EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INCLUDED | Here’s where people who love great classical music go to hear it played live in outer East Portland by the Oregon Sinfonietta. Their next concert is upcoming, on Sunday, March 20 …
In the ready room, musicians with the Oregon Sinfonietta – all safely masked – talk about the concert they’ll be presenting in the Hazelwood neighborhood.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The Oregon Sinfonietta, celebrating its 49th season, returned to the Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Hazelwood neighborhood for a live concert on November 7.
If you missed that concert, plan to see their upcoming performance on January 23!
Musicians and the conductor of the Sinfonietta, and their audiences, agree – this venue is ideal for these classical music concerts.
Shuttered by COVID-19
“Like everything else, we were closed down for a good year and a half; and we didn’t even consider a rehearsal until September of 2021,” said the organization’s Musical Director, Donald L. Appert, PhD, as the musicians arrived.
Oregon Sinfonietta Musical Director Donald Appert conducts the first piece in the concert.
“We are able to offer this concert because, in September, we came up with a plan to have masks and three-foot distancing in the orchestra, and to make sure everybody is vaccinated – that was a requirement by our Board of Directors. If you want to play, you have to be vaccinated,” Appert told East Portland News.
He pointed out that all of the non-wind instrumentalists were wearing face coverings; and the wind instrument musicians only took down their masks while playing. “Based on medical studies, in the United Kingdom, the ‘aerosol spray’ through a wind instrument is less than talking through a mask,” Appert pointed out.
“There were some musicians who chose not risk being in the group in November – but I’m pleased to say that several of them will be coming back for our January concert, and hopefully all of our musicians will be back by this March,” he continued.
After being silent due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Oregon Sinfonietta again presents fine music in outer East Portland.
They did delay their rehearsals for a few weeks, Appert remarked. “I wish I’d had those rehearsals, because this orchestra does need the full rehearsal time; however, I believe the upcoming concert will be a wonderful experience, both for us musicians – and for our audience.”
As the audience arrived, all wearing proper face coverings, the 45 musicians comprising the Oregon Sinfonietta that afternoon began warming up and tuning.
Welcoming everyone to the concert is Chamber Music Society of Oregon Board President Karen Karger.
“The last time we were together was in January 2020,” Chamber Music Society of Oregon – the parent organization – Board President Karen Karger commented. She is cellist with the Sinfonietta, and she addressed the audience before the concert commenced.
“We’re all so glad to dust off our instruments, rosin our bows, and do all we need to do to get this all together,” Karger said passion. “Were really glad to see everybody here in the audience!”
With that, the concert began, and presented were:
The orchestra will perform Leonore Overture No. 1 by Beethoven,
Composed by Dvorák, his Symphony No. 4 in D minor, and,
Sonata da Chiesa for String Orchestra by Hailstork.
By their applause, the audience made it clear they appreciated the performance.
As Dr. Appert said about the selections, “We have a history of bringing music from composers that you know and like – and, at the same time, presenting compositions from these composers that you may not know, or with which you may not be familiar.”
Attend a concert of the Oregon Sinfonietta,
and you’ll experience great live music like this:
For more information about the orchestra, see their official website: CLICK HERE. By the way, they are a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation, so donations are gratefully accepted.
Once again, the Oregon Sinfonietta is presenting professional performances of outstanding music.
And, stay tuned: Their next concert is scheduled for March 20, again starting at 3:00 p.m.
© 2022 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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