Oregon Symphony Has Launched a Digital Series About Oregon Musicians, Starting With an Episode About M. Ward

The five-installment series will include a range of artists, from Oregon Symphony violinist Keiko Araki to Portland jazz pianist Darrell Grant.

M. Ward M. Ward (Courtesy of Oregon Symphony)
By Shannon Gormley

Even as pandemic restrictions ease up, the Oregon Symphony has continued to pump out digital content.

Recently, the symphony launched Notations, a biweekly series about Oregon musicians and the songs that inspired their careers. The five-installment series will include a range of artists, from Oregon Symphony violinist Keiko Araki to Portland jazz pianist Darrell Grant. Each episode will end with a performance by the featured musician.

“We are excited to showcase the diversity of Oregon artists and the experiences and traditions that influence the work they create,” said Scott Showalter, Oregon Symphony president and CEO, in a release.

Notations kicked off last week with a six-minute video about M. Ward, who talks about his grandfather’s migration from Mexico to the United States and Louis Armstrong’s version of “I Get Ideas,” a song that originated in South America. At the end of the video, M. Ward performs his take on the song with members of the Oregon Symphony and dancers from St. Johns Ballet Folklorico.

Last spring, the symphony also launched an ongoing series of classical performances dedicated to and conducted by Carlos Kalmar, who recently retired from his long-held position as the Oregon Symphony’s music director.

The symphony’s return to in-person concerts and its 2021-2022 season will start in October, when new music director David Danzmayr will conduct Mahler’s second symphony.



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