Music

This fall, Portland welcomes an extraordinary celebration of classical ballet as PRIMA Ballet Gala brings together artists of the Grand Kyiv Ballet and international guest performers for one unforgettable night.

More than a performance, PRIMA Ballet Gala is a night of elevated artistry – where timeless classics meet contemporary expression, and the stage becomes a space of beauty, power, and emotion.

The program features iconic highlights from world-renowned ballets including Don Quixote, Spartacus, and The Dying Swan, alongside vibrant national dance such as the thrilling Hopak, set to music by legendary composers including Tchaikovsky.

Begin your evening on the red carpet, then step inside for a celebration of artistic excellence and international cultural connection.
Guests are warmly encouraged to attend in the evening attire, helping create an atmosphere of elegance worthy of this special occasion.

Join us for a rare opportunity to experience world-class dancers, timeless choreography, and a night filled with beauty and inspiration.

Seats are limited. Be part of PRIMA Ballet Gala — where ballet speaks from the heart.

The Saloon Ensemble‘s epic all-ages production of The Nitemare B4 Xmas is back. Featuring Kylee Wegner as Jack, Patrica Charms as Sally, Jason Wells as The Mayor, Noah Veil as Oogie Boogie, Dan Stauffer as Dr. F, Phil Sano as Sandy Claws, Richard Cawley, Iris Asher, and Stacey Ludlow as Lock, Shock, and Barrel, Julia Andalora as Zero, plus Jon Vancura on sax, Mike Danner on accordion, Jeremy Baron on mandolin, and Joe Hagel on drums.

Portland's legendary performance troupe, The Saloon Ensemble, will once again bring to the stage a live performance of the brilliant score complete with interactive sing-along, a costume contest, everyone's favorite screaming contest and many other 'horrible' surprises.

Celebrate the Halloween season with the annual production that's been packing houses and delivering joyous fun for all spirits, young and old.

Each year, Milagro observes Día de Muertos with the premiere of a new production, altar displays, and community events with the Día de Muertos Festival. The Centerpiece event of the 31st Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration is Marigolds y Memorias, an original devised production inspired by the traveling carpa tradition, in which humor, music, and storytelling come together in a vibrant theatrical journey. Guided by an elder, a younger generation learns o build an altart, the heart of Día de Muertos, discovering the meaning behind each of its elements, from candles and marigolds to photographs, ofrendas, and cherished recuerdos. Through song, dance, and short theatrical vignettes, the altar gradually takes shape as an act of remembrance and cultural inheritance, inviting audiences to consider how traditions are taught, how memory is kept alive, and what is carried forward when we share rituals across generations.

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a long-honored tradition with roots in Indigenous Mexican culture. Día de Muertos is observed annually in Mexican and other Latin American cultures on November 1st and 2nd as a remembrance of those who have passed. Individuals and families who honor this day set up ofrendas (altars) with offerings to their departed loved ones. Typical offerings include marigolds, calaveras, photos of the dead, and traditional food like “pan de muerto.”

Choreographer Lai Hung-Chung makes dances of striking beauty and intention. “Birdy,” his captivating signature work for Hung Dance, moves between suspense and explosive energy, between the weight of tradition and the pull toward something new. Hung Dance blends traditional Chinese arts, including tai chi, Peking Opera, and classical Chinese music, with contemporary dance technique and driving electronic music, creating work that is poetic and rhythmic at once. What audiences see on stage is a world in constant transformation, where bodies bend and resist, images linger, and the tension between holding on and letting go becomes the dance itself.

TAIPEI CITY, TAIWAN

Birdy

“…a dreamy sensibility with astonishing athleticism in culturally sensitive modern dance performance.” —Charlie Smith, Pancouver

Sponsored by George & Nancy Thorn. White Bird’s Uncaged Series Sponsor: Ronni Lacroute

The Friday and Saturday performances will have pre-show talks. Come early to hear from the dancers from 6:15–6:45 PM. No ticket needed.

Join us November 3rd for the Hung Dance Lecture Demonstration, FREE with RSVP here .

Step into a slippery world where the line between truth and fiction is all in the packaging. It’s 1936, and a pair of passionate filmmakers has landed their next big project: a sweeping Spanish Civil War film with the potential to change American hearts and minds. It just happens to be bankrolled by the KGB. Spain by Jen Silverman is a seductive and tense thriller about the power of art to change the world — for better and for worse.

by Jen Silverman, directed by Josh Hecht

One of the most ambitious productions in recent Profile history, Spain is a grand cross-disciplinary spectacle featuring multiple partnerships with arts organizations throughout Portland, including live opera developed in partnership with Portland Opera, and both recorded and live music performed by musicians with 45th Parallel.

A one-clown kaleidoscope of beauty, tradition, and tyranny — where a pansori diva, a K-beauty fanatic, and a self-proclaimed dictator collide in a hilarious search for identity and power.
In Take Me to Your Leader: The Seoul of a Clown, beauty, ritual, and absurdity collide in a one-clown fever dream. From the haunting rhythms of pansori to the fluorescent glow of a K-beauty altar, Monel Chang (aka Moldy Melon) shape shifts through characters both divine and deranged: a folk diva, a skincare-obsessed disciple, and a dictator throwing themself a birthday party.

Part satire, part spiritual exorcism, and entirely clown, this genre-defying solo performance unpacks the obsessions that bind — from perfection and purity to power and control. With live sound, ritual gesture, and a face full of toner, The Seoul of a Clown invites audiences into a surreal search for identity, laughter, and liberation.

Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian

ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.

Union High School will present “Elf, Jr., the Musical,” showing Nov. 12-14 at 6201 N.W. Friberg-Strunk St., Camas. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Nov. 12 and 13, noon and 4 p.m. Nov. 14. The musical, based on the 2003 film, follows Buddy, a human who was raised as one of Santa’s elves. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for students age 2-18 and free for children age 2 and under. Learn more at uniontheatreplayers.com.

Columbia Theatre presents the tribute show “George Michael Reborn” from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 27. Tickets are $45.

The second play of Chantal Bilodeau’s Arctic Cycle, Forward moves between the story of Norwegian Arctic explorer, Fridtjof Nansen, and our present-day anxiety over the rapidly changing climate. Woven throughout is the relationship between Nansen and the character Ice. A blend of theatre and electropop music, the humorous and poetic play progresses backwards from 2013 to 1893 and zeroes in on 40+ characters whose choices have unintended consequences that ripple through the generations.

Open to the public. Tickets available here. All ticket revenue goes directly to supporting the theatre department at Reed College.

Note that the Thursday, November 12 performance is an open dress rehearsal for invited guests only. All other dates are open to the public and require tickets.

Monday Mic Night is an open mic event. Bring whatever you’d like to share—music, poetry, a soliloquy, a painting, even a magic trick. All ages and talent levels are welcome. Non-performing audience members are welcome too.

This event is free, all ages, and open to the public.

Date: Monday, November 9
Time: 7-9pm (Signups start at 6:30pm)
Location: Sherwood Center for the Arts, Maera Boughey Theatre
22689 SW Pine Street, Sherwood OR 97140

More information at our website: Monday Mic Night | Sherwood Center for the Arts

Beacock Music will celebrate its 50th year in the music business with “76, Trombones: The Beginning,” a musical show with a live band in the recital hall at 1420 S.E. 163rd Ave., Vancouver. Walk down memory lane with songs and stories from Beacock Music’s founding year, 1976. Ticket sales will benefit the Daryle Rustvold MusicForLife Scholarship, which provides music lessons and instruments to those in need. Performances are 7 p.m. Nov. 6, 7, 13 and 14. Matinee shows are 2 p.m. Nov. 8 and 15. Tickets are $25, available at beacockmusic.com.

Marigolds y Memorias is an original devised production inspired by the traveling carpa tradition, in which humor, music, and storytelling come together in a vibrant theatrical journey. Guided by an elder, a younger generation learns to build an altar, the heart of Día de Muertos, discovering the meaning behind each of its elements, from candles and marigolds to photographs, ofrendas, and cherished recuerdos. Through song, dance, and short theatrical vignettes, the altar gradually takes shape as an act of remembrance and cultural inheritance, inviting audiences to consider how traditions are taught, how memory is kept alive, and what is carried forward when we share rituals across generations.

Age Recommendation: All Ages
Estimated Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, including one intermission

Ticket Availability:

• Season Packages: Tickets may be secured now when you purchase a Milagro Season Package, offering savings of 12.5% – 20%, depending on the package specified.
  To see package options, please CLICK HERE.
• Group Sales: Groups of 10+ may book now to order.
  Please CLICK HERE to send us an email with your desired performance date/time, the number of tickets you are seeking.
  Your order will not be processed until after we have confirmed with you. Someone will respond to your email within approximately 72 hours.
• Single Tickets: On sale beginning Friday, August 21, 2026

Single Tickets:
Adults – $32
Seniors 50+ – $28
Students – $24

SHOW TIMES:

Wizard of Floyd is a dark reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, where the familiar journey through Oz is told through the lyrics of 21 iconic Pink Floyd songs, with a live Pink Floyd cover band creating an immersive soundtrack that drives the characters’ journey from Kansas to the far reaches of Oz.

Part theater, part rock concert, and part psychedelic fever dream, Wizard of Floyd is a dance and musically spectacular journey into a world where nothing is quite what it seems.

Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right!

Based on the 1992 motion picture and inspired by a true story, Newsies features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act) and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots). Featuring the now classic songs “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “Santa Fe.”

Fri, Nov 6 from 7-9:30pm

Sat, Nov 7 from 1-3:30pm & 6-8:30pm

Fri, Nov 13 from 7-9:30pm

Sat, Nov 14 from 1-3:30pm & 6-8:30pm

Adult (ages 19 and up) – $22
Youth (ages 2-18) – $20
Senior (ages 62+) – $20
Groups of 15+ –

At Fort Vancouver High School

DOSS (DJ Set) + CFCF (DJ Set) at Holocene, Portland, Thursday, November 5, 2026 · 9PM · 21+ · $28.18 – $31.99. Over the past ten years, the mononym “ Doss ” has come to represent something increasingly rare in the world of dance music: not just a...

Love Street Playhouse presents the holiday musical “Winter Wonderettes,” playing Nov. 27-Dec. 20 at Love Street Playhouse, 126 Loves Ave., Woodland. When Santa goes missing, the Wonderettes put their talent and ingenuity to work to save the holiday party with ’60s renditions of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Run, Run, Rudolph” and “Winter Wonderland.” Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27, 28, Dec. 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 and 19. Matinees are 2 p.m. Nov. 29, Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13 and 20. Tickets are $36 at www.lovestreetplayhouse.com or call 800-966-8865.

Platinum certified singer, songwriter, producer, and multi instrumentalist Sueco has established herself as one of alternative music’s most versatile independent artists, amassing over 1 billion global streams and billions of views across social platforms. Since breaking onto the scene in 2018, he has been at the forefront of a new generation of internet native artists, leveraging viral storytelling, digital marketing, and direct fan engagement to build a global audience. By consistently creating moments that resonate both online and on stage, Sueco has cultivated a loyal worldwide fanbase while establishing himself as one of alternative music’s most recognizable voices.

Known for seamlessly blending rock, punk, metal, hip hop, and pop into a sound entirely his own, Sueco has built a catalog that refuses to be confined by genre. Equal parts songwriter, producer, and performer, his ability to pair massive hooks with raw emotion and explosive energy has earned him a reputation as one of the genre’s most exciting crossover artists while maintaining an unmistakable artistic identity.

That momentum has continued through 2026. Sueco returned with “REARRANGING SCARS,” featured in the latest installment of the Scream franchise, before joining forces with blackbear on the explosive single “ENEMY.” He followed it with “ARE YOU ENTERTAINED?” alongside longtime friend and collaborator Jeris Johnson, delivering one of the year’s standout alternative collaborations and further showcasing his versatility as both a songwriter and artist.

Now fully independent, Sueco continues to build momentum through major film placements, high profile collaborations, and a growing international audience while maintaining full creative control over his music and career. His fearless songwriting, genre bending creativity, and instinct for connecting with fans have positioned him among a new generation of artists redefining what an independent career can look like.

Polynesian dance and narration from Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, and New Zealand with authentic costuming and music. Troupe of 10 to 18 dances for 50 minutes. Interactive dance with the audience—the show is exciting and colorful for all ages.

Lelooska Cultural Center, 165 Merwin Village Road, Ariel, will offer living history performances from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Nov. 28. See Northwest Coast masks brought to life through traditional stories, songs, and dances in the cedar ceremonial house. The grounds and museum open at 5 p.m. and the performance begins at 6 p.m. The cost is $18 adults or $16 for seniors and children. Learn more at lelooska.org.

Prairie High School drama students present “Singin’ in the Rain,” showing Nov. 13-21 at Prairie High School, 11311 N.E. 119th St., Vancouver. Tap your toes and sing along to the songs you know and love while enjoying dance performances drawn from the silver screen. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Nov. 13, 14, 20 and 21. Matinee shows are 1 p.m. Nov. 14 and 21. Tickets range from $7 to $15, available online at gofan.co/event/6962419 or at the door.

Behind The Scene with The Christopher Brown QuartetSun, Nov 01++ PLEASE NOTE - THIS IS EVENT IS FOCUSED ON EDUCATION - PLEASE READ DESCRIPTION ++In an effort to create meaningful culture building moments within a Jazz context for teenage musicians (as well as band instructors), drummer/bandleader Christopher Brown will host an ongoing series entitled “Behind the Scene” with his quartet. And what will separate this event from any other like it is that it’ll combine the Jam session, concert, and clinic experience into a collection of transformative moments for all involved.On the 1st Sunday of each month Christopher teams up with Montavilla Jazz to provide our city with an invaluable Jazz workshop that’s designed to adequately prepare young musicians for the most competitive musical environments in the world (namely NYC). So for the cost of a trip to Starbucks, this event provides:• 30 min concert by Christopher’s quartet.• One hour Q & A with the quartet.• 30 min food, beverage, and mingling break.• One hour of interactive music mentoring with members of Christopher’s quartet.• Access to the quartet’s extended network.**THERE IS NO FOOD OR DRINK SERVED AT THIS EVENT (outside food and drinks are permitted)** 01:00 PM SHOW

If you want to rage out and turn this season into an eventful alternative bonanza, here's your opportunity to see the most fantastic act in the circuit. Smashing Pumpkins brings a top-rated showdown across the US this fall as they serve a brand new trek. This time, a new album brings different vibes, and Smashing Pumpkins is slated to promote this incredible work. Smashing Pumpkins brings The Rats In A Cage Tour to this city, and they're ready to conquer Moda Center at the Rose Quarter with their viral hits, including "1979," "Tonight Tonight," and the Grammy-winning "Bullet with Butterfly Wings"!

Inspired by Crater Lake National Park, Michael Gordon’s Natural History weaves Native and symphonic music in this paean to the natural landscape. Plus, hear works by two of classical music’s most intrepid pioneers: Stravinsky’s experimental musical essay on wind and brass sounds, Symphonies of Wind Instruments, and Beethoven’s vivacious and dramatic Symphony No. 1. Native Oregonian Grace Miedziak enhances the program with a new work that celebrates the Pacific Northwest.

Norman Huynh, Conductor

Steiger Butte Drum and Singers, Native American ensemble

Members of Portland State University Chamber Choir, Ethan Sperry, Conductor

Oregon Symphony

Stravinsky Symphonies of Wind Instruments

Michael Gordon Natural History

Grace Meidziak New work (Fear No Music Emerging Composers Fellow, Oregon Symphony commission)

Beethover Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21

Live Soundtrack, Cello

All Ages // 6 PM Show // Tickets $24

Taylor Bickett is a storyteller at heart. Hailing from Indiana, she's been writing music since before she can remember. Taylor's intimate lyrics and outstanding vocal range gracefully overlay organic indie pop production to create introspective singer/songwriter tunes. After her wistful, Gen Z anthem "QUARTER LIFE CRISIS" hit the internet in 2022, the track compelled a generation struggling with their newfound adulthood to share their own photos and stories on TikTok soundtracked by her song. The trending audio amassed nearly half a million fan-made videos, and celebrities including Drew Barrymore and Kevin Jonas showcased their own transformations since age sixteen atop Taylor's track, which features the lyrics, "I swear 16 was yesterday, but now I'm closer to 28."

Taylor's subsequent 2023 EP grown up and lonely demonstrates her knack for writing honest and unfiltered songs that resonate with an entire generation. She kicked off 2024 with her single "I Like Mondays" which resonated with fans when she quickly wrote and posted the song on the 1st of January (a Monday). After spending the spring on the road, Taylor released her second EP, This Isn't Me Missing You, on September 19th.

Taylor spent 2024 touring with artists like Ron Pope, Blü Eyes, Andi and Áine Deane, which took her all over the US and UK. Her new song "The Crime," based on a traumatic incident that sparked a passion for ending violence against women, will come out in honor of Women's History Month in March of 2025. She is currently writing new music for her debut full length album.

Goldie is a Portland-based artist creating alternative-pop that blends a sense of nostalgia with a distinctly modern sound. Drawing inspiration from artists both past and present, her music is rooted in honest songwriting, warm melodies, and an ever-evolving approach to pop. With four singles released, Goldie is currently working on her debut EP and carving out a sound entirely her own.

On Sunday, November 1st, Oregon Koto-Kai, the Japanese Koto Music Society of Oregon, will present its 15th Annual Fall Concert. This year’s concert will feature traditional and modern koto ensemble pieces selected to honor the koto mastery and memory of the late Kazue Sawai. The music will be complemented by beautiful art on stage created by local artist Satoko Motouji.

Kazue Sawai cofounded the Sawai Koto Institute based in Tokyo, Japan with her husband, koto master and composer Tadao Sawai. Not only was she the instructor and mentor to our Artistic Director, Mitsuki Dazai, but her passion and innovative playing style was an inspiration to our entire group and koto players worldwide. Our program honors that legacy with traditional pieces signature to her repertoire and boundary-pushing compositions from the Sawai catalog.

In a darkening musical landscape where viral fads and AI-generated fakery share chart-space with the self-absorbed products of the nation’s stage schools, Buzzcocks shine out as a gleaming beacon of hope.
A constant, ever-evolving presence over the last 45 years of pop culture, the band’s legendary status will be set in stone — literally — with their inclusion in the Music Walk Of Fame in September, joining an illustrious roll call including David Bowie, The Who, Madness and Amy Winehouse.
The band’s never-better live shows, meanwhile, are electrifying reminders of rock music’s power to inspire, educate and inform. All delivered with an energy and conviction of a band half their age.
“It’s my lifeblood,” says Steve Diggle — 68 years young — of a non-stop touring schedule which over the summer will see them play to thousands of fans across Europe and the UK.
“I’ve still got the fire in my belly. Some musicians get bored of being on the road, but I’m institutionalised. I’ve done 50-odd years of staying in hotels. It’s what I signed up for. Ever since I saw Bob Dylan in the back of a black taxi in (D.A. Pennebaker’s 1967 documentary) Don’t Look Back, I always wanted to live this kind of life — being interviewed in the back of a black taxi on the way to the studio.”

While most of their punk peers are content to traverse the globe in jukebox-style revue shows, Buzzcocks continue to move with the times, attracting new fans wherever they go. A case in point being the huge all-ages crowd the band pulled at the Iggy Pop-headlined Dog Day Afternoon in July.
“There’s not a lot of intellectual or emotional thinking in music these days,” observes Steve. “People are being controlled. They’ll watch a video of someone falling over a banana skin and think they’re being entertained. They don’t realise the beauty of words, and the power of music. I’d like to think young kids who come to see us feel the same excitement I got from Little Richard and Chuck Berry. It goes back to the punk thing. It was about attitude and a way of thinking. We had the questions, but we didn’t have the answers. But the questions are the important thing.”

The Buena Vista Orchestra (sometimes referred to as The Buena Vista Social Orchestra, Orquesta Buena Vista, etc) is the world's foremost Cuban music repertory ensemble —featuring a lineup of musicians from groups like The Buena Vista Social Club, AfroCuban All Stars, the bands of Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo, Chucho Valdés, Willie Colon and more.

Virtuoso Cuban violinist Rolando Morejón Reyes (who joined the 2024 tour across several dates) leads an exciting set of musicians pulled from the original Buena Vista Social Club performances, Celia Cruz, AfroCuban All Stars, and more. His credits include leading the Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín, the bands of Omara Portuondo, Willie Colón, Cachao Lopez, Oscar D’León and many more. Maestro Rolando is joined by the likes of trumpeter Antonio Perigo (Omara Portuondo, Oscar D’ León, Celia Cruz, AfroCuban All Stars), percussionist Miguel Valdés (Celia Cruz, Cachao López, Chucho Valdés, AfroCuban All Stars, Ibrahim Ferrer Jr and Buena Vista All Stars, McCoy Tyner), pianist Helder Rojas (La Charanga Habanera and noted for his playing at the famous Buena Vista Social Club Havana concerts), international trombone sensation Yosmel Garcerarn (Trombonañga, Ibrahim Ferrer Jr and Buena Vista All Stars, Buena Vista Social Club, Paulito FG), Latin Grammy nominee and world famous percussionist Pepe Epsinosa (AfroCuban All Stars, Arturo Sandoval, Cubanismo) and more.

Centerpiece event of Milagro’s 31st Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration.

Marigolds y Memorias is an original devised production inspired by the traveling carpa tradition, in which humor, music, and storytelling come together in a vibrant theatrical journey. Guided by their ancestors, a younger generation rediscovers the heart of Día de Muertos, the meaning behind each of its elements, from candles and marigolds to ofrendas and cherished recuerdos. Through song, dance, and short theatrical vignettes, an altar gradually takes shape as an act of remembrance and cultural inheritance, inviting audiences to consider how traditions are taught, how memory is kept alive, and what is carried forward when we share rituals across generations.

An Ensemble-Devised Piece
Directed by Juliana Morales Carreño

Age recommendation: All ages
Running time: About 1 hour 30 minutes, including one intermission
Tickets: Adults $32, seniors (50+) $28, and students $24; groups of 10 or more $18 each

Through his 54-year career, 3-time Grammy Award winner John Scofield has occasionally detoured from the traditions of straight-ahead jazz, exploring a blend of funk and jazz that has led to some of his most popular projects. In late autumn of 2026, Scofield looks back on many of his now-classic fusion-groove compositions with Electrospective. Not intending to replicate the earlier fan favorites, he plans instead to revisit them with the seasoned perspective of several decades, culling tunes from his Blue Matter, Uberjam, and AGoGo bands – each responsible for a few recordings – as well as new material in the same vein. Scofield looks forward to teaming up with a stellar band of colleagues. Electrospective will rely on interpretative input from Scofield alum and super funk drummer/producer Adam Deitch (Lettuce), multidimensional Larry Goldings (Scary Goldings, James Taylor) on keyboards, and legendary bassist Oteil Burbridge (Dead and CO., Tedeschi Trucks, Allman Brothers). With this repertoire so frequently (and loudly) requested by audience members, Scofield is glad to have a band that will truly do the music justice.

Norman Huynh, Conductor
Steiger Butte Drum and Singers, Native American ensemble
Members of Portland State University Chamber Choir, Ethan Sperry, Conductor
Oregon Symphony

STRAVINSKY Symphonies of Wind Instruments
Michael GORDON Natural History
Grace MIEDZIAK New work (Fear No Music Emerging Composers Fellow, Oregon Symphony commission)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21

Inspired by Crater Lake National Park, Michael Gordon’s Natural History weaves Native and symphonic music in this paean to the natural landscape. Plus, hear works by two of classical music’s most intrepid pioneers: Stravinsky’s experimental musical essay on wind and brass sounds, Symphonies of Wind Instruments, and Beethoven’s vivacious and dramatic Symphony No. 1. Native Oregonian Grace Miedziak enhances the program with a new work that celebrates the Pacific Northwest.

Lewis & Clark College Department of Music and Portland State University’s School of Music and Theater present an afternoon with Grammy Award-winning soprano Audrey Luna on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 from 3pm to 6pm in Evans Auditorium.

Live Wire joins forces with the Portland Art Museum for an afternoon of roving performances ahead of an evening recording of the program. The event coincides with PAM's monthly Free First Thursday and the Portland Book Festival's expanded programming. Performers will include poet and rapper Dessa, bestselling children’s author Mac Barnett, Pulitzer Prize Finalist Ed Park, and Portland comedian Mx. Dahlia Belle.

Free pop-up performances will take place throughout the Museum’s galleries, giving visitors a chance to catch live performances and storytelling while moving through the PAM spaces. Completely free through PAM’s Free First Thursday general admission. Also, enjoy a fully seated, ticketed Live Wire taping hosted by Luke Burbank with announcer Elena Passarello, featuring a blend of interviews, comedy, and music performed live for the audience, then edited into an episode for broadcast to over 200 public radio stations nationwide.

Visitors can take in the afternoon gallery pop-ups, the evening show, or both.

It's Been Awful marks the moment Isaiah Rashad fully becomes his own genre. The Top Dawg Entertainment visionary returns with his third studio album on May 1, expanding his sonic world beyond hip-hop into cosmic jazz, psychedelic guitar rock, Soulquarian neo-soul, and flashes of genre-blurring experimentation. After five transformative years, Rashad delivers his most vulnerable and fully-realized work yet - an unfiltered reflection on addiction, growth, self-confrontation, and redemption. It's soul music in its most metaphysical form, anchored by the same lyrical precision and emotional depth that have defined his artistry from the beginning.

Since emerging from Chattanooga, TN in 2012, Rashad has built one of the most impactful and emotionally resonant catalogs in modern rap. His debut Cilvia Demo immediately established him as a critical force, followed by The Sun's Tirade, which debuted in the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 and earned Gold certification. His 2021 album The House Is Burning further solidified his cultural imprint, amassing nearly one billion global streams and widespread acclaim for its introspective storytelling and sonic evolution. Across his career, Rashad has achieved multiple Gold and Platinum certifications, with standout records including 'Wat's Wrong' (feat. Kendrick Lamar and Zacari) and 'Pretty Little Birds' (feat. SZA), while maintaining a loyal, cult-like fanbase drawn to his honesty and depth.

Rashad has consistently pushed beyond trends to create timeless, deeply personal work. Now, with It's Been Awful, he enters a new chapter defined by clarity, confrontation, and creative rebirth — reaffirming his place not just in rap, but at the forefront of music's most compelling storytellers.

Join an afternoon with Grammy Award-winning soprano Audrey Luna. Audrey will give a masterclass with L&C and PSU students and present a lecture titled "The Business of Singing."

Ekklesia Theatre launches its “Love Your Neighbor” season with Will Eno’s funny, haunting “Middletown,” Oct. 23-Nov. 1 at Magenta Theater, in partnership with NAMI Southwest Washington. The play follows an unlikely friendship between longtime Middletown resident John Dodge and newcomer Mary Swanson. Around them, a librarian, a mechanic, a police officer, tourists and other townspeople try to make sense of their lives — and one another. Their paths cross in surprising ways, taking audiences everywhere from a library to outer space. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 23-31 and 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 1 at 1108 Main St., Vancouver. NAMI Southwest Washington will be at the theater after performances on Oct. 25 and 30 to discuss loneliness and mental health. Plays are recommended for viewers age 13 and older. Tickets are $15 at ekklesiatheatre.com/tickets.

Presented by Soul’d Out at Revolution Hall, this performance spotlights John Scofield’s Electrospective, a project from the three-time Grammy winner that revisits the funk-infused side of his 54-year journey in jazz. Instead of recreating earlier favorites, Scofield brings fresh interpretations drawn from his Blue Matter, Uberjam, and A Go Go periods, alongside new pieces in a similar spirit. He appears with Scofield alum and drummer-producer Adam Deitch (Lettuce), keyboardist Larry Goldings (Scary Goldings, James Taylor), and bassist Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Co., Tedeschi Trucks Band, Allman Brothers). The program leans into the fusion grooves audiences often request, delivered by a lineup assembled to let the music speak.

With featuring OTEIL BURBRIDGE, LARRY GOLDINGS & ADAM DEITCH. Ages 21 and up

London-born singer and songwriter SIENNA SPIRO announces the “My House” tour, including an extensive North American fall run followed by dates in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, UK and Europe.

Just last week, SIENNA released the official music video for her enthralling single “The Visitor.” Written and produced by SIENNA with Omer Fedi (SZA, Lil Nas X) and Michael Pollack (Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus), the song draws its power from a spellbinding vocal recorded in one take, lyrics that cut to the bone, and a 20-piece string orchestra led and arranged by Academy Award-winner Peter Rotter (Oppenheimer, The Last Repair Shop). While SIENNA’s poetry and the video nod to matters of the heart, by the song’s end, we sense that she’s singing about something more: a strong awareness of impermanence — of things ending and people leaving — that can quickly turn into paralyzing fear. That sentiment is the driving force behind the concept that powers Visitor, the album.

Of course, SIENNA is very much here to stay. Her music has amassed over 1.2 billion global streams so far and, in late March, she had a trio of singles climbing the Hot 100 all at once: “The Visitor” (which so far peaked at #43), heartwrenching UK Platinum smash “Die On This Hill” (#19), and the enduring “You Stole The Show” (#55). All three are set to appear on Visitor, which was executive produced by Fedi with additional production from an elite crew including Blake Slatkin, Yakob, and Pollack, plus composers like Larry Gold (Al Green, Silk Sonic) and Rotter. SIENNA and her hand-picked collaborators brought her vision to life in an array of legendary spaces like Electric Lady Studios in New York, Abbey Road Studios in London, and Valentine Recording Studios in Los Angeles.

Part of the Portland Book Festival, ‘Sight Reading - Musical Dialects’ features world-renowned songwriters performing newly created arrangements alongside musicians from 45th Parallel Universe. Night one features Jimmie Herrod, Black Belt Eagle Scout, and Nick Jaina.

Celebrating the release of his debut memoir Showbiz! My Life as a Middle-Aged Man, comedian Murray Hill hits the road with a one-of-a-kind show that is part cabaret, part stand-up, and part behind-the-curtain tell-all. The self-proclaimed “hardest working middle-aged man in show business” brings his signature mix of razor-sharp wit, rampant ad-libbing, and heartfelt storytelling to the stage for a night of big laughs and hard-won wisdom from an outsider who made it his way.

This marks Murray’s first time bringing his own comedy show to Portland, after hosting several shows and tours there over the last 20 years. He can’t wait to bring showbiz to Polaris.

Backed by his swinging live band The Baloney Sandwiches, Murray Hill turns every show into a full-throttle cabaret concert comedy spectacle. With retro flair and a wink of mischief, he works the room seamlessly between storytelling, crowd work, and musical moments. It’s loose, unpredictable, and alive, where anything can happen and usually does.

November 4, 2026

Special Concerts

The Philip Glass Ensemble returns to Portland for Powaqqatsi, an artful cinematic experience that speaks to the impact of modernization and industrialization on traditional ways of living. Seen through the lens of communities across the globe, the narrative is amplified by compositions from Philip Glass that feature native, classical, and electronic instruments. Enjoyed alone or as the second in The Qatsi Trilogy, you won’t want to miss this thought-provoking performance from The Philip Glass Ensemble and conductor Michael Riesman.

po.waq.qa.tsi (from the Hopi language, powaq sorcerer + qatsi life) n., an entity, a way of life, that consumes the life forces of other beings in order to further its own life.

• Michael Riesman Conductor
• Members of Portland State University Chamber Choir Ethan Sperry, Conductor
• The Philip Glass Ensemble
• Oregon Symphony

This concert is part of the Special Concerts series, and is eligible for the Choose Your Own Series (Portland only). Concert length is approximately 1 hour 40 minutes. No intermission.

Concert begins promptly at the time listed.

Daniel Nwosu Jr., better known as the artist Dax, shows no signs of stopping after riding a wave of success that has led to nearly four billion global career streams. Dax released a slew of fan-favorite singles in 2025, following his country-infused breakout song “Dear Alcohol,” which amassed over 350M streams and his genre-blending viral hit “Lonely Dirt Road,” leading to his Lonely Dirt Road headline tour last fall. The tour sold out, hitting major cities worldwide, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and more. In 2026, Dax continues to build on that success with more new music, starting with the release of “Temptation,” “God, Can You Hear Me?” and “Caught You In The Bed,” out now. More new music and headline tour dates are on the horizon.

Sparked by his millions of devoted TikTok followers, Dax has amassed over 48 million followers across his social platforms. He has collaborated with Darius Rucker, Elle King and Maverick City Music. His music has found space by blending genres and has appeared on numerous Billboard charts, including Spotify’s Viral 50 (US and Global). He has received multiple Platinum certifications for “Dear Alcohol,” “Lonely Dirt Road,” and “To Be A Man” ft. Darius Rucker. He has performed live on NBC News, ABC News and TODAY.

Sunday, November 1st, 2026 8:00PM Roseland Theater All Ages General Admission Floor | 21 & Over Reserved Seating Balcony No refunds or exchanges. Tickets are non-transferable. Will Call name changes not permitted. Domestic Bliss Tour VIP Package...

After many years celebrating the music of Big Star via the collective known as Big Star’s Third, Jody Stephens (the last surviving member of the original Big Star lineup) had an idea.

“I truly loved touring the world and performing Big Star’s Third with a core group, a variety of special guests, and a chamber orchestra playing the beautiful orchestrations created by Carl Marsh and Chris Stamey. But when the idea of celebrating the 50th anniversary of #1 Record came up, it was time to pare the production down to a five-piece rock band. So I called a few close and like-spirited musical friends.”

Enter some of the legendary group’s biggest fans, who have long been associated with Big Star and related projects. The band now includes Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Jon Auer (The Posies), Pat Sansone (Wilco), Chris Stamey (The dB's) and Stephens. Dubbing themselves the Big Star Quintet, it’s a lineup that is both personal and close in spirit to #1 Record and Radio City.

THE BUENA VISTA ORCHESTRA (sometimes referred to as The Buena Vista Social Orchestra, Orquesta Buena Vista, etc) is the world's foremost Cuban music repertory ensemble - featuring a lineup of musicians from groups like The Buena Vista Social Club, AfroCuban All Stars, the bands of Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo, Chucho Valdés, Willie Colon & more!

Virtuoso Cuban violinist Rolando Morejón Reyes (who joined the 2024 tour across several dates) leads an exciting set of musicians pulled from the original Buena Vista Social Club performances, Celia Cruz, AfroCuban All Stars, and more. His credits include leading the Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín, the bands of Omara Portuondo, Willie Colón, Cachao Lopez, Oscar D’León and many more. Maestro Rolando is joined by the likes of trumpeter Antonio Perigo (Omara Portuondo, Oscar D’ León, Celia Cruz, AfroCuban All Stars), percussionist Miguel Valdés (Celia Cruz, Cachao López, Chucho Valdés, AfroCuban All Stars, Ibrahim Ferrer Jr & Buena Vista All Stars, McCoy Tyner), pianist Helder Rojas (La Charanga Habanera and noted for his playing at the famous Buena Vista Social Club Havana concerts), international trombone sensation Yosmel Garcerarn (Trombonañga, Ibrahim Ferrer Jr & Buena Vista All Stars, Buena Vista Social Club, Paulito FG), Latin Grammy nominee & world famous percussionist Pepe Epsinosa (AfroCuban All Stars, Arturo Sandoval, Cubanismo!) & more!

To date, The Buena Vista Social Club, The Buena Vista Orchestra and related projects have toured the world and garnered global acclaim, ticket and record sales in the millions and been the subject of various documentaries, theatrical productions and more - making it the biggest-selling and best known Cuban music project in history. SSK Music Presents is proud to carry on this tradition and give a new generation of musicians and music industry professionals equity and opportunity through this profound musical heritage.

This Event is All Ages and Reserved Seating.