February 11, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … A pre-concert discussion of the story behind Brahms’ “Requiem” and a post-concert party with Music Director Carlos Kalmar and Oregon Symphony musicians will be the featured activities at the second event hosted by Soirée, the Symphony’s new young professionals group, on Saturday, Feb. 26 at a Classical concert featuring Brahms’ “German Requiem.”
Building on the success of the debut event on Nov. 12, 2004, which attracted over 90 people to pre- and post-concert activities, Soirée is designed for professionals ages 21 to 39 and includes exclusive parties, discounted concert tickets and the opportunity to meet others interested in arts and culture. “We have a large number of young people in Portland who have a strong interest in the arts,” says the Symphony’s Director of Corporate Relations Jennifer Schlobohm. “They are clearly looking for a social network of other like-minded individuals with whom they can share this interest and have fun in the process. Soirée is a great solution.”
Brahms’ moving and powerful “German Requiem” broke new ground as the first requiem to focus on comforting the bereaved. Its combination of chorus, soloists and orchestra, as well as the overall emotional impact of the work appeals to both classical music fans and people who are experiencing this music for the first time. “The second Soirée event will continue to introduce younger audience members to classical music in an environment that is hip, not stuffy,” says Schlobohm. “We want to educate our listeners without intimidating them and let them find relevant ways to relate classical music to their everyday life.”
Soirée members will meet at 6 p.m. on the fourth floor balcony of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, across Main street from the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, for pre-concert cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a talk by University of Rochester history professor Celia Applegate, who will share her perspective on the titillating tales that surround Brahms’ life, what it meant to be German in the second half of the 19 th century and how the “German Requiem” came to be. Soirée guests will then attend the 7:30 p.m. concert, for which they will have discounted reserved seats, and enjoy an exclusive intermission party on the mezzanine with complimentary wine. After the concert, Music Director Carlos Kalmar and Oregon Symphony musicians will join Soirée members at a post-concert reception at the Art Bar.
The third Soirée event of the 2004-05 season will continue on April 16, 2005, for a classical series concert titled “Celebrate!” that features music of Mendelssohn, Mozart and Peter Maxwell Davies. All Soirée events will feature pre- and post-concert parties and intermission receptions. Members receive a 15% discount on concert tickets for Soirée event nights and a 10% discount on all other Oregon Symphony series concerts. Soirée membership is $40 for individuals, or $30 each when friends or couples join together.
For more information, call (503) 228-1353 or visit the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org/soiree.