(Photo above: Central Oregon Symphony Association 2014 | photo by COSA)
There’s a symphony in Central Oregon? It’s a question that always surprises those who have been involved with the Central Oregon Symphony during its nearly half century of existence. Indeed there is, and it is alive and thriving.
The COS is an auditioned volunteer orchestra whose members include retired professional musicians, business professionals, music teachers, and their up-and-coming students. They offer three major concerts per season and perform each concert three times. The COS engages fabulous soloists from around the globe and they perform a wide range of repertoire.
There is likely something that will catch your ear and delight your musical fancy whenever you attend. They take great pleasure in playing the classics and the war horses that many of us know and love, but also enjoy bringing something new or rarely performed to the table. In addition to the major concerts, COS musicians perform throughout the year in special programs: Music in Public Places, Symphony Stars! and the Children’s Concert.
Anyone who wishes to attend a COS concert may do so, free of charge. However, the vast majority of those who attend have become donors to the orchestra through the non-profit Central Oregon Symphony Association. There is a special pride of ownership culture among donors who know that their contributions to COSA are directly responsible for making the concerts happen. COS audiences represent an exceptional mix of ages, backgrounds, and musical interests. Despite their vast differences as individuals, there is a collective sense of unity that occurs when the lights dim and a tangible vibe of enjoyment and enchantment settles over the hall.
In the words of COS conductor, Michael Gesme, “There are a lot of amazing orchestras in the world and we cannot begin to compare ourselves with these organizations. However, we at the Central Oregon Symphony do not aspire to be the Chicago Symphony or the LA Philharmonic, we aspire to be something different, perhaps something even better—we do not simply perform for our community; we perform because of our community.”
www.cosymphony.com
