Orchestral Training Program

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Welcome to Oregon Music Festival, an international gathering of musicians in celebration of music. Set in Portland, Oregon in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, the festival reflects Oregon's long tradition of synergistic coexistence between man, art and nature. This alliance is reflected in every aspect of the festival: from programming, to governance, artistic leadership and educational activities.

OMF's distinction lies in the fact that it is international in flavor, composer focused, and dedicated to symphonic music. Our goal is to develop a thriving artistic scene on three levels: for professional orchestra, community orchestra, and youth orchestra. This season Oregon Festival Orchestra will make its debut performing two concerts. A fully professional orchestra, OFO will serve as the core of OMF's symphonic activity. The Civic Orchestra's debut last season proved to be an unqualified success. This season the orchestra will continue its work of giving professional traning and performing opportunities to outstanding musicians from Portland's many community orchestras. David Jacobs, a young and talented conductor has been named OMF's Resident Conductor. He will lead the Civic Orchestra this year once again in the closing concert of the season. Orpheus Academy's program is being expanded to include more masterclasses, private instruction and work with new resident artists. This season also include plans for new and powerful presence of many of the artists from OMF's Artistic Collegium.

With the desire to create a meaningful context, the future festivals will offer a wide scope of complimentary events such as recitals, lectures, chamber music concerts and discussion groups. There will also be unique opportunities for collaboration between local and international musicians as well as between the accomplished mentors and younger musicians -- something that is happening already this first season. Music aficionado will be pleased to experience outstanding soloists and conductors from abroad and home performing repertoire that includes not only the great classics but also works of new and lesser known composers. .

The Festival's artistic policy is unique in that it is driven by a group of outstanding international artists -- the Artistic Collegium -- who participate on many levels in the shaping and offerings of the festival. At the helm of the Collegium is the Artistic Director whose vision guides the creative energies of the group. Our concertmaster is world-renowned violinist Birgit Kolar -- former concertmaster of Vienna Symphony. OMF's educational program (Orpheus Academy) includes several notable artists including violinist Alyssa Park and clarinetist Dimitri Ashkenazy.

OMF's general design and goals are to present each year a spectrum of complementary works with a core emphasis on one or more composers. As an annual event, each festival is thematically unified -- tying together featured works with their counterparts in their historical or philosophical context.

The festival is governed and supported by Oregonians who recognize the need for quality summer-time artistic enrichment and who understand the enormous power that such an event has on the quality-of-life of the region. OMF's goal is to create a positive economic impact as it offers employment to musicians, managers, and the myriad of associated businesses involved in the production of the festival.

It is for these artistic, economic, and social reasons that we see and appreciate Oregon Music Festival as an important regional player.