The Portland Youth Philharmonic and Music Director David Hattner. Photo courtesy of Portland Youth Philharmonic.
In Tuesday’s (3/26) Arts Fuse (Boston), Jonathan Blumhofer writes, “The Portland Youth Philharmonic’s East Coast tour allows the ensemble, whose membership is mostly drawn from the city of Portland [Oregon], and its nearby suburbs, to showcase their artistry… ‘We’re the first [youth orchestra] to turn 100,’ is how David Hattner described his Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) … The ensemble, the oldest of its type in this country, was founded in 1924 … Five music directors later (Hattner’s been in his post since 2007), the PYP celebrates its big anniversary with an East Coast tour that began on Monday night at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD and is now making its way north to Philadelphia and New York City and concluding Friday with a concert at Worcester’s Mechanics Hall…. This year’s undertaking offers … Amy Beach’s Gaelic Symphony, Jessie Montgomery’s Strum, and Jeff Scott’s Paradise Valley Serenade, the last featuring Imani Winds…. Hattner says, ‘We’re very fierce in our demands about musicianship, but what that’s about is preparing our students to be serious about whatever it is that they find themselves doing as students and, later, in life.’ ”
