concert, which will be a special occasion and a future PYP memory to be treasured.”

The program honors the amazing legacy of PYP’s 100 years of outstanding music education, community programs, and musical directors who have made the organization what it is today, all of whom will be showcased through a series of mini documentaries throughout the program.

This concert ushers in a new century of musical excellence as PYP moves forward towards Season 101! Learn more and get tickets at portlandyouthphil.org.

Portland Youth Philharmonic Season 100 (2023-2024)

Summary of Event:

Who: Portland Youth Philharmonic, conducted by Musical Director David Hattner
What: A Century of Unforgettable Music
When: Friday, May 31 | 7:30 PM
Where: Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205)

Tickets:
$18 starting; student/senior/group discounts available
$5 Arts for All tickets
Livestream: $13

Program:

• George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue with Thomas Lauderdale and Hunter Noack
• Jessie Montgomery: Strum
• Franz Schubert: Unfinished Symphony
• Johannes Brahms: Academic Festival Overture
• Benjamin Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

Program Sponsor: EyeHealth Northwest.

Concert Co-Sponsors: Suzanne Watnick and Pacific Office Automation

Portland Youth Philharmonic

Portland Youth Philharmonic prepares young people for success through musical excellence. PYP is a vibrant community of over 300 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.

Hear PYP for yourself at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall or at any time on their popular YouTube channel.

David Hattner, PYP Musical Director

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 the United States. 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 Radio’s Thursdays @ Three. He has appeared recently with Chamber Music Northwest. 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.

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The nation’s longest-running youth orchestra accepting auditions for Season 101 in June and August: Financial Aid and Percussion Scholarships Available!

Posted on May 1, 2024

PORTLAND, OR – The Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) – the nation’s first youth orchestra to turn 100 years old – is now accepting auditions for its 101st (2024 - 2025) concert season! The organization has openings for all orchestral instruments, with special opportunities for percussionists. PYP provides need-based tuition assistance to any musician who passes an audition, as well as financial support to cover the costs of private lessons, instrument rentals, concert attire, and other expenses. PYP also has multiple scholarships available specifically for aspiring young percussionists. Auditions for PYP’s four core ensembles will be held at the orchestra’s office in Southwest Portland in June and August.

“Young musicians from all over Portland and beyond love the experience they have in PYP,” said PYP Musical Director David Hattner. “They enjoy meeting kind, motivated and inspiring friends, being challenged to achieve more in each rehearsal, and they enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes with being in an ensemble performing with true excellence.”

PYP’s musicians often go on to successful careers both in and out of music, and many attribute their success in part to the time they spent with PYP. Whether it’s taking their musical journey to the next level, learning valuable life skills through teamwork, attentive listening, staying focused and disciplined, or building social skills through amazing friendships, there’s something for every young musician to take away from time with PYP.

“I joined the PYP organization in 6th grade,” said Macy Gong, PYP principal flutist. “I’m in my seventh and final season now and have treasured every single one I’ve been a part of. When considering whether to audition, keep in mind that the conductors aren’t necessarily focused on your level of talent, but your potential to improve as a member of this orchestra. I feel beyond honored to have had the opportunity to perform with PYP and I think you’ll find that’s true for you, too!”

Auditions for high school and college musicians will take place at the PYP office in Portland, OR on June 10 through 14, 2024, and August 19, 20, 22, and 23, 2024. Middle school aged musicians and younger are welcome and encouraged to send in their auditions via video by 11:59 PM on Sunday, June 30, 2024 for early consideration. The final deadline for video submission is 11:59 PM on Sunday, August 11, 2024.

Once a musician passes their audition, they receive an enrollment packet that includes a financial aid application form. If a musician is eligible for the Federal Free/Reduced Lunch program or is in foster care, they will automatically receive a full tuition financial aid package. The financial aid application process is confidential and anonymized for PYP’s Finance Committee made up of board members and administrative staff. Conductors are not involved and do not know who is receiving financial aid. More details about PYP’s confidential financial aid process can be found at portlandyouthphil.org/financialaid.

Percussion scholarships are provided by the Leo Lester Browne Charitable Fund and the Karensue Sholkoff Dobrow Memorial Percussion Fund. Browne was a beloved professional percussionist and teacher in the Portland area for decades, and a generous gift from his estate now provides financial support for teaching the next generation of percussionists. Karensue Sholkoff Dobrow was a Vancouver resident percussionist committed to music education; the fund was established for Washington musicians by her husband Dr. Richard Dobrow to honor her life work and love of music. She and their daughter Rachel are both PYP percussion alumnae. If you would like to speak to someone about PYP’s scholarship opportunities, please contact PYP’s Executive Director Noreen Murdock at noreen@portlandyouthphil.org.

All PYP musicians receive comprehensive musical training and perform challenging and rewarding compositions – from Classical to contemporary, including world premieres. The organization is comprised of the Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, led by David Hattner, Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, led by Lawrence Johnson, Portland Youth Wind Ensemble, led by Giancarlo Castro D’Addona, Portland Youth String Ensemble, led by Inés Voglar Belgique, and Portland Youth Percussion Ensemble, coached by Gordon Rencher. Additionally, PYP has an advanced chamber orchestra, Camerata PYP. Musicians come from communities across the region, representing over 100 different schools. Learn more about PYP’s ensembles at portlandyouthphil.org/ensembles.

“Every year, dozens of new musicians join a PYP ensemble,” said Hattner. “Applying is free, and you will get helpful feedback from PYP’s conductors. Prepare a major and minor scale with the corresponding arpeggios and a short solo. Your audition might be the 10 minutes that changes your life.”

Through dedication and hard work over the course of the program, PYP musicians grow to perform at a level that rivals many of their professional counterparts. Take the next step in your musical journey and unlock your full potential with PYP!

Apply online at portlandyouthphil.org/audition. Applicants will find a checklist of all that they need to prepare for their in-person or video audition, as well as helpful audition tips on the PYP website.

Celebrating the Old and the New: A Program of World Premieres Presented by the nation’s first 100-year-old Youth Orchestra!

Posted on April 29, 2024

Featuring all the ensembles of PYP with special performances by PYP’s 2023 Concerto Competition Winner and Pacific Northwest Tribal Drum Group, Four Directions

PORTLAND, OR – Established in 1924, the Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) is the longest continually running youth orchestra in the United States! On May 5, 2024, this century-old organization presents a program of brilliant new music at their Spring Concert titled New Beginnings. All of the ensembles of PYP invite you to join them at 4:00 PM at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall to enjoy works by Polina Nazaykinskaya, Sylvan Talavera, Giancarlo Castro D’Addona, Nancy Ives, and Charles T. Griffes.

To celebrate the new, this exciting concert opens with the world premiere of Nazaykinskaya’s expressive and emotional Symphony for Strings, performed by the Portland Youth String Ensemble (PYSE) and their conductor Inés Voglar Belgique. Then the Portland Youth Percussion Ensemble will play the world premiere of PYP alumnus Sylvan Talavera’s examine it carefully, before it’s set ablaze, which was inspired by a single line of text from a song by The Books.

The Portland Youth Wind Ensemble (PYWE) will follow these pieces with yet another world premiere Journey by their very own conductor Giancarlo Castro D’Addona. D’Addona describes his piece as energetic and vibrant, seeking to enhance - through its melodies, modulating harmonies and syncopated rhythms - the high range of colors that a wind band offers to listeners.

“Journey was especially composed for PYWE as part of the celebration of PYP’s 100 years, said D’Addona. “It is a tribute to the invaluable labor, work and mark that PYP has left on the great community of musicians, staff, donors, parents, and friends who have been part of it over time.”

Next up is a very special collaborative world premiere performance of The Spirit of the Columbia, by Nancy Ives, principal cello for the Oregon Symphony. The Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, led by Lawrence Johnson, will be joined to perform this beautiful piece by Pacific Northwest tribal drum group Four Directions and lead singer Harold Paul (Nez Perce).

“When PYCO conductor Larry Johnson approached me about building on my previous collaborative work with Ed Edmo (Shoshone/Bannock) and Joe Cantrell (Cherokee) to write a new piece for PYP’s 100th anniversary celebration, I was deeply honored, and truly inspired by his sincere desire to pay homage to the First Peoples of our region,” said Ives. “The creation of this orchestral tone poem, which recounts the recent history of Celilo Falls, came fully into focus for me through discussions with Harold Paul, who gave me the name by telling us about the spiritual importance of the water and the fish, saying “The People are the spirit of the Columbia.”

The Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra closes out this matinee concert with Griffes’ well-known languorous and tranquil Poem for Flute and Orchestra, featuring PYP’s 2023 Concerto Competition Winner Macy Gong.

“I have treasured every season I’ve been a part of in PYP, and I feel beyond honored to have the opportunity to perform Poem with PYP as a soloist in my final season,” said Gong. “This concert will be particularly special, as you will hear all of PYP’s ensembles, which usually only happens once per year at the annual Concert-at-Christmas. Overall, this concert will showcase the hard work of each ensemble preparing for this penultimate concert of the centennial season!”

With 100 years of thoughtful training, challenging, and rewarding compositions, and striving for musical excellence, the musicians of the Portland Youth Philharmonic continue to perform at a level rivaling many of their professional counterparts. Experience the inspiration, determination, and skill of these musicians for yourself on May 5. Then, join the Philharmonic Orchestra again for a 100th Season Grand Finale concert on May 31 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

In-person individual tickets start at $18 for adults, $13 for seniors, and $8 for students. Livestream passes are $13. To reserve tickets in your favorite section, and learn more about PYP’s upcoming concerts, composers, and musicians, please visit portlandyouthphil.org/concerts.

Portland Youth Philharmonic Season 100 (2023-2024)

Summary of Event:

Who:

• Portland Youth Philharmonic, conducted by Musical Director David Hattner
• Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, conducted by Lawrence Johnson
• Portland Youth Wind Ensemble, conducted by Giancarlo Castro D’Addona,
• Portland Youth String Ensemble, conducted by Inés Voglar Belgique
• Portland Youth Percussion Ensemble, coached by Gordon Rencher

What:
New Beginnings, featuring guest artists Pacific Northwest tribal drum group Four Directions and PYP’s 2023 Concerto Competition Winner Macy Gong.

When: Sunday, May 5 | 4:00 PM

Where: Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205)

Tickets:
$18 starting; student/senior/group discounts available
$5 Arts for All tickets

Livestream: $13

Program:

• Polina Nazaykinskaya: Symphony No. 2 for String Orchestra (World Premiere)
• Sylvan Talavera: examine it carefully, before it’s set ablaze (World Premiere)
• Giancarlo Castro D’Addona: Journey (World Premiere)
• Nancy Ives: The Spirit of the Columbia (World Premiere), Featuring Four Directions
• Charles T. Griffes: Poem for Flute and Orchestra, featuring Macy Gong, flute, winner of PYP’s 2023 PYP Concerto Competition

Program Sponsor: The Rosanne B. and W. Gregory Berton Family Charitable Trust

Portland Youth Philharmonic

Portland Youth Philharmonic prepares young people for success through musical excellence. PYP is a vibrant community of over 300 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.

Hear PYP for yourself at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall or at any time on their popular YouTube channel.

David Hattner, PYP Musical Director

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 the United States. 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 Radio’s Thursdays @ Three. He has appeared recently with Chamber Music Northwest. 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 the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.

Portland Youth Philharmonic exhibit shares 100-year highlights of nation’s first youth orchestra through May at ArtReach Gallery

Posted on April 10, 2024

PORTLAND, OR – Portland Youth Philharmonic, the nation’s first youth orchestra to reach 100 years old, is a Portland treasure that has provided astonishing concerts and excellent music education to area youth since 1924. PYP, as it is called now, was envisioned and developed by pioneering violin teacher, Mary V. Dodge, as the Portland Junior Symphony, starting right after World War I, when Portland was experiencing its first flu epidemic and seeing the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. Hired as music teacher at Irvington School, Dodge dreamed of a city-wide youth orchestra that would unite the community with pride in what young musicians could do. Starting in 1924, when the first professional conductor was hired, it did just that.

This exhibit was first displayed at the Oregon Historical Society from November 2023 through January 2024, and is now re-installed at First Congregational Church’s ArtReach Gallery through the month of May. The church is located at 1126 SW Park Avenue, in the block between the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and the Oregon Historical Society. Also on display in the Fellowship Hall is a wonderful exhibit of mixed media visual artwork by residents from Terwilliger Plaza.

Entitled “Sagebrush to Stumptown: Portland Youth Philharmonic’s Astonishing First Century,” this exhibit tells the story of ten decades and only five musical directors. It includes panels documenting significant achievements and provides a peek at a few posters, recordings, and other memorabilia, as well as a ten-minute video, showcasing each conductor, samples of the music and the musicians through the years to the present day.

The public is invited to view this exhibit in the Fellowship Hall chapel room, on Wednesdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm or on Sundays when the church is open for worship services, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. The gallery is accessible from the Park Avenue entrance with a lift for anyone who cannot use stairs. Other days and times may be arranged by appointment, with entrance on Madison Street and three steps up. Contact Kristan Knapp, Alumni Relations Manager and exhibit curator, 503-828-0984, for a private tour.

What: Sagebrush to Stumptown: Portland Youth Philharmonic’s Astonishing First Century Where: ArtReach Gallery at First Congregational Church, 1126 SW Park Ave, Portland 97205.
When: Through the month of May
Hours: Wednesdays: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm; Sundays: 9:30 am to 1:30 pm; Other days by appointment: Kristan Knapp, 503-828-0984, Kristan@portlandyouthphil.org.
Why: To mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of PYP, the nation’s first youth orchestra.

The Portland Youth Philharmonic offers a series of concerts at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall every year, and there is one remaining Season 100 date: Friday, May 31 at 7:30 pm. Both in-person and livestream tickets are available on PYP’s website.

We look forward to welcoming you to our exhibit and our concerts.

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The Nation’s First Youth Orchestra, in Concert with 2024 GRAMMY award-winning Imani Winds

Posted on March 14, 2024

Featuring an all-American program of new music by GRAMMY winning composers Jessie Montgomery and Jeff Scott, plus a 1894 symphony by Amy Beach, the first American-trained woman symphonic composer

PORTLAND, OR – Established in 1924, the Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) is the first youth orchestra in the United States to turn 100 years old! A treasured part of America’s history, PYP will present Serenade in the Wind, a concert of all-American music at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on March 2 at 7:30 PM. The concert will open with Amy Beach’s too-long neglected romantic and harmonic Gaelic Symphony, followed by Jessie Montgomery’s delightfully exciting Strum. Then, 2024 GRAMMY award-winning, Imani Winds, will join the orchestra to perform the West Coast premiere of Jeff Scott’s Paradise Valley Serenade.

Led by Musical Director David Hattner, PYP first performed Amy Beach’s Gaelic Symphony in the fall of 2019. A recording of that performance, available on PYP’s popular YouTube channel, has been viewed over forty thousand times! When composing the piece nearly 130 years ago, Beach drew inspiration from English, Irish, and Scottish melodies. Sadly, this beautiful symphony was neglected for generations before it became recognized today as the masterwork it is. Hattner and the musicians of PYP find the piece’s considerable challenges worth revisiting and are thrilled to bring it back to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall stage in March for thousands more to enjoy.

Next on the program is Jessie Montgomery’s Strum for string orchestra, which shows off PYP’s powerfully precise strings. Montgomery wrote in her program note for the piece that she drew from “American folk idioms and the spirit of dance and movement,” giving the work a sense of “fleeting nostalgia and ecstatic celebration.”

“Jessie Montgomery is one of today’s most programmed composers,” said Hattner. “Her music is popular everywhere it is played. Strum is perfect for the tremendous string section of PYP. It’s metrical and rhythmic challenges will show off the deep musicianship of these players.”

The program closes with a stunning finale performance of Jeff Scott’s Paradise Valley Serenade, featuring Imani Winds. After a thrilling world premiere of Scott’s The Journey in Season 99, PYP is excited to perform more of his amazing music with this renowned wind ensemble described by Carnegie Hall as “groundbreaking…fearless…and vital.”

David Hattner recalls, “Jeff Scott has been a friend to PYP since he wrote a piece for our online learning initiative called Circle Dance in 2020. And when we premiered The Journey in 2023, it quickly became a favorite of both PYP musicians and our audience. We welcome Imani Winds, (which Jeff, playing French horn, helped start in 1997) as the brilliant soloists on this collaboration.”

Inspired by the Paradise Theatre, which had a home in the Black Bottom neighborhood of Paradise Valley, Detroit, until 1951, Scott weaves the tale of a once-thriving African American community that was “razed in favor of ‘urban renewal’ projects in the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s.” (Jeff Scott).

In their acceptance speech at the 2024 GRAMMY awards, Monica Ellis, the bassoonist in Imani Winds, said, “We’ve been doing this for 27 years—celebrating Black excellence in classical music.”

When asked what they were most looking forward to about this collaboration, Kevin Newton, the French hornist of Imani Winds, said, “I am excited to experience the energy the Portland Youth Philharmonic will bring to Jeff Scott’s rich and evocative music. Personally, it is an honor to highlight the stories of the Black Bottom community. So many communities built during the Great Migration have been lost and with them the stories of those African Americans who sacrificed everything for a shot at the American dream.”

With 100 years of thoughtful training, challenging, and rewarding compositions, and striving for musical excellence, the musicians of the Philharmonic Orchestra continue to perform at a level rivaling many of their professional counterparts. Experience the inspiration, determination, and skill of this orchestra for yourself on March 2. Then, join them again later in the season for two more magical concerts, in May, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

In-person individual tickets start at $18 for adults, $13 for seniors, and $8 for students. Livestream passes are $13. To reserve tickets in your favorite section, and learn more about PYP’s upcoming concerts, composers, and musicians, please visit portlandyouthphil.org/concerts.

Portland Youth Philharmonic Season 100 (2023-2024)

Summary of Event:
Who: Portland Youth Philharmonic, conducted by Musical Director David Hattner
What: Serenade in the Wind, featuring guest artists, Imani Winds
When: Saturday, March 2 | 7:30 PM          
Where: Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205)
Tickets:
• $18 starting; student/senior/group discounts available
• $5 Arts for All tickets
• Livestream: $13
Program:
• Amy Beach: Gaelic Symphony
• Jessie Montgomery: Strum for String Orchestra
• Jeff Scott: Paradise Valley Serenade
Program Sponsor: Arima Schumann Fund

Concert Co-Sponsors: Marcus and Ruth Leupold Fund, Shane Weisman of Ameriprise Financial, and Leupold & Stevens Foundation

Guest artist sponsors: Marypat and Steve Hedberg, Hallowed Halls, and Noreen Murdock and Grant Linsell
Portland Youth Philharmonic
Portland Youth Philharmonic prepares young people for success through musical excellence. PYP is a vibrant community of over 300 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.

Hear PYP for yourself at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall or at any time on their popular YouTube channel.

David Hattner, PYP Musical Director
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 the United States. 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 Radio’s Thursdays @ Three. He has appeared recently with Chamber Music Northwest. 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.

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A Fun Introduction to Classical Music for Families with Young Children: Featuring PYP’s Portland Youth String Ensemble, led by Oregon Symphony Violinist Inés Voglar Belgique

Posted on February 20, 2024

PORTLAND, OR – The musicians of the Portland Youth String Ensemble (PYSE) and their conductor, Inés Voglar Belgique present the annual Cushion Concert - a 45-minute family-friendly interactive musical program that will have young ones ages 2-8 smiling and clapping along. Bring your cushions and join the fun at Oaks Park Dance Pavilion on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 3:00 PM.

The performance is preceded by an Instrument Petting Zoo at 2:00 PM, hosted by Kennedy Violins, when young ones can play child-sized instruments of the string family. This event’s generous media sponsor is the International Children’s Arts Network (ICAN Radio).

“My favorite thing about the Cushion Concert is that the kids can be free to enjoy the concert without having to be still or quiet; I love when they start to dance to the music,” said PYSE conductor Inés Voglar Belgique. “Our musicians get to play a wide variety of repertoire by American composers, including some from Portland, Oregon, like principal cellist of the Oregon Symphony Nancy Ives and Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra oboist, Alejandro Belgique. We have a lot of fun with it!”

The program includes a Q&A with the musicians and conductor, instrument demonstrations, and kid-focused music, including scores from some of our favorite movies, like John Williams’ Trilogy (Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and Raiders of the Lost Ark).

Bring your curious little ones early to enjoy the Instrument Petting Zoo from 2:00 – 3:00 PM. Including this hands-on activity with the concert has helped to curate a love and appreciation for the instruments of the string family in young audience members.

“Our partnership with the Portland Youth Philharmonic, especially through the ‘instrument petting zoo’, has been a meaningful part of Kennedy Violins’ community involvement,” said Zach Sears, Kennedy Violins Shop Manager. “It’s a unique opportunity to introduce young enthusiasts to string instruments, sparking early interest in music. This collaboration with PYP enriches our commitment to music education and the arts.”

You’ll be amused from start to finish at this relaxed and entertaining concert. Grab your cushion, snuggle in your blanket, and prepare to be inspired by dedicated young musicians.

Tickets $7 for students, $12 for seniors, and $15 for adults. To learn more about the program, ensemble, composers, and to purchase tickets, visit portlandyouthphil.org/family; tickets may also be purchased at the venue door.

Portland Youth Philharmonic Season 100 (2023-2024)

Who: Portland Youth String Ensemble (PYSE), conducted by Inés Voglar Belgique
What: Cushion Concert
When: Saturday, March 9, 2024 | 2:00 PM Petting Zoo; 3:00 PM Concert Program
Where: Oaks Park Dance Pavilion | 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202
Tickets:
• $7 students; $12 seniors; $15 adults
• $5 Arts for All tickets

Program:
• Richard Meyer: Ear-igami
• Nancy Ives: Grandfather Storyteller
• Alejandro Belgique: Conundrum
• A. Borodin: Nocturne from Quartet no. 2,
Performed by the PYSE String quartet: Emmaline Bunch & Sophia Chung, violin; Lucas Carter, viola; Feifei Wan, cello
• Norman Leyden: Serenade for Strings
• Leroy Anderson: Plink, Plank, Plunk!
• John Williams: Trilogy
Instrument Petting Zoo Sponsor: Kennedy Violins

Media Sponsor: International Children’s Arts Network

Portland Youth String Ensemble
Portland Youth String Ensemble (PYSE) is one of four large ensembles of the Portland Youth Philharmonic organization. PYSE is an intermediate-level string ensemble geared toward students who have not had a great deal of experience performing in an ensemble setting. Weekly rehearsals and music theory classes stress performance; building solid, fundamental rhythmic and orchestral skills; and improving sight-reading abilities.

Portland Youth Philharmonic
Portland Youth Philharmonic prepares young people for success through musical excellence. PYP is a vibrant community of over 300 young people who explore their passion for music and grow as individuals while making lifelong friendships. The organization’s tradition of excellence in education and performance dates to its founding in 1924.

Inés Voglar Belgique
Violinist Inés Voglar Belgique was born to a Slovenian family in Venezuela, where she studied music under the program “El Sistema” and violin with Roberto Valdes. She came to the United States in 1996 to complete her undergraduate and graduate studies at Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University with Andrés Cárdenes, then concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Before joining the Oregon Symphony in 2004, she played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Symphony as an extra musician, including national and European tours. She also served as guest concertmaster of the Galicia Symphony Orchestra in December 2007 and has been a frequent concertmaster of the Astoria Music Festival Orchestra.

In September 2012 she won the position of assistant principal second violin with the Oregon Symphony in a national audition. An avid chamber musician, she is a member of the Palatine Piano Trio with Dr. Nancy Ives and Dr. Susan Smith, and DuoKrom with Molly Barth. She has been a violinist in FearNoMusic since 2005, and served as artistic director until 2011, reaching out to collaborate with internationally acclaimed composers and presenting the music of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. In addition to private studio teaching, she is a faculty member at the Interlochen Adult Chamber Music Camp and the conductor of the Portland Youth String Ensemble of the Portland Youth Philharmonic. In the past, she taught as adjunct faculty of Lewis & Clark from 2015-2020, the Oregon State University Chamber Music Workshop, and Portland Summer Ensembles. Recent performances include appearances at the Slovenian Parliament, Vipava Castle, and the National University Library in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

International Children’s Arts Network
The International Children’s Arts Network (ICAN) is a dedicated radio station for children to celebrate the joy of being a child, explore other cultures, and enhance their learning. ICAN provides access to the arts for all and nurtures a love for music and literature.

ICAN is a 24-hour arts and music HD radio station for children, their families, caregivers, and educators. Our diverse content is available online at icanradio.org, via All Classical Radio’s mobile app, on your smart speaker, and on demand.
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Competition winners to perform at the Reser with chamber orchestra in Vivaldi’s “Winter” from “The Four Seasons” and Tchaikovsky’s “Pezzo Capriccioso”

Posted on December 8, 2023

The program also features other classics and world premieres for string orchestra

PORTLAND, OR – Celebrate the new year with the Portland Youth Philharmonic advanced chamber orchestra Camerata PYP at their January 5 concert Sound Garden. Happening at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton, OR at 7:30 PM, you’ll be delighted by the gorgeous and vibrant variety of music performed at the hands of young musicians.

The program features the runners up of PYP’s 2023 Concerto Competition as soloists and boasts an impressively colorful repertoire for string instruments by Antonio Vivaldi, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Bohuslav Martinů, Randy Bauer, Seattle based composer Bruce Stark, and more.

PYP’s Co-Principal Second Violinist Derek Choi, will perform Antonio Vivaldi’s Winter from The Four Seasons. Vivaldi’s famous The Four Seasons is full of rich musical imagery, evoking thoughts of tulips in the Spring, blue skies in the Summer, turning leaves in the Fall, and the frosted landscapes of winter, through which Choi and Camerata PYP will take us in January.

“Soloing with an orchestra is always a thrilling opportunity, and I’m excited I get to do so with my wonderful friends and colleagues in PYP,” said Choi. “Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons artfully illustrates a pictorial journey through time, with an expressive literalness that was unprecedented at its inception in the 1700’s. “Winter opens in a gripping cold, brings us to a serene fireside, and ends with a chilling walk down an icy path. I’m excited to share with the audience the captivating colors and emotions of one of Vivaldi’s most beloved works!”

Also on the program is a performance of Tchaikovsky’s beautifully somber Pezzo Capriccioso by PYP’s Co-Principal Cellist Sarah Lee. Composed in 1888, the piece was inspired by his friend who was suffering from a great illness at the time. 136 years later, we can still feel that hauntingly painful moment in Tchaikovsky’s life woven into the piece.

“It is always such an honor and pleasure to get to perform with orchestra, and I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to do so with my close friends at PYP,” said Lee. “Tchaikovsky had been tending his terminally ill friend, Nikolay Kondratyev, and amid the harshness of witnessing Kondratyev’s suffering, he wrote the melancholy Pezzo capriccioso. The work opens with a short passionate line, quickly transitioning into a captivating lyrical melody. A scherzo like section interrupts these melancholic musings and reappears at the coda. I am so excited to be able to share the beauty of this piece!”

The program will also feature four world premieres, including Randy Bauer’s House Carpenter, Kamayar Mohajer’s Amoroso for String Orchestra, David W. Pyke’s Desert Suite, and Bruce Stark’s Serenade for Strings. Composed in June of 2023, Stark dedicated his piece to PYP’s Musical Director David Hattner and the musicians of the Portland Youth Philharmonic “in appreciation for their splendid musicianship and vitality.”

“The sound of string orchestra is one of my favorites in the western classical palette, with its capacity for rich, blended timbre as well as a broad range of possible sounds,” said Stark. “True to its title, I wanted to create an attractive piece that sings and dances with beauty, lyricism, and vibrant energy…[PYP’s] wonderful premiere of my Variations for Piano and Strings in 2022 inspired me to create this piece, an offering in gratitude and appreciation of their contribution to music education and the performance of concert music.”

As Stark notes, PYP believes in providing exceptional music education to all young musicians, which lends itself to a wonderful musical experience for all to enjoy. Experience the magic-like determination and skill of Camerata PYP for yourself on January 5!

To reserve your tickets early and learn more about the program and soloists, please visit portlandyouthphil.org/concerts.

Portland Youth Philharmonic Season 100 (2023-2024)

Summary of Event:
Who: Portland Youth Philharmonic’s advanced chamber orchestra Camerata PYP, conducted by Musical Director David Hattner
What: Camerata PYP: Sound Garden
When: Friday, January 5 | 7:30 PM          
Where: Patricia Reser Center for the Arts (12625 SW Cres St, BEAVERTON, OR 97005)
Tickets: $20 adults; $16 seniors; $12 students

Program:

• Bohuslav Martinů: Nonet
• Tomáš Svoboda: Folk Concertino for Seven Instruments
• Antonio Vivaldi: Winter from The Four Seasons
  featuring Derek Choi, Violin
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Pezzo Capriccioso Op. 62 for Cello and Orchestra arranged by Ken Selden featuring Sarah Lee, cello
• Randy Bauer: House Carpenter (World Premiere)
• Kamayar Mohajer: Amoroso for String Orchestra (World Premiere)
• David W. Pyke: Desert Suite (World Premiere)
• Bruce Stark: Serenade for Strings (World Premiere)

Portland Youth Philharmonic
Portland Youth Philharmonic prepares young people for success through musical excellence. PYP is a vibrant community of over 300 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.

Hear PYP for yourself at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall or at any time on their popular YouTube channel.

David Hattner, PYP Musical Director
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 Radio’s Thursdays @ Three. He has appeared recently with Chamber Music Northwest. 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.