‘Sunnyside Orchestra’ begins season

If you missed the opening program of the season, plan to catch the Christmas Concert, this Sunday, December 15 …

From outer East Portland, and all over the greater metro area, concert-goers come to the Mill Park neighborhood to enjoy a concert by the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

The Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra (SSO) kicked off their 2019-2020 season on October 20, again at the Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The nonprofit orchestra, founded in 2001, is marking its 18^th concert season by providing free concerts in the Mill Park neighborhood.

The first concert in the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra’s new four-concert season gets underway.

“This is our first of four concerts we’re are having this season; including our Christmas Concert – a favorite of many – coming up on December 15,” said SSO Director and Conductor Travis Hatton.

“All of our about-70 orchestra members are local musicians; we have a number who are professionally trained, as well as advanced amateurs who enjoy learning and playing good music,” Hatton told East Portland News.

SSO Conductor Travis Hatton leads the musicians through the opening passages of a concerto.

“This is the only venue – and a beautiful one it is, with great acoustics – in outer East Portland where large-scale classical music concerts are presented; we feel it’s important to provide ‘musical fine art’ to people who live in the area, as well as to those who travel to our concerts from all over the greater Portland area,” Hatton observed.

“It’s been very gratifying to be in this position for a long time, and to see what’s happened over the course of the last decade and a half,” remarked Hatton. “To see a musical group grow into what is arguably the best orchestra of its kind in the area is thrilling!”

Solo cellist Dr. Valdine Ritchie Mishkin performs a passage from the “Cello Concerto in E minor, Opus 85”.

The audience was thrilled that afternoon to hear two pieces performed. The first was the “Cello Concerto in E minor Opus 85” by Edward Elgar, featuring cello soloist Valdine Ritchie Mishkin.

After the offertory and intermission – featuring cookies and baked goods in the church’s Community Room – guests enjoyed hearing the second piece for the afternoon, “Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73” by Johannes Brahms.

Christmas Concert on December 15
At the 4:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon concert on December 15, members of the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra will perform their Christmas Concert under Maestro Travis Hatton’s baton. During the performance, the audience is invited to enjoy and sing-along with Holiday favorites, to tap its toes to Leroy Anderson’s “Christmas Festival”, and to be moved by Arias from “The Messiah” by G.F. Handel.

It’s free, but donations are gratefully accepted. It’s at the Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church, 10501 SE Market Street, 97216.

For more information, and to learn about their season – and to consider an end-of-the-year, tax-deductable contribution to this 501c(3) nonprofit organization – see their official website: CLICK HERE.

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