Program Notes

Program Notes for globalFEST by Aimée M. Petrin

DakhaBrakha

Dear Friends Each January when I go to NYC for the annual Association of Performing Arts Professionals conference, one event always stands out for its vastness, variety and promise to surprise: globalFEST. With programming across three stages and four bands on each stage over the course of the evening, the result is an experience of … Read more

Program Notes for the Fauré Quartett by Linda Russell

Faure Quartet

Pictures at an Exhibition Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) Modest Mussorgsky received musical training as a child but made his livelihood as a civil servant in Russian government circles until his dismissal in 1867 due to alcoholism. As one of a group of prominent nineteenth-century Russian composers known as “The Five” who endeavored to create music with … Read more

Program Notes for “Samuel James Tells the Story of Tiny Bill McGraw” by Sarah Coleman

Friends,  As I curate our programming geared towards young audiences it is important that it covers the three major genres of the performing arts – theater, dance and music. Our final offering this season falls into the category of music. The list of musical artists is long and with the impact of the pandemic and … Read more

Program Notes for ‘Seeking Resonance: Toward Being Future Beings’ by Marcia Minter & Aimée M. Petrin

Dear Friends, The collaborative series Seeking Resonance is at the heart of Indigo Arts Alliance and Portland Ovations’ programming this year. At a time when we cannot gather in person, these virtual conversations and presentations are more vital than ever in helping us connect with each other, the artists we share and the places and … Read more

Program Notes for Paige and Friends! by Sarah Coleman

Dear Friends,   Paige Hernandez returns to Portland Ovations! It just looks a lot different than 2012 when she performed her one-woman show Paige in Full for our School-Time Performance Series. That was before my time at Ovations, but I have known Paige for a long time – almost 20 years. We met at Arena … Read more

Program Notes for VOCES8 by Aimée M. Petrin

Dear Friends, Over the years, Ovations has presented many holiday concerts with artists such as Chanticleer, Natalie MacMaster, Wynton Marsalis & the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and others. Earlier this month, we, the Ovations staff, were talking about how much we were looking forward to the concert with VOCES8 and how singing, choral music in … Read more

Program Notes for KENNEDY CENTER ARTS CROSS AMERICA by Marcia Minter & Aimée M. Petrin

Dear Friends, Indigo Arts Alliance and Portland Ovations are delighted to share with you Sacred Resonance, a program of new performance by Maine-based artists conceived as part of Indigo and Ovations’ ongoing partnership. Sacred Resonance is a collection of visual, spiritual, and emotional journeys led by Maine based artists Firefly, Maya Williams and Atiim Chenzira. … Read more

Program Notes for FLEX AVE. by Aimée M. Petrin

Dear Friends,    It’s January 10, 2015 and I’m headed uptown to New York City’s hallowed hall, the Park Avenue Armory. I remember it was a bright winter day and the walk from Midtown to the Upper East Side was glorious. Going to the Armory, an 1880’s Gothic-Revival grand space, is always an experience, but today promises to … Read more

What Resonates With You? Program Notes for “Welcome Home by Aimée M. Petrin

Dear Friends, Portland Ovations started the Seeking Resonance series in 2016 as an exploration and celebration of performance inspired by religious and spiritual life. Over time, the series evolved to embrace a larger desire to find and make meaningful connections. To resonate. Today, Seeking Resonance is about our deep need to find “home”: a space … Read more