45^th Parallel Universe is a Portland chamber music collective founded in 2009 by Oregon Symphony violinist Gregory Ewer. The group was created to give Oregon Symphony musicians and audiences an intimate and creative outlet away from the traditional symphony hall experience. As a musician-managed nonprofit, 45^th brings together top Pacific Northwest musicians to perform standard and contemporary classical works in relaxed and unconventional venues across the city.

Throughout its first decade, 45^th Parallel was a true grassroots operation. While the group played on average 4-6 concerts per year, it had no paid staff, no formal fundraising mechanism, and a nominal marketing plan. It was truly a labor of love. Donations and ticket sales kept the collective afloat.

Beginning in 2018, 45^th Parallel began to grow in terms of artistic output and visibility in the community. Ron Blessinger, Symphony violinist, became 45^th Parallel’s first part time executive director, bringing 17 years of experience as a producer of innovative chamber music events to the position. Between 2018 and 2020, 45^th Parallel expanded its season to ten performances and quadrupled its operating budget.

The world changed dramatically in 2020 with the COVID 19 pandemic. Concert halls across the globe went dark and musicians were furloughed and struggled to make ends meet. 45^th Parallel responded to the calamity with flexibility and creativity by pivoting to live-streamed concerts every Friday for a total of 54 concerts by the end of June 2021 and outdoor concerts every Sunday in September. This helped connect music lovers with top Portland artists and musicians worldwide. The volume and quality of concerts produced online, combined with the outdoor ones, got a response that was nothing short of outstanding. Despite the pain and suffering caused by Covid-19, 45^th Parallel Universe found a way to bring light and hope to thousands.

Today 45^th Parallel Universe is made up of 14 world-class musicians with unlimited passion for great music. Together, these 14 musicians compose the 45^th Parallel Orchestra and several distinct ensembles enabling them to pursue shared passions in smaller formats. The ensembles include Pyxis Quartet, mousai REMIX (both string quartets), Arcturus Quintet (woodwinds), the Gemini Project (percussion), and F.O.G. (experimental musical laboratory). Together, the 45^th Parallel Orchestra and the five constituent ensembles form 45^th Parallel Universe.

Members: Ron Blessinger, Marilyn de Oliveira, Charles Noble, Greg Ewer, James Shields, Kai Rocke, Karen Wagner, Zach Galatis, Jon Greeney, Sergio Carreno, Jen Arnold, Shin Young-Kwon, Emily Cole, Joe Berger.