Here's an audio-visual treat... Clara Rockmore playing "The Swan" on the theremin:
Ms. Rockmore was the master of this instrument... watch as her right hand adjusts the pitch and her left hand adjusts the volume. (Me... I can barely pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time!)
The theremin is so unique-- is it the only instrument that is played without touching it? I think it is!
The Oregon Symphony's conductor, Carlos Kalmar, has taken on an additional job as Music Director of the Spanish Radio/Television Orchestra. His tenure there starts in September 2011.
For an inside look into how this information was received by one member of the orchestra, read violist Charles Noble's blog.
Charles' thoughts are an interesting read on any day, but in this case his blog is particularly captivating... partly because the commenters on his post include Elaine Calder (president of the Symphony) and Carlos himself!
You can take a journey through China's history with tales of virtue and courage brought to life with dancers, live orchestra and stage backgrounds designed to take you to another world!
7:30PM on Saturday March, 20th and 2PM on Sunday, March 21st at the Keller Auditorium in downtown Portland
I have one pair of tickets to offer the first 5 who respond to this blog
Thank you so much for hanging in there with us during this slightly prolonged membership drive. It took everything we had and an extra day, but we made it! We’re actually about $3,500 over our goal. The outpouring of love and support at the very end was truly heartening. To a person, we’re hearing how much more effective and powerful this drive was. Comments are staggering. The great conversation was spot on.
The numbers bear this out. I look forward to seeing how many new members came forward. I believe we’re breaking up that hard ground representing the other 90% who have been on the sidelines.
I’m really proud of my staff and their perseverance. For the development team, the drive is still under way in terms of premium fulfillment and data entry. Congrats especially to Sharon and Deborah for the thoughtful planning.
By the numbers: 4,068 listeners have donated $453,563, bringing us 101% of the way to our overall goal of $450,000
I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
Okay, not literally, but the Portland Center Stage production of The 39 Steps is the funniest, cleverest, most entertaining thing I’ve seen on a stage in a long time. Hitchcock filtered through Monty Python and the Marx Brothers. Go see it. It runs though March 21.
Hitchcock took John Buchan’s somewhat grim pre-World War I novel, moved it to 1935, and added a few touches, like women. The film is wonderful, and one of Hitchcock’s last films in England before he came to Hollywood.
Directed by Nancy Keystone, adapted by Patrick Barlow, from the film and book and ideas by Nobby Dimon and Simon Cobble, the thing is played for farce, and the actors are sublime. Richard Hannay, our hero, is played by Leif Norby, seen here previously in Guys and Dolls and Ragtime. He is resolute, resourceful, and a bit silly.
Christine Calfas, a Portland stage veteran with riveting ice-blue eyes and the grace of a dancer, plays Annabella, who gets the plot rolling and winds up murdered in Hannay’s flat; Margaret, a crofter’s wife who helps Hannay escape the police in Scotland; and Pamela, who winds up cuffed to Hannay by nefarious characters. Every other part, dozens of them, are played by Darius Pierce and Ebbe Roe Smith, including all the other women.
Staging is minimal, with disembodied doors and windows, often played for laughs as they get wheeled around the stage, and costume changes at the speed of light, often done on stage. The whole thing is extremely clever and funny, with ludicrous bits of business, nutty dialogue and the air of a madhouse in high gear.
As the plot kicks in for the second act, things slow down a bit. After all, we have to get Hannay and Pamela together and put them through a wringer so that they fall in love, and all.
Smith and Pierce are simply brilliant and hysterical. Norby performs even the silliest stage directions with earnestness, which makes them funnier. And he and Calfas are sublime, no matter whether she is a noir-ish femme fatale, or a ditsy farm girl. They have one bit while they are handcuffed together and trying to cross a stile that is so hysterical that it was hard to catch one’s breath.
This show is absolutely delightful. See it as soon as you can. I may see it again.
Just know, at this point in the drive, the team is feeling a bit like this…
Thanks for hanging in there with us. The feedback and love ($$) pouring in over the transom is marvelous, invigorating and inspiring. A formerly disgruntled listener stopped by my office Friday night to say how good we sound…and this after 10 straight days of flogging the airwaves, gently & with dignity. She said, and I quote, “This drive has been perfect.” None are, but I’m so glad she discerns a difference and approves. Maybe this (the greater transparency) is the key, or “keys” as Robert put it, to unlocking that other 90% who choose not to give…
We soldier on and get closer to the prize. Funny isn’t it - the prize is merely making ends meet. We’re a ways away and have been quietly asking for funds all weekend and will continue into Monday. But, that’s alright. Our community of listeners is right there with us and cheering. Today will be marvelous! Be sure and tune in.
By the numbers: 3,672 listeners have donated $399,536, bringing us about 89% of the way to our overall goal of $450,000
We’re at the point in the drive where if this were Star Trek, Captain Kirk would beseech Scotty to drain the dilithium crystals to achieve maximum warp speed.
Kudos to Larry Holtz, our VP of engineering and his faithful IT/Operations companion, Jordan Lewis for holding things together for us. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to keep things working smoothly. Thank you, guys.
By the numbers:
3,070 listeners have donated $330,539, bringing us 73% of the way to our overall goal of $450,000.
We have a good way to go to make our goal. This is not likely by end of day today. As we’ve stated throughout the drive, we end the drive as soon as we reach the goal. We end early if we raise the funds early and we prolong the drive if we lag behind. The plan now is to try very hard to get as far as possible today, day 10, but to carry on relatively quietly through the weekend and then hit the ground running again on Monday to wrap up.
Folks are enjoying the drive and we’re seeing a really good response, many new members. The drive sounds upbeat, thoughtful and authentic. We're universally getting praise for the timbre of the drive, the programming changes, and quality of the service. Good stuff. Good conversation.
The Oregon Symphony's conductor, Carlos Kalmar, has taken on an additional job as Music Director of the Spanish Radio/Television Orchestra. His tenure there starts in September 2011. 
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