The Modern Roots of Chamber Music

By Ashley Swanson on July 16, 2010

Portland loves its music venues. At the Someday Lounge, an intimate little space where conversations flow over the clinking of cocktail ice, the audience embraces the thrill of mingling with musicians at the bar after watching them under the stage lights. And Chamber Music NW is at the heart of this cozy atmosphere.

One of the more unique aspects of the Protégé Project is their Sunday concert series, where the protégés perform in the relaxed settings of Mississippi Studios, the Woods, and the Someday Lounge, to a diverse audience.

The experience is an exceptional one, as the intimate stage exposes the passion of both the audience and the musicians. The feeling of a shared love for music floats around freely in this relaxed atmosphere.

And the Sospiro Winds flourish in this setting, drawing in a packed house and having fun with their selected pieces. They are a more uncommon ensemble, not only for their level of skill, but because the Sospiro Winds are a quintet of woodwinds, consisting of flutist Kelli Kathman, oboist James Austin Smith, clarinetist Romie de Guise-Langlois, bassoonist Adrian Morejon and French Horn player Alana Vegter.

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A Lounge staff member excitedly exclaims how he had been gripped by the rhythm of a music piece and couldn’t stop himself from bobbing along. During intermission, a chamber music fan said she’d never been to a venue like this to hear chamber music before, but was happy to see young people enjoying the performance.

It was hard not to enjoy the Sospiro Winds as they talked to the audience between songs, sharing history behind each piece, and their own personal inspiration. In the second half the Sospiro Wind members opened up the floor for questions. They even spoke about their preferred drinks from the bar.

Though the atmosphere was relaxed as the warm summer night, there were moments which reminded everyone that this was a chamber music concert. Such as the dead silence from the crowd as the musicians prepared between movements, and after every completed piece the group would bow to thunderous applause.  Though these moments seem out of place on the Someday Lounge stage, they added a grand quality to performance and venue.

The roots of chamber music are alive and well in their contemporary context, as the Sospiro Winds truly ‘rocked’ the Someday Lounge.

If you want to experience chamber music in a casual setting for yourself, the Protégé Project’s final Sunday performance on July 18th will be at the Woods.  All 13 protégées will be performing, including Becky Anderson, a violinist and Portland native. Becky will be featured in the next blog post as she talks about her experience as a Protégé musician.

For more information about the festival schedule visit Chamber Music NW and stop by the Protégé blog for more behind the scenes thoughts from the musicians.