UPCOMING EVENTS

  • In person Spring 2024 Early Music Ensemble Classes through the Community Music Center. The term starts on Thursday April 4th 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, 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 Spring 2024 term: The 10 week term begins Wednesday April 3rd at 7:00pm PDT and Saturday April 6th at 10:00am PDT 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 Spring 2024 term: The 10 week term begins Tuesday April 2nd at 7:00pm PDT and Saturday April 6th at 1:00pm PDT 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: Shakespearean Song” A concert of music from Shakespeare’s plays by the Oregon Renaissance Band Septet: two performances, Wednesday March 27, 2024 at 12:00 noon 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 seven-piece ensemble on voices and original instruments, including viola da braccio, violas da gamba, recorders, sackbutts, dulcians, sordunes, racketts and percussion. Composers include Thomas Morley, Antony Holborne and John Playford. If you would like to attend, see the First Folio Calendar. 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.
  • “Most eloquent music: Shakespearean Song” A concert of music from Shakespeare’s plays by the Oregon Renaissance Band Septet: Friday March 29, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at Pioneer Church at Baker Cabin, 18005 S. Gronlund Rd., Oregon City OR 97045. The performance will consist of a selection of pieces from Shakespeare’s plays performed by a seven-piece ensemble on voices and original instruments, including viola da braccio, violas da gamba, recorders, sackbutts, dulcians, sordunes, racketts and percussion. Composers include Thomas Morley, Antony Holborne and John Playford. Tickets available here. (Also performing on March 27 and 28 at PSU, see above.)
  • The Fireside Social Orchestra will perform “Music of Old Oregon and Other Gems from the 1800s”: Saturday April 13th, 2024 at 2:00pm in the Wilsonville Public Library, 8200 SW Wilsonville Rd, Wilsonville, OR 97070Come hear the original music by historic Oregon composers, music by an early woman composer and a suite of pieces composed by none other than Benjamin Franklin, performed with voices, violin, tenor viola, cello, flute, flageolets, recorders, cornet, keyed bugle, alto horn, tenor horn, tuba, and alto and bass ophicleides. The musicians are Gayle and Phil Neuman, Laura Kuhlman, Cindy Markham, Elizabeth O’Connor and Mark McCormick.
    (Also performing in Oregon City, see below.)
  • The Fireside Social Orchestra will perform “Music of Old Oregon and Other Gems from the 1800s”: Sunday April 14th, 2024 at 2:00pm in the Pioneer Church at Baker Cabin, 18005 S Gronlund Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045. Come hear the original music by historic Oregon composers, music by an early woman composer and a suite of pieces composed by none other than Benjamin Franklin, performed in a period hall with voices, violin, tenor viola, cello, flute, flageolets, recorders, cornet, keyed bugle, alto horn, tenor horn, tuba, and alto and bass ophicleides. The musicians are Gayle and Phil Neuman, Laura Kuhlman, Cindy Markham, Elizabeth O’Connor and Mark McCormick. Tickets available here.
    (Also performing in Wilsonville, see above.)

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.