Portland Baroque Orchestra

Just 12 days until we open our season with Art of the Violin. Here's a taste of what we have in store for this first program. Listen and get ready for a memorable season.

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Shoutout to our friends at Chamber Music Northwest! They're opening their 2026/27 Year-Round Season with a real treat — check it out below.

Protégé Recital Series: Claire Wells
Violin + Piano | Sunday, October 4 • 4 PM
Irving Levin Performance Hall, All Classical Radio

Violinist Claire Wells — a CMNW Protégé alum now building an international career — returns to Portland for an intimate recital with pianist Paulina Lim. The program features Debussy, Prokofiev, Brahms, and Bartók. Claire has performed with orchestras like the Dallas Symphony and Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and this concert marks a special homecoming to the stage where her artistry first took shape.

Fall Art season is upon us. There is a lot to be excited about this year, and our calendars are already filling up with amazing live performances.

It's About That Time! — Artslandia Gregory Alan Isakov with the Oregon Symphony, Table 17 at Portland Playhouse, Pride & Prejudice at Portland Center Stage, Million Dollar Quartet at Broadway Rose, Patti Smith for Literary Arts, and Clownfest at CoHo. Here’s what’s onstage across Portland this fall, stage by stage.

Andrea and Megan holding it down at the The Standard’s Volunteer Expo. If you are around Pioneer Square come check us out. Sign up for volunteer opportunities and snag a CD from our table!

Check out this month's Baroque Enquirer!

We celebrate Joli Einem's 30th year with the orchestra and take a look at what is most exciting about the upcoming season.

September Baroque Enquirer | Celebrating 30 Years Playing with PBO This season marks a remarkable milestone for the Portland Baroque Orchestra family: violinist Joli Einem is celebrating 30 years with PBO. Many of our patrons know Joli as a constant, steady presence on stage right, often alongside her longtime musical partner, violinist Rob Diggins.

Baroque Violin v Modern Violin.

Same instrument family, two completely different stories. In this clip from Portland Baroque Orchestra's All Ages Concert (November 15, 2025), Concertmaster Carla Moore and violinist Toma Iliev demonstrate the differences between the Baroque violin and its modern counterpart.

Hear how differences in construction, strings, and setup shape distinct sounds — from the gut strings and shorter fingerboard of the Baroque instrument to the steel strings and higher tension of the modern violin. Carla and Toma also explore how each instrument was designed for different settings and playing styles, and how technique and bow hold shifted along with the instrument itself over time.

Baroque Violin vs. Modern Violin — A Clip from PBO's All Ages Concert Same instrument family, two completely different stories. In this c...

Six weeks until we officially open the season!
We can't wait to see you for the 2026/27 season.
Join us for Great. Music. Period.

https://pbo.org/2026-27-season

Baroque vs. Classical: Bach vs. Bach — A
Clip from Our All Ages Concert

J.S. Bach's intricate Baroque counterpoint meets C.P.E. Bach's bold, expressive Classical turns. Hear the difference for yourself.

Same last name, different world. Can you tell the difference when you hear J.S. Bach and his son C.P.E. Bach performed side by side?

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