Noteworthy News, June 11, 2021

Important upcoming dates:

  • Monday, June 21, 7 pm Summer Sings! (Zoom)

  • Monday, July 12, 7 pm Annual Meeting (Zoom)

  • Monday, July 19, 7 pm Summer Sings! (Zoom)

  • Monday, July 26, 7 pm Vocalize & Socialize (Multnomah Arts Center)

  • Monday, August 16, 7 pm Summer Sings! (Zoom)

  • Monday, August 23, 7 pm Vocalize & Socialize (Multnomah Arts Center)

All the details are now available for our upcoming Summer Sings sessions (say 3 times quickly). Click here to see (and read) our exciting lineup for this much anticipated annual event.

In the interest of protecting our community of musicians and after considerable discussion and advice from the Choir's Health Advisory Committee, at their meeting on June 8, the Board of Directors of the Portland Symphonic Choir unanimously adopted the following vaccination policy:

All participants of in-person gatherings or meetings of the Portland Symphonic Choir shall be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 including Choir members, staff, board members, and contracted personnel. This policy is in force until December 31, 2021 or as amended prior to that date. An individual is fully vaccinated when they have completed a vaccination protocol including the two-week waiting period.


Still looking for a place to receive a vaccination? Go to www.vaccines.gov to find a shot near you. Enter your Zip code and see all the locations that now administer the COVID-19 "jab." You can also text your Zip code to 438829 to find a location. Already vaccinated? Click here for a recent list of freebies and details on how vaccinated folks in Oregon may be lottery winners (link).

We are always on the lookout for improved rehearsal space(s). If you know of a suitable spot (great ventilation with A/C, comfortably seats 100 - 150 musicians, availability of breakout rooms, grand piano for rehearsal and uprights in breakout rooms, centrally located, convenient to TriMet, and has good parking) please let Jayde know of your idea(s): jade@pschoir.org.

From Ralph Nelson: I’m presenting the first of the three PSC Summer Sings on Monday, June 21 at 7pm. The topic is “My Favorite Mass – Epic Movements from the Great Masses.” Since our Choir often sings works entitled “Mass” it was suggested that we could look at different composers and develop a “compilation” mass of our own. I tend to specialize in music written before 1800, so we'll go chronologically from about 900 AD to 1796:

Kyrie: We will start with Gregorian chant -- I will teach you how to read the Gregorian notation (called neumes).

Gloria: Next, we’ll sing the “Gloria” from William Byrd’s Mass for 4 voices. This is one of the greatest works of the English Renaissance.

Credo: In 1749, one year before his death, J. S. Bach composed the “Credo”, “Sanctus” and “Agnus Dei” for his Mass in B Minor. We will sing various sections of the “Credo” and in particular, see how Bach constructed the “Crucifixus” from a previous cantata.

Sanctus: We move along chronologically next to Mozart and sing the “Sanctus” from his great Mass in C Minor.  

Agnus Dei: Finally, we will end with a plea for peace written during the Napoleonic Wars. Is this Beethoven? No, – this is Haydn – and the work is entitled Mass in Time of War or PaukenMesse. Those of us who have rehearsed the "Dona Nobis Pacem" from the Missa Solemnis will immediately see that Beethoven knew the earlier Haydn work!

If there is time, we’ll end on a happier note with the delightful “Agnus Dei” from Marc Antoine Charpentier’s Midnight Mass.

From Wendy: Remember Monday, July 26 at 7:00 pm. That's when you will be able to sing again with your dear friends in the Portland Symphonic Choir! We have reserved the Multnomah Arts Center outdoor covered basketball court to sing together in person! This will be an opportunity to work on getting your voice back in shape while singing through some PSC favorites and we finally get to be with each other. Everyone is welcome. To ensure we bring enough music, please use this online registration link for Vocalize and Socialize. (Look for the green Register tile).

From Alissa: Are you keeping up with those vocal exercises from last week? In a surprisingly short time, we will launch into our next season with Vocalize and Socialize, our first opportunity in over a year to sing together as a choir! Some of us might be a bit out of vocal shape so here is session number 2 of vocalises and exercises to shake the cobwebs off our voices and get ourselves back into prime singer condition. This will culminate with a group project with Schubert’s An die Musik. This second mini-lesson video, Vocalise Sheet #2 can be found on the Member and Guest/Alumni pages on our website. Last week's lesson and the Schubert music can be found by scrolling down on the Member/Guest/Alumni pages.

Members of the Portland Symphonic Choir are invited to sing at the memorial service for Choir alum and longtime supporter, John Salmon. Rose City Park Presbyterian Church will be holding a service on Sunday, July 25 at 2 pm. Their choir has invited vaccinated PSC singers to join them for the memorial and will be singing Brahms' How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place and Lutkin's The Lord Bless You and Keep You. A short rehearsal will be held prior to the service. Please sign up by sending an email to RCPPC's Choir Director, Alejandra Blech (aleblech@gmail.com).

Alissa Deeter