March 21, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … Fortissimo, the Oregon Symphony’s young professional volunteer organization, hosts the final Listening Group discussion of the 2002-03 season on Wednesday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the U.S. Bank Room in the Central Branch of the Multnomah County Library at 801 SW 10th Ave. Fortissimo presents the Listening Group with the Oregon Symphony’s Education and Community Programs Department as a free monthly open forum for people with little or no formal music education to discuss works featured in upcoming Symphony performances. Fortissimo's Listening Group is co-sponsored by the Multnomah County Central Library.
This discussion will focus on the Symphony’s upcoming performance of Brahms’ autumnal Symphony No. 4 in E minor, which will take place May 17 through 19. The great 19th century conductor Hans von Bülow, who premiered the work in 1885, described the work as “Gigantic, altogether a law unto itself, quite new. [It] exudes unparalleled energy from first note to last.”
To allow for further individual study, reference librarians in the Central Library’s Music section will have scores, tapes and books about these works available for checkout after the discussion.
The Symphony’s expanded partnership with Multnomah County Library’s Central Branch has enhanced the Listening Group series in several ways. The spacious U.S. Bank Room, equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system, accommodates up to 100 people, which allows more people to participate in the discussions. The Library’s downtown location allows for easy access via public transportation or by car, and the resources available in the Library will provide participants with a variety of supplementary materials that pertain to the discussion topic. “I am very pleased that the Multnomah County Central Library is a co-sponsor of the Fortissimo Listening Group,” said Michael Kosmala, Director of Education and Community Programs. “The U.S. Bank Room is a fine space for this event and we look forward to collaborating with their reference librarians.”
Fortissimo’s Listening Group meets at the U.S. Bank Room every fourth Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The forum was designed for people to share thoughts on music and expose themselves to new perspectives in a friendly environment. For more information and a schedule of meetings, call 503-228-4294, e-mail fortissimo@orsymphony.org or visit the Symphony's Web site at www.orsymphony.org.