Orchestra Nova Northwest marked its new identity with a compelling concert featuring works by African-American composers on September 14 at Reynolds High School. Conducted by Music Director Steven Byess, who is in his tenth season with the orchestra, the event showcased compositions by George Walker, Florence Price, and Fred Onovwerosuoke, highlighted by a vibrant performance from pianist Artina McCain.
Unfortunately, the concert was marred by a disappointing turnout, as only a small audience braved the rainy weather to enjoy the performance.
The ensemble, previously known as the Portland Columbia Symphony, rebranded as Orchestra Nova Northwest to better reflect its mission of presenting diverse musical talent in the Greater Portland area. In line with this vision, the inaugural concert featured Onovwerosuoke’s “Dance Tribute for Orchestra and Piano Obbligato.” The composer, who was born in Ghana to Nigerian parents, is renowned for blending African and Western musical traditions, drawing from research across thirty African countries.
The evening began with Onovwerosuoke’s lively piece, reminiscent of a mini-piano concerto, with McCain delivering catchy, rhythmically vibrant melodies infused with African influences, complemented by enthusiastic flute riffs and dynamic percussion.
George Walker’s “Lyric for Strings,” gaining recognition in orchestras worldwide, was performed next. Walker, who composed the piece at the age of 24 while at the Curtis Institute of Music, expressed his lifelong fascination with string instruments despite never playing one. Byess skillfully highlighted the blend of lament, nostalgia, and hope that gives the piece its timeless quality, supported by the expressive lower strings.
Florence Price’s music has experienced a revival following the discovery of many of her lost scores in 2009, found in an abandoned home in Illinois. McCain took center stage again for Price’s “Piano Concerto in D Minor in One Movement,” which features three seamlessly connected movements. McCain provided a spirited interpretation, particularly in the “Andantino,” enhanced by a beautiful oboe and piano duet in the “Adagio cantabile,” leading into an energetic conclusion with the “Allegretto.”
After intermission, the orchestra performed Price’s “Symphony No. 1 in E Minor,” showcasing excellent woodwind playing and a notable viola solo in the first movement. The second movement featured an elegant interplay between the brass and woodwinds, with the clarinet driving a sense of motion. The third movement presented catchy, syncopated rhythms, culminating in a jubilant finale driven by a faster tempo.
Despite the orchestra’s efforts to engage the East County community with performances in Gresham and Troutdale, the sparse audience raises questions about how to attract larger crowds in the future.