The Oregon Symphony announces the 2023 Open Music Concert Series, which offers a window into the creative process of some of the most imaginative composers of our time through an evening of music and conversation. The second season of this intimate concert experience brings three celebrated composers to the historic Alberta Rose Theatre just days prior to being featured in a program at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall as part of the Symphony’s classical concert series.
At each Open Music concert this season, Oregon Symphony Artistic Partner and Creative Alliance member Nathalie Joachim will co-host with one of today’s influential composers, including composer and pianist Vijay Iyer; Portland-based composer, musician, and Oregon Symphony Composer-in-Residence Andy Akiho; and composer, pianist, and activist Gabriela Montero. Music by these composers and others will be performed by musicians from the Oregon Symphony. Tickets are on sale now for $40 for all three concerts or $20 per individual concert. Student tickets are $10.
“You learn so much about people and places when you hear from the creators themselves,” says Joachim. “An exciting aspect of Open Music is that we don’t just talk about the work, but also the people behind the work. Sometimes it can be hard to glean the inner workings of someone’s heart-space from reading program notes. You just can’t beat talking to someone in person about what they do.”
“Nathalie Joachim has been a friend for the better part of a decade, and I cannot think of anyone better equipped to take the reins of Open Music,” says Oregon Symphony Creative Chair Gabriel Kahane, who created the Open Music series. “As a performer and composer, she has her finger on the pulse of today’s greatest musical minds. She’s a brilliant educator. She’s funny. She’s sharp. She leads with joy. I have no doubt that these concerts, under her watch, will spontaneously combust in the best sense.”
2023 Open Music Series Schedule at Portland’s Alberta Rose Theatre
Composers featured in the Open Music series are also included in classic concert programs with the Oregon Symphony at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and performed within the same week of the concerts at the Alberta Rose Theatre.
Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. – Vijay Iyer
Described by The New York Times as a “social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, historical thinker, and multicultural gateway,” Iyer has received a MacArthur Fellowship and numerous other awards for his work. On January 13-16, the Oregon Symphony will perform the U.S. premiere of Iyer’s cello concerto “Human Archipelago,” with cellist Inbal Segev.
Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. – Gabriela Montero
Venezuelan pianist, composer, and activist Gabriela Montero is Joachim’s second guest. Montero’s visionary interpretations and unique compositional gifts have garnered her critical acclaim and a devoted following on the world stage. She joins the Oregon Symphony and Music Director David Danzmayr in a concert titled “Music of (In)Tolerance: from Mendelssohn to Wagner” on March 11-13 to perform her composition Babel for piano and string orchestra and solo improvisations. It is an evocative portrait of Montero’s experiences as a human rights activist.
Friday, April 28, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. – Andy Akiho
Joachim’s final guest for the Open Music series is her old friend and Oregon Symphony’s Composer-in-Residence and Creative Alliance member Andy Akiho. Then, April 29-May 1, Grammy-nominated composer and musician Akiho will fill the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall with the silvery sounds of the steel pan as he perform his piece Beneath Lighted Coffers with David Danzmayr conducting the orchestra in a concert titled “Music of Steel & Majesty.”
To purchase tickets for the Open Music series or Oregon Symphony’s 2022-2023 season programming, visit orsymphony.org or call 503-228-1353.
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About Oregon Symphony
The multi-Grammy Award-nominated Oregon Symphony ranks as one of America’s major orchestras. Led by Music Director David Danzmayr, it serves more than 250,000 people annually through live concerts and award-winning education and community engagement programs. The Oregon Symphony has broken attendance and fundraising records in recent years, while innovating on stage through new series such as SoundSights, Sounds of Home, and SoundStories. Additionally, online programming and syndicated broadcasts reach tens of millions more people throughout the world. The 2021-2022 season marked the 125th anniversary for the Oregon Symphony, the oldest orchestra in the Western United States. For more information, visit orsymphony.org.
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Contact Information:
Laura Luthi
laural@gradybritton.com
503-341-7785