This season, Cascadia Composers presents two multi-dimensional programs and a celebration. Our Marquee Series begins with a singular evening: the evocative music of Walter Saul and the stunning fabric art of Ann Harwell, each artist adding layers to the other’s art, creating something greater than the sum of its parts. The second concert gives voice to the poetry of Oregon Poets Laureate, again transcending two art forms with united visions. The third celebrates the life and music of Cascadia co-founder David S. Bernstein who envisioned our organization and played a leading role bringing it to life, inspiring us all with his wide-ranging and open-minded musical esthetic.
Our 2024-25 season begins with a singular evening, combining the evocative music of Walter Saul with the stunning fabric art of North Carolina artist Ann Harwell. Saul’s music, by turns playful and joyful, and somber and reflective, brings to life the stories behind Harwell’s art, from grand natural scenery to the delicate intimacy of flowers, from a Lunar Eclipse on our doorstep, out to the Butterfly Nebula, many light years distant. The music, alone, would be an inspiring experience, but combined with the art quilts projected on a large screen, this will be a journey not to be missed.
7:30pm on October 18, 2024 at Room 75, Lincoln Hall
Schubert and Goethe, Weill and Brecht, Gershwin and Gershwin… as these composers gave voice to their poet-collaborators’ words, Cascadia’s member composers’ music gives voice to the fearless poetry of four Oregon Poets Laureate—Kim Stafford, Elizabeth Woody, Paulann Petersen, and Lawson Inada. That and a special appearance by current laureate Ellen Waterston will make this unforgettable evening a celebration of our Pacific Northwest.
7:30pm on November 23, 2024 at The Old Madeleine Church, 3123 NE 24th Avenue, Portland
David S. Bernstein was tireless in pursuit of his vision: a collaborative group of composers with diverse music styles that would serve our communities here in the Pacific Northwest. This concert will celebrate the inspiring life and music of Cascadia’s leading co-founder. As David liked to say, usually with just a hint of a grin, “so let it be done!”
2:30pm on January 12, 2025 at Room 75, Lincoln Hall