Oregon East Symphony & Chorale

10/15/2026

We've been waiting years to perform Jimmy López Bellido's "Fiesta", a vibrant and rhythmically charged showpiece that sets an energetic tone for our 2026-2027 Season! We planned on programming it in our 2019-2020 Season Finale until the pandemic scuttled the season. Once you experience this piece at our 2026-2027 Season Opening Concert, presented by Wheatland Insurance Center, you'll agree that it was well worth the wait.

10/14/2026

Don't miss our 2026-2027 Season Opening Concert, presented by Wheatland Insurance Center, at 2:30pm, Sunday, November 8th at the The Vert.

We will perform Respighi's "Botticelli Triptych", Schreker's "Chamber Symphony" and Jimmy López Bellido's "Fiesta". Reserved seating tickets are on sale now. Info on free tickets is on our website.

10/12/2026

The string trio/quartet arrangements of Aryn Ward's "Tafv Hotvlē (Feather Wind)”, and "Mvskoke Months Suite No. 5 - Ke Hvse (Mulberry Month) & Kvco Hvse (Blackberry Month)" will receive their world premiere during opening reception of Interwoven: Where Cultures Meet on Thursday, October 15th. We hope you'll join us for the kick off of a very exciting new multiday event in Pendleton.

10/09/2026

We are pleased to announce that we will present a string trio & quartet performance as part of the opening reception of the inaugural Interwoven: Where Cultures Meet the evening of Thursday, October 15 at the Pendleton Convention Center . Interwoven is a three-day cultural festival in Pendleton, Oregon, that brings together Western and Indigenous fashion, art, craft, and storytelling.

We will be performing a selection of works by Mvskoke (Creek) composer Aryn Ward who, in addition to being a composer and music educator, is the director of the Good Medicine Music Festival which features Indigenous classical performers presenting works by Indigenous composers.

📸 Starr Hardridge

10/07/2026

Thank you to Také to Ito (Curtis Patterson & Bruce Huebner), keyboardist Bill Crane and all who attended Sunday’s Sue Nelson Festival. It was an exhilarating afternoon of western classical fused with traditional Japanese music.

10/07/2026

Yesterday, Symphony Strings lead instructor Emily Muller-Cary, OES Youth Orchestra Director Sam Ross, and three teaching assistants from the Pendleton High Orchestra conducted recruiting visits to 4th and 5th grade students at all three Pendleton elementary schools.
Strings starts next Monday!

09/28/2026

We're pleased to announce that our Symphony Strings afterschool program, produced in collaboration with the Pendleton School District, is the recipient of an Oregon Arts Commission Arts Learning Grant for the 2026-2027 academic year!
Symphony Strings is an introductory group strings instruction program for 4th and 5th grade students in the Pendleton area taking place on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Students can choose to play violin, viola or cello, learning basic playing technique, fundamental music literacy, and how to perform as part of an ensemble. Classes begin on Monday, October 12. Lead Instructor Emily Muller-Cary and OES Youth Orchestra Director Sam Ross will be conducting recruiting visits to Pendleton Elementary Schools on Monday, October 6th. Digital registration forms and more info can be found on our website.

Big news for arts education in Oregon. Today the Oregon Arts Commission announced $150,000 in Arts Learning grants, awarding $10,000 each to 15 organizations working to strengthen K-12 arts education across the state.

From papermaking and printmaking with kindergarteners in Pendleton to classical strings instruction, creative movement, vocal arts, photography and animation, these projects bring hands-on creative learning to thousands of students, many in rural and Title 1 schools that have recently lost dedicated arts programming.

Each project pairs teaching artists with educators to spark curiosity, build confidence and open doors through the arts. Congratulations to all 15 grantees making creativity possible for Oregon's young people. See the full list of awardees at the link: https://bit.ly/480uND0

Photo credit: Oregon East Symphony

09/26/2026

Today we said goodbye to long time OES Volunteer, Board of Directors and Education Committee Member Carolyn Frasier.
OES’s education programming was near and dear to Carolyn’s heart; she served many years assisting with the Symphony Strings afterschool beginning strings program, on the college scholarship committee and providing guidance to our teaching artists and assistants.
Thank you to the OES Youth Chamber Collective for providing music for her memorial reception this afternoon. She would’ve loved it! ❤️🎻

09/24/2026

There's a great preview of the 🎶 2026 Sue Nelson Festival: Také to Ito with Bill Crane in this week's edition of the East Oregonian.

PENDLETON — This year’s Sue Nelson Festival brings a blend of Western piano and Japanese traditional music to Pendleton thanks to its unique performers. Professional pianist and organist Bill Crane, […]

09/24/2026

In this week's edition of the East Oregonian there is a great preview of the free 2026 Sue Nelson Festival: Také to Ito with Bill Crane taking place at 2:30pm, Sunday, October 4th at the First Presbyterian Church Pendleton!