Arts Blog

On June 9, 2025, All Classical Radio proudly presented a very special live broadcast from downtown Portland, inviting listeners locally and around the world to experience a historic broadcast of Nancy Ives’ Celilo Falls, performed by the Oregon Symphony under the direction of David Danzmayr. The program included a brand-new arrangement for full orchestra of Ives’ captivating and moving work, paired with Rimsky-Korsakov’s beloved Scheherazade. Ives, a composer and cellist who has been called “one of Oregon’s most prominent and accomplished classical musicians,” (The Oregonian) is the principal cello for the Oregon Symphony.

Listen On Demand until June 24, 2025.

Celilo Falls, which was premiered in its original arrangement in June 2022, is a multimedia musical experience composed in collaboration with Indigenous storyteller Ed Edmo and Native American photographer Joe Cantrell. This live broadcast will expand access to this powerful piece for listeners in the Pacific Northwest, across the United States, and globally through All Classical’s online stream. The piece will then be syndicated to radio stations across the United States at no cost.

Celilo, Oregon, was likely the oldest continuously inhabited community on the North American continent until 1957, when the completion of the Dalles Dam submerged the falls and nearby settlements. Native Americans lost not only their livelihoods but their cultural home for millennia.

This multimedia work depicts the history of Celilo Falls and the Native communities who have lived there for millennia – from the Missoula floods that formed the gorge, to the inundation of the Falls in 1957 and the present day experience of those who’ve lost so much. View a stunning collection of images by Joe Cantrell to enhance your listening experience.

Many Oregonians are unaware of what was there, its significance for Native peoples, and what was lost; Ives’ piece shines a light on writer/storyteller Ed Edmo and those who still suffer from that loss, using a compelling combination of music, text, and imagery to bring a wide audience together in a shared experience.

This sonic and visual tapestry of evocative music, personal recollections, and immersive imagery conveys Native peoples’ depth of presence in this land and the universal power of place.

Courtesy of composer Nancy Ives, nancyives.com

BRANDI PARISI, HOST

As Radio Network Program Director, Brandi Parisi serves as host and producer of several programs on All Classical Radio. She regularly curates and shares music that brings together a variety of regional performances by local orchestras, chamber groups, choirs, soloists, festivals, and even up and coming new artists. You can hear her most mornings and afternoons during the week, and Sundays at 1:00 PM PT on Played in Oregon.

Brandi is also your regular host of All Classical Radio’s Oregon Symphony radio broadcasts and often hosts the symphony’s pre-concert talks.

CHRISTA WESSEL, HOST

When Christa was younger, she predicted that one day she would become a professional French horn player, but the detour to radio feels somehow fated. Christa loves sharing her enthusiasm for classical music! She’s been with All Classical Radio since 2007 and truly enjoys hosting Thursdays @ Three, co-hosting Friday Happy Hour with Warren Black, and more.

One of her favorite things about All Classical Radio is the diverse array of music and programming. Christa most enjoys sharing handcrafted playlists and programs you’ll hear nowhere else. Plus, she likes spending time with friends – like our community of listeners.

NANCY IVES, COMPOSER

Composer and cellist Nancy Ives is a musical icon, having “built a career of such spectacular diversity that no summation will do her achievements justice.” (Artslandia). She offers both depth and approachability with enduring and eloquent music inspired by the natural world. Many of Ives’ projects involve working with Indigenous communities to authentically capture, amplify, and relay their stories to wider audiences, including the multimedia orchestral work Celilo Falls. With a DMA from the Manhattan School of Music, Ives is the Principal Cellist with the Oregon Symphony and serves on the Board of Directors for All Classical Radio.

Learn more at nancyives.com.

ED EDMO, POET/STORYTELLER

Ed Edmo is a Shoshone-Bannock poet, playwright, performer, traditional storyteller, tour guide, and lecturer on Northwest tribal culture. Edmo offers guided tours to sacred Native sites, conducts workshops, and offers traditional storytelling performances, dramatic monologues, and lectures on issues such as cultural understanding, substance abuse, and mental health. Edmo is a published short story writer, poet, and playwright, and serves as a consultant to the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian.

JOE CANTRELL, PHOTOGRAPHER

Cherokee photographer Joe Martin Cantrell uses his personal depth of perspective in combination with sophisticated techniques to make visible the things that often go unseen. After two tours as a Navy officer in Vietnam, Cantrell worked as a photojournalist for UPI, Black Star, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and hundreds of other publications worldwide. He has taught at Oregon School of Arts and Crafts, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Mount Hood Community College, and was Artist in Residence at Crow’s Shadow Institute. Cantrell carries the name of an ancestor who died on the Trail of Tears and offers his own meaningful legacy through generous contributions to benefit humanitarian causes and the arts.

Cantrell was one of over 40 creatives of the Pacific Northwest profiles in All Classical Radio’s Artist Anthology. Learn more about Joe Cantrell and the Artist Anthology at anthology.allclassical.org.

OREGON SYMPHONY

The Grammy-nominated Oregon Symphony ranks as one of America’s major orchestras. Led by Music Director David Danzmayr, the OSO presents more than 100 concerts annually, in tandem with award-winning education and community engagement programs. Entering its 128th season in 2025/2026, the Oregon Symphony is the oldest orchestra west of the Mississippi.

Learn more about Oregon Symphony, and this historic performance of Celilo Falls, at orsymphony.org.