As members of the Oregon Symphony and, by extension, the cultural community of greater Portland, we look forward every Holiday Season to sharing the joy and power of music to lift people’s spirits. Each year of our lives has a rhythm to it, and this time of year always fills up with those concerts and events. Well, almost always. This year, of course, has been different – different in every imaginable way. Thanksgivings were mostly virtual this year. Shopping gets done online. Happy hours happen on Zoom. We all find ourselves longing for the connections of family and friends.

As musicians, we relish every chance we get to make music, in person, with other musicians. Each December, for probably the last decade, our group has played a fundraiser/party to benefit our orchestra. It’s always a fun and intimate connection with our audience and supporters, which will only be a memory for them and us this time around. A highlight of years past has also been visits to the women’s correctional facility known as Coffee Creek. There, perhaps more than any other place, we felt the value of what we do. Playing for those folks, and even playing a few selections with their inmate choir, really brought home for us indeed how lucky we are.

We’re happy to share a little Holiday Cheer with each of you, and we hope you’ll enjoy our often jazzy take on some Holiday favorites. Music, by its very nature, is optimistic. May it fill you with the feeling that 2020 is wrapping up, not soon to be missed I’m sure, and a new and better year lies ahead!

Jeffrey Work
Principal Trumpet, Oregon Symphony