After the profusion of great shows over the past few weeks, the Oregon music scene takes a bit of a breather, but there are still some worthy shows onstage this week and weekend, particularly for listeners interested in homegrown sounds. As always, if you know of more shows ArtsWatch readers should consider, please post recommendations in the comments section below. And check the following sites for more info on Oregon music.
KQAC Cultural Events Calendar (classical music)
Ear Trumpet (20th & 21st century music in Portland)
Portland choral music calendar
University of Oregon School of Music and Dance events
Portland State University Music Calendar
Tomas Svoboda
“PSU Celebrates the Music of Tomas Svoboda”
May 20
Lincoln Recital Hall, Portland State University, 1620 SW Park Ave., Portland.
In this free concert, Portland State University’s School of Music faculty and students perform the music of the school’s emeritus professor, Tomas Svoboda, in honor of Oregon’s greatest living composer’s 75th year.
“An Appalachian Spring”
May 22
St. Anne’s Chapel, Marylhurst University, Lake Oswego.
Read my Willamette Week preview of this concert featuring music by Tomas Svoboda, Portland State prof Ken Selden, and more.
“Celebrating Innovation”
May 22
Oregon Composers Forum, Aasen-Hull Hall, University of Oregon, Eugene.
Read Gary Ferrington’s ArtsWatch preview of this free concert featuring nine premiere performances of chamber and solo works by UO composers.
“Modern Music: Mostly Winds”
May 23
Harrison Hill Chamber Players, St. David of Wales Episcopal Church, 2800 SE Harrison St., Portland.
A trio by still another Portland composer, Beth Karp, is featured on a program of duos and trios by the great 20th century American composer Walter Piston, Darius Milhaud, Ian Clarke, and Robert Muczynski, all performed by a new Portland-based chamber ensemble.
The Florestan Trio performs in Portland May 23.
Florestan Trio
May 23
The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave., Portland.
The venerable trio (violinist Carol Sindell, cellist Hamilton Cheifetz, pianist Janet Guggenheim) swells to quintet size with the addition of guest musicians from FearNoMusic and Third Angle to perform a pair of 19th and 20th century piano quintet classics by Dvorak and Dohnanyi.
John Mery
May 24
Vie de Boheme, 1530 SE 7th Ave. Portland.
The accomplished Portland guitarist and Oregon Guitar Quartet member releases his new solo album of Argentine music, including some famous tangos.
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Want to learn more about contemporary Oregon classical music? Check out Oregon ComposersWatch.