Downtown Series Concerts

Against the Grain

June 2, 2023, 7:30 pm
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Update 5/19: Portland’5 has cancelled MYS’ May 19 concert due to HVAC failure at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The concert has been rescheduled to Friday June 2 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The temporary cooling system was successfully installed! Ticketholders & performers will be notificed of the confirmed location via email. We look forward to seeing you June 2 at the Schnitzer!

The season finale will showcase Faust Overture by Emilie Mayer, an underappreciated contemporary of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. Emilie challenged the expectations of female composers during her time, veering away from salon music in favor of grand form. Despite her eight symphonies and numerous overtures, the Faust Overture was the only work printed during her lifetime.

Wrapping up the 2022-23 season, MYS will play Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story: Symphonic Dances, telling the iconic story of forbidden love and power struggles on the streets of upper west side New York in the 1960s. The narrative will unfold across nine interconnected pieces of music, including Prologue, ‘Somewhere,’ Scherzo, Mambo, Cha-Cha, Meeting Scene, ‘Cool’ Fugue, Rumble, and Finale.

Student composer Elaina Stuppler will finish off this season’s lineup for the Authentic Voice Project with her piece addressing gun violence. This project provides aspiring composers with an opportunity to write and hear their work performed by MYS students, cultivating musical creativity in the next generation of musicians.

This show will spotlight two of the winners of MYS’ annual Concerto Competition. Co-winners of the Winds/Brass/Percussion/Piano category Amir Avsker and Cyrus Ngan will perform Mozart Piano Concerto K. 466, Mov 3 and Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3, Mov 3, respectively. Held each January, with its winners showcased during the March and May shows alongside the Symphony Orchestra, this competition tests mastery of challenging and mature solo repertoire for strings, winds, brass, and percussion.

Joining Symphony Orchestra, Interlude Orchestra will perform Larry Clark’s Engines of Resistance, Soon Hee Newbold’s Warrior Legacy, and Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Arr. Douglas E. Wagner).

Tickets purchased after 3:00 PM on 5/24 will be automatically held at Will Call.

Tickets are also available on the Portland’5 website.

Downtown Series Tickets

  • Tickets are available on the MYS website until 1:00pm the last weekday before the concert. After that time, you will need to purchase your tickets on the Portland’5 website or at the door of the venue on the night of the event.
  • All tickets in Portland’5 venues are reserved seating. Seating maps provided on the MYS website may be used to request seats however, in some cases you may be given seats near your original selection. In that event, we will contact you to inform you of the change.
  • Tickets purchased within 10 days of the concert will be automatically held at the MYS Will Call table.
  • Student, Alumni, and Senior (65+) discounts are offered for Downtown Concerts. Current MYS students are free.
  • Downtown tickets purchased via the MYS website are physical printed tickets, email delivery is not available.
  • ADA seating is available, please contact the MYS Office 503-239-4566, or the Portland’5 Box Office for assistance.

COVID-19 Concert Attendance Policy

Audience Members:

This policy is subject to change. Updates will be posted on this page: https://www.portland5.com/covid-19-update