September 23, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to pound the floor as Chamber Music on Tap, Oregon Symphony's popular chamber music series featuring four-star music in a beer and pizza setting, presents the Rio Nights Ensemble, led by Symphony percussionist Chris Perry, on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. in the Heritage Room at BridgePort BrewPub. Chamber Music on Tap, sponsored by BridgePort Brewing Company, is presented by Fortissimo, the Symphony's young professional volunteer organization. The BridgePort BrewPub is located at 1313 N.W. Marshall.
Rio Nights includes Chris Perry, percussion, Alfredo Muro, guitar, Todd Kuhns, clarinet, Jan DeWeese, bandolim, Andy Sterling, cavaquinho and percussion, Margaret Linn, voice, Brian Davis, percussion and Derek Rieth, percussion. Together they perform the toe-tapping samba and choro music of Brazil. Musical selections will be announced from the stage.
Chris Perry, who founded the Rio Nights ensemble, describes samba music as essentially upbeat and joyful. "The samba, which is danced to the music of Brazil, is a very happy, lively dance," she explains. "It is African-based in its roots and features percussion instruments prominently." In addition to the samba music, Rio Nights will perform some choros, a kind of pre-samba music developed in the late 19th century that fuses elements of early jazz with a more European formal structure.
Chamber Music on Tap is usually held every third Wednesday of each month through May (this month's Tuesday performance is a schedule change). The concerts provide audience members the opportunity to interact with musicians and socialize while sampling the brewery's homemade pizza and handcrafted, award-winning ales in the pub's unique building, a 100-year-old former rope factory.
Tickets are $6 for Fortissimo members, $10 for the general public and may be purchased in advance 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. For more information, visit the Symphony's Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Tickets also may be purchased at the door, if available. All proceeds from the evening benefit Fortissimo.