Portland Chamber Orchestra Shuts Down After Seven Decades

In Monday’s (2/9) Willamette Week (Oregon), Andrew Jankowski writes, “The Portland Chamber Orchestra has dissolved midway through its 79th season…. On its website, PCO announced the cancellation of the season’s last two concerts, both scheduled at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts … PCO announced its dissolution on its website on Feb. 5 … Lee Black, PCO’s vice president, tells WW that the organization’s board decided to dissolve on Jan. 19. Black broadly attributed the choice to struggles related to pandemic recovery and [federal] funding cuts … but spelled out specific struggles … Black says that PCO has historically performed without a home venue, supported by small donations. After realizing that its New Year’s Eve concert at the Reser Center only left enough money to pay its immediate bills—with no money to support the rest of the season—Black says the board began the process of dissolution…. Short of a significant ‘high five-figure or low six-figure’ infusion of cash, PCO should formally unwind in November … ‘It was really important for us to pay our bills, many of which go to … musicians,’ Black says….  Portland Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1946 … The orchestra’s most recent artistic director was Deanna Tham … ‘We’re sorry for the programming that the community isn’t going to get, and absolutely sorry that we are unable to support the individual artists who made all of this happen,’ Black says.”