Music of Portland

Portland Cello Project

• Sunday, April 5, 2–3 p.m.

"Independent" and "orchestra" are not two words you often hear in the same breath. Nevertheless, that's exactly what The Portland Cello Project is: an "indie cello orchestra." Four to six cellists from this ensemble will perform at this concert.

The Portland Cello Project (PCP, as their fans affectionately call them), has had a meteoric rise in the vibrant Portland music scene. The group has a deep–rooted philosophy of building a stronger music community — a belief that collaboration is the ironic cornerstone of independent musicianship — that has led them to collaborative performances with a veritable "who's who" list of Portland musicians, from Laura Gibson and Horse Feathers to The Dandy Warhols and The Builders and The Butchers. PCP performances are unique and eclectic, as likely to mix a Salt–N–Pepa cover with Bach.

Horse Feathers

• Sunday, April 12, 2–3 p.m.

Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen, Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Fleetwood Mac, Willie Nelson and old country and blues like Lefty Frizzell and Son House have all contributed to shaping Horse Feather's arrestingly spare sound.

Moving from Idaho to Portland in 2004, Justin Ringle recorded some demos, one of which found its way to Peter Broderick, a talented multi-instrumentalist. Peter was so taken by the songs, he contacted Justin and offered to help record them properly. Later, Peter's sister Heather Broderick joined the band on cello and backing vocals. Justin and Peter worked together to polish the material that became the group's first album, Words Are Dead, which was released on the local Lucky Madison label in 2006.

The Neah–Kah–Nie Project String Quartet

• Sunday, April 19, 2–3 p.m.

The Neah–Kah–Nie Project String Quartet was formed in 2007 to record the string quartet music of Ferdinand Sorenson and Sorenson's grandson Dana Carlile. Sorenson's music was featured in the documentary Susie Fennell Pipes and the The Neah–Kah–Nie String Quartet.

The current members of the quartet are four Oregon Symphony Orchestra string players: violinists Julie Coleman and Erin Furbee, violist Brian Quincey and cellist Justin Kagan. The original 1930 The Neah–Kah–Nie String Quartet included the founder Susie Fennell Pipes, Russian violist Alexander Vdovin, Dutch cellist Michel Penha and Ferdinand Sorenson's son Hubert Sorenson.

In Mulieribus

• Sunday, April 26, 2–3 p.m.

In Mulieribus (the Latin phrase meaning “amongst women”) is a female vocal ensemble dedicated to the promotion and enrichment of community through the art of music with a focus on works written primarily before 1750. In Mulieribus accomplishes this mission through live, historically informed, professional performances; through sound recording projects; and through relationships and donations made to local not-for-profit organizations that support women in need. Their influences include Hilliard Ensemble, Anonymous 4 and Trio Medieval.