Visit our Media page for videos and photos of recent Classical Up Close festivals.
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2025 Board of Directors
Sarah Kwak, Executive Director/President Nancy Ives, Vice-President Jason Schooler, Treasurer Susan Shepperd, Secretary 2025 Committee Members Joe Cantrell Pansy Chang Vali Phillips Harold Shepperd |
OUR MISSION
To bring classical music to the Portland, Oregon community, where people live, work, and play — in order to celebrate our ties to the community, thank the Oregon Symphony Orchestra's many supporters, and make new friends for the orchestra and for classical music. ABOUT CLASSICAL UP CLOSE Classical Up Close is a chamber music festival created and produced by members of the Oregon Symphony and friends. Our mission is to bring high quality, live classical music to as many people as possible. To that end, we travel to neighborhoods all around the Portland metro area, holding concerts outside of the usual downtown concert hall, and every performance is free. 2024 marks our 11th season of this endeavor. Audiences can expect an informal tone where they are free to do things not normally done at a classical concert, like taking photos, tweeting (#upclosepdx), texting, clapping between movements, sitting onstage with the musicians, and asking them questions (during the Question and Answer time). OUR HISTORY In 2013, a group of musicians, all members of the Oregon Symphony, came together hoping to do something special in our off-hours to connect in a different, personal way with the community served by our orchestra. We knew that our audience often sees us only from a distance and that they are curious about the individuals who perform on stage at the Schnitzer every week. We also wanted to both thank our supporters and make new friends for the orchestra and for classical music. We decided that a series of fun, free, casual concerts would accomplish our goals. It seemed like a lot to do in our spare time, but we adopted the credo “bringing world-class music to you, where you live, work and play” and forged ahead. That first festival was a resounding success in all the ways we hoped for, and the community response has been gratifying and sustained ever since. WE ARE GRATEFUL Music brings people together, and we continue to receive outstanding support. In addition to the community partners who donate performance venues, we are excited to have media sponsorship from All Classical Portland, and funding from Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Cultural Trust, Cultural Coalition of Washington County, Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation, The Autzen Foundation, Portland Piano Company, LLC, Symposium Coffee, Herbert A. Templeton Foundation, The Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust, Alan and Sherry Bennett, Truman Collins, John and Robyn Gastineau, James and Linda Hamilton, Jordan Schnitzer, and Walt Weyler. |
Our official media sponsor
We can’t imagine a better partner than All Classical Radio to further our goals of celebrating great music and connecting to a wide community of music lovers in a personal and immediate way. Our festival of free concerts is designed to bring music to people where they live, work and play, and of course that is what All Classical Radio does every day, both on the radio and online.
All Classical Radio is Portland, Oregon’s classical radio station. Established in 1983, All Classical Radio's mission is to advance knowledge of and appreciation for classical music; to build and sustain culturally vibrant local and global communities around this art form; to reflect the spirit of the Pacific Northwest; and to foster integrity, quality, and innovation in all that we do.
All Classical Radio is Portland, Oregon’s classical radio station. Established in 1983, All Classical Radio's mission is to advance knowledge of and appreciation for classical music; to build and sustain culturally vibrant local and global communities around this art form; to reflect the spirit of the Pacific Northwest; and to foster integrity, quality, and innovation in all that we do.
