- The Fireside Social Orchestra will perform “An Old-Fashioned Christmas”: Friday Dec. 1st at 7:30pm in the Pioneer Church at Baker Cabin, 18005 S Gronlund Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045. Come hear the original versions of some familiar carols from the 1800s and early 1900s, along with some not so familiar performed in a period hall with voices, violin, tenor viola, rebec, cello, flute, recorders, saxophone, cornet, keyed bugle, alto horn, ballad horn, tenor horn, trombone, ophicleides and reed contrabass. For tickets go to: https://early-music-guild-of-oregon.ticketleap.com/an-old-fashioned-christmas-at-baker-cabin/
(Also performing in Portland and Clatskanie, OR – see below.) - The Fireside Social Orchestra will perform “An Old-Fashioned Christmas”: Saturday Dec. 2nd at 7:30pm at the Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis St., Portland, OR. Come hear the original versions of some familiar carols from the 1800s and early 1900s, along with some not so familiar, performed with voices, violin, tenor viola, rebec, cello, flute, recorders, saxophone, cornet, keyed bugle, alto horn, ballad horn, tenor horn, trombone, ophicleides and reed contrabass. For tickets go to: https://early-music-guild-of-oregon.ticketleap.com/an-old-fashioned-christmas-at-community-music-center/
(Also in Oregon City [Carver area] and Clatskanie, OR – see above and below.) - The Fireside Social Orchestra will perform “An Old-Fashioned Christmas”: Sunday, Dec. 3rd at 3:00pm at the Birkenfeld Theatre, 75 S Nehalem St, Clatskanie, OR 97016. Come hear the original versions of some familiar carols from the 1800s and early 1900s, along with some not so familiar, performed with voices, violin, tenor viola, rebec, cello, flute, recorders, saxophone, cornet, keyed bugle, alto horn, ballad horn, tenor horn, trombone, ophicleides and reed contrabass. For tickets go to: http://clatskaniearts.org
(Also in Oregon City [Carver area] and Portland, OR – see above.) - Live Winter 2024 Early Music Ensemble Classes through the Community Music Center. The 10 week term starts on Thursday in January 11th and meets in the auditorium and in Room 5 at the Community Music Center in Portland at 7:00pm. Instructors: Gayle and Phil Neuman. Intermediate and Advanced Ensembles meet separately, and the music is a choice selection of Renaissance, Baroque, and more for recorders and strings, and some pieces are suitable for early reeds and brass. The repertoire is different from that of the online Consort Classes. To register, call the Community Music Center at (503) 823-3177. Contact [email protected] for details about the class and music.
- Advanced Consort Class Online Winter 2024 term (for advanced and upper intermediate players): The 10 week term begins Wednesday January 10th at 7:00pm PST and Saturday January 13th at 10:00am PST on Zoom. Cost: $100*. The 90 minute sessions include playing a mélange of renaissance, baroque, medieval and modern music with the ORB Trio in real time with performance advice, historical information and lively banter. Come join the fun! To register and pay, go to the Consort Class Online page and click on the appropriate link. See Consort Class Online for details.
- Intermediate Consort Class Online Winter 2024 term: The 10 week term begins Tuesday January 9th at 7:00pm PST and Saturday January 13th at 1:00pm PST on Zoom. Cost: $100*. The 90 minute sessions include playing a mélange of intermediate level renaissance, baroque, medieval and modern music with the ORB Trio in real time with performance advice, historical information and lively banter. Technique and interpretation advice and finger exercises will be geared towards players of intermediate ability, with a bit more repetition and somewhat fewer pieces than the advanced consort class. Come join the fun! To register and pay, go to the Consort Class Online page and click on the appropriate link. See Consort Class Online for details.
* If you take both Advanced and Intermediate online classes you get a $20 discount on the second class (the total would be $180 for both.) -
First Folio Project – “Most eloquent music” A concert of Shakespearean songs and instrumental pieces by the Oregon Renaissance Band Septet: two performances, Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. and Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at Lincoln Recital Hall, Portland State University. The performance will consist of a selection of songs from Shakespearean plays performed by a five-piece ensemble on original instruments, including viola da braccio, violas da gamba, recorders, and various period double reed instruments. For more information about the First Folio project see First Folio
This production is presented in partnership with Shakespeare’s First Folio: 1623–2023, a public humanities project at Portland State University commemorating Shakespeare’s legacy.
ORB goes Hollywood!
Gayle and Phil Neuman recorded music on ancient instruments including voice, kithara, kroupezon, and even tartold for the Paramount/MGM movie “Ben-Hur.” Look for the original soundtrack CD.
Members of the Oregon Renaissance Band (Daphne Clifton, Lori Fitch, Gayle and Phil Neuman) appear as themselves in the movie “Buddymoon” directed by Alex Simmons, starring David Giuntolli (A Million Little Things, Grimm) and Flula Borg. The group appears somewhat unexpectedly in the ‘wilds’ of Mt. Hood playing two pieces by Anthony Holborne on recorders. The film, which also stars Claire Coffee, Jeanne Syquia, and Brian T. Finney, is distributed by Orion, and is available on Itunes and elsewhere.
The Neumans’ ancient Greek music can be heard on “Music and Emotion through Time”, a TED Talk by Michael Tilson Thomas.