'A CONCERT FOR LOVERS' PUTS A NEW TWIST
ON THE SYMPHONY'S TRADITIONAL VALENTINE'S CONCERT
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Portland, Ore. … Romantic Viennese waltzes, a quest for the most creative expressions of love and chocolate will combine for a new spin on the Oregon Symphony's annual Valentine's concert, "A Concert for Lovers," on Thursday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Associate Conductor Norman Leyden will conduct the program of romantic Viennese music, which features soprano Lisa Vroman as soloist and K103 personality Tom Parker as emcee. The Valentine's concert is sponsored by the Andrianoff family. Media support is provided by K103.

A K103 on-air quest for the most eloquent and creative expressions of love (in 50 words or less) will precede the concert. Two winning couples will receive prize packages including concert tickets, dinner and overnight accommodations. In addition, Parker will read their "expressions" from stage and dedicate the concert to them. Submissions may be sent to Tom Parker at K103 via fax (503-241-1033) or by visiting the K103 contest information page at www.k103.com. Further details will be announced on K103 and at www.orsymphony.org.

All concert-goers will receive Hershey's Chocolate Kisses, and Leyden will conduct a number of Viennese love songs including von Suppé's "Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna" Overture and Johann Strauss Jr.'s "Accelerations" Waltzes, "Tritsch-Tratsch" Polka and "Tales of the Vienna Woods." Vroman will perform in Oscar Strauss' "Liese, ganz Leise" from "A Waltz Dream," Arditi's "Il Bacio" (The Kiss) and Johann Strauss Jr.'s "Voices of Spring."

"A Concert for Lovers" is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets range from $25 to $69 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket office (923 S.W. Washington) Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at 503-228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony's Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.

Lisa Vroman

Lisa Vroman recently starred on PBS as Johanna in "Sweeney Todd in Concert" with Patti Lupone, George Hearn and the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus. Last year she starred on Broadway as Christine in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera." Guest star of another PBS Special "Hey, Mr. Producer!," the London Royal Gala Benefit honoring Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Miss Vroman garnered Theatre Critics Awards as Christine in "The Phantom of the Opera" in a record-setting run in San Francisco. Her Broadway debut was in "Aspects of Love," and she was the first to play both Fantine and Cosette in "Les Misérables." Vroman appeared as Lucy Brown in "The Threepenny Opera" with Bebe Neuwirth and Nancy Dussault at The American Conseratory Theatre (ACT), and starred as Laurie Moss in Aaron Copland's "The Tender Land" at the Cabrillo Music Festival with conductor Marin Alsop. She has also performed with the Greater Miami Opera, Lake George Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and has starred regionally as Eliza in "My Fair Lady," Maria in "West Side Story," Guenevere in "Camelot" and Carrie in "Carousel," as well as Christine in Yeston's "Phantom."

Vroman frequently appears as guest soloist with orchestras including the San Francisco, Chicago, Utah, Phoenix, Syracuse, Vancouver, Detroit and National symphony orchestras, with a repertoire ranging from Broadway to Stravinsky. She made her San Francisco Symphony Debut in the 1996 American Festival and has performed in SFS holiday concerts, the 1999 Stravinsky Festival and Summer in the City performances. She has appeared in concert with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas (at the piano as well as the podium), composer Stephen Schwartz, Organist David Higgs, The Empire Brass Quintet and has toured with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra.

Vroman can be heard with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra on a new Debussy recording (Arabesque), and on Christmas Center Stage, a benefit recording for pediatric AIDS in the Bay Area.

Vroman is a George London Competition Grant winner and the 1999 Minerva award recipient from the Potsdam State University Alumni Association, New York.

She has, on separate occasions, had the honor of singing for Great Britian's Queen Elizabeth, President Clinton and Vice President Gore. Lisa has released her first solo CD, "Broadway Classic," which features 47 of San Francisco's finest symphony players.