ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATOR CHARLES CALMER TO DISCUSS 20th CENTURY COMPOSER
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS AT OREGON SYMPHONY LISTENING GROUP
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Portland, Ore. … With a discussion on 20th century composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, Oregon Symphony Artistic Administrator Charles Calmer will host Fortissimo's September Listening Group Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Classical Millennium Northwest (801 NW 23rd Ave.). Fortissimo Listening Group is sponsored by Classical Millennium.

Calmer will discuss the "dark" side of Williams illustrated by the composer's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, which guest conductor and Music Director candidate James Judd will perform with the orchestra Oct. 6 through 8.

Calmer was appointed Artistic Director of the Oregon Symphony in November of 2000. Since 1998, he had been with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra where he was responsible for conceptualizing and planning the artistic season. Calmer's career has spanned the positions of Orchestra Manager/Artistic Administrator at the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Director of Educational Activities at The Cleveland Orchestra and Director of Marketing of The University of Iowa Theatres. Calmer has master's degrees in Music Theory and in Arts Management and a doctorate in Musicology from The University of Iowa.

Fortissimo, the Oregon Symphony's young professional volunteer organization, provides the listening group as an open forum for people with little or no formal music education to share thoughts on music and expose themselves to new perspectives in a friendly environment. Fortissimo Listening Group meets at Classical Millennium once a month (801 NW 23rd Ave.) and is free and open to the public. For more information and a schedule of meetings, call 503-228-4294, e-mail fortissimo@orsymphony.org or visit the Symphony's Web site at www.orsymphony.org.