Summer Sings! is an event of four Wednesday evenings in July and August, when the Portland Symphonic Choir combines its voice with those of people from all over the community to sing some of the great works of choral literature. Anyone who wishes for the chance to sing one of those big works, such as Handel's Messiah or Mozart's Requiem, should take advantage of this program.
In October, the Choir inaugurates the Young Choral Artists Conference. The Conference is an opportunity for high school-aged singers to learn more about singing technique, musicianship, and careers in music.
In 1989 the Choir established the Portland Symphonic GirlChoir, now an independent group with over 300 singers. In 1994, we established Portland Symphonic BoyChoir (now Portland BoyChoir), now also a thriving independent group. Both groups are valuable training grounds for young singers.
In addition to our establishment of Portland Symphonic GirlChoir and Portland BoyChoir, we recently sponsored an exchange visit from the renowned Vrabcaci ("Sparrows") children's choir of the Czech Republic. After hosting PSC in the Czech Republic, the children came to visit us in Portland. They experienced interchanges with students in Oregon and Washington, including a trip to the Grande Ronde Indian Reservation, and they sang at the Rose Festival's International Showcase. Reaching out to adult audiences to excite their interest in choral music is equally important to us. Our activities have included:
- Travel abroad and exchanges with singers in such places as Australia, Estonia, and Czech Republic.
- Pre-concert talks, program notes, and multi-media presentations that add to our audience's knowledge and appreciation of choral music.
- The Rose City Mixed Quartet, a long-standing ensemble associated with PSC that sings at many social functions in the metropolitan area and beyond.