How to Find Classical Symphony Orchestra in Salem Oregon

How-To: Find a Classical Music in Salem, Oregon

Step One: Find Salem. It’s the state capitol of Oregon, located in the Willamette Valley.

Step Two: Locate the Oregon Symphony Association in Salem. It will be at 707, 13th Street SE, Suite 275.

Step Three: Find out what’s playing. That can be done either by visiting the Symphony Association in person, calling or visiting their Web site. There are around ten concerts annually, with everything from piano, violin, classical bass and guitar concertos.

Step Four: Buy tickets. Symphony subscribers will have priority seating, and the rest is first come, first serve, so it’s best to buy tickets early. Subscriptions can range from $69 – $220 in price, depending on which series you buy into.

Step Five: Decide what concert to attend. Yes, yes, it will be difficult because they are all tempting.

Step Six: Purchase tickets.

Step Seven: Attend concert. Sit back and enjoy listening to some of the best classical music that Salem, Oregon has to offer.

Step Eight: If you liked that, there are other places that provide classical music in the Willamette Valley. Western Oregon University nearly always has a concert of some sort going on and the tickets are a bargain. The Salem Chamber Orchestra is also a good place to go and is also very affordable.

Oregon Symphony… “Dude, there are no…”

Jacob began thumbing through the phonebook. “Dude, there are no restaurants around here.”

Owen eyed the phonebook. “Couldn’t find a Zagat guide?”

“Work with me here.” Jacob swallowed. “I need a place to go.”

Sitting down at the table, Owen said, “I need more specifics.”

“Don’t laugh. I’ve… got a date.”

“Not laughing.”

“With Rachel.”

Owen choked back a snort of laughter. Keeping his expression neutral, he answered. “Rachel? My friend, Rachel?” He cleared his throat. “Well, why not take her to the Oregon Symphony?”

“Why would I do that?”

Owen began ticking off the reasons on his fingers. “One—classical music makes you appear smart and sensitive. Two—it’ll cost about the same as dinner, but there’ s no chance of garlic breath.”

“Good point.” Jacob nodded. “What else?”

“Three,” Owen continued, “an Oregon symphony is an excuse to dress up.”

Jacob frowned. “How is that a good thing?”

“You get to see her after she spends hours prepping. Trust me on this—gorgeous.”

Owen considered that. “Okay… Oregon Symphony.” Making a face, he said, “But I’m not really a classical music person.”

“There’s more than just classical—there’s a lot of different kinds of concerts. You can find something you’ll like,” Owen said.

Jacob gave him a skeptical look. “What about the drive?”

“What, did your car suddenly go on strike?” Owen asked.

“No, but have you seen gas prices these days?”

Owen shrugged. “Fine. Find a concert here on the Western Oregon University campus. Same advantages as the Oregon Symphony without the gas money.”

“Sounds good to me.” Jacob pushed away from the table and stood. “I’ll go look into that. What are you doing tonight?”

Owen rolled his eyes. “What do you think? I’m going to buy you a Zagat guide.”

Recipe for a Night at the Oregon Orchestra

Recipe for a Night at the Oregon Orchestra

Ingredients:

Portland, Oregon

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

76 full time musicians

Tickets

One concert (can be classical, pops, youth or special—adjust according to taste)

Directions:

First, decided which concert you would like to attend. Then order the tickets. If planning to attend more than one orchestra event, you might consider subscribing to the current season. Then you drive to Portland, Oregon. The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall is located at the corner of Broadway and Main in downtown Portland. Dinner beforehand is optional. Find seats and watch performance. Enjoy the Oregon Orchestra.

If you are on a financial diet (or trying to save on cash), you can substitute the location of the orchestra. Instead of the one in Portland, go to Western Oregon University in Monmouth. There are concerts there for a fraction of the price.

Portland Symphony

Classical music lovers have it pretty good in Portland, Oregon. There are numerous concerts in many locations happening all the time, and one of the oldest musical attractions is the Oregon Symphony. It began performing in the 1800s, making it the oldest orchestra in the West. And the years have not diminished its appeal—according to the symphony website, attendance is usually 225,000 people per season. “The Oregon Symphony is proud to provide varied music of the highest artistic standards to diverse audiences, with a commitment to educating children as the musicians and audiences of tomorrow,” reads the symphony’s Web site. There are a number of diverse concerts, varying from classical to gospel to youth. It’s quite a tourist draw, bringing in music lovers from all over the Northwest and the rest of the U.S. The symphony has been acknowledged for having “acclaimed music directors, skilled performers, diverse programs and outstanding community services in education and regional touring.”

And the Oregon Symphony isn’t the only place to find classical music. There’s the Salem Orchestra, the Portland Baroque Orchestra, Willamette University, University of Oregon and Western Oregon University. Music Schools are actually great places to find concerts, because there’s nearly always one happening. And prices are just a fraction of what they would be anywhere else. In fact, many of them are free. (Which, as everyone knows, is the best price of all!)