In these intimate evenings of music and conversation, composers featured at the Schnitz perform and discuss works from the past and present that offer a window into their identities as artists and the ways in which they think about their world. In addition to featuring music crafted by the composers themselves and performed by members of the Oregon Symphony, these concerts will include music that inspires and informs their work.
So, grab a drink, bring a friend, and hear some of the most creative composers and thought leaders of our time offer a fascinating window into the creative process. Hosted by Oregon Symphony’s Creative Chair, Gabriel Kahane.
Three concerts, November 2024 – May 2025
Includes Open Music with Jessie Montgomery, Open Music with Gabriel Kahane, and Open Music with Katherine Balch
Our Creative Chair, Gabriel Kahane, takes the hot seat, narrating the origins of his multivalent life as an internationally-acclaimed singer-songwriter, composer, and theater artist.
Winner of the 2020 Rome Prize at the American Academy, Katherine Balch is a composer of uncanny expressive and technical prowess whose work has been heard from London to Tokyo to Los Angeles and beyond.
Embark on an emotional odyssey with the Oregon Symphony, exploring the cultural heritage, personal identities, and family histories of three groundbreaking living American composers. Singer and composer Nathalie Joachim's "Ki Moun Ou Ye" (which means "Who Are You?" in Creole) celebrates her Haitian family with vibrant stories of community, survival, and freedom. Witness a new arrangement of Steve Reich's iconic Minimalist masterpiece "Different Trains" - a haunting exploration of Holocaust survivors' stories interwoven with his childhood memories. Plus, be captivated by Portland native Oswald Huynh's poignant composition inspired by Vietnamese lullabies. Join us for an evening of breathtaking music that uniquely captures the human experience.
The definition of epic. 26 Little Deaths by Carla Kihlstedt weaves a sweeping song cycle inspired by Edward Gorey’s Gashlycrumb Tinies, a delightfully dark alphabet book. A gifted singer and violinist, Kihlstedt will perform alongside musicians from your Oregon Symphony as they guide the audience through 26 songs that are part Tim Burton, part Edgar Allan Poe, and part art song all while Gorey’s iconic images are projected on screen.