Opera in the Park has featured free world-class opera performances for the Portland community for over two decades. They recently announced the appointment of their first-ever Executive Director, Ashley Clark.
Ashley has a very special relationship with the organization. All Classical host Brand Parisi spoke with Ashley about her new role, and Opera in the Park’s upcoming production of Bizet’s Carmen on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at Portland’s Peninsula Park. Learn more at operaintheparkportland.org.
All Classical Radio is the Official Media Sponsor for Opera in the Park.
Oregon Symphony presents “Celilo Falls” (and also Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade”) in Salem on June 6 and in Portland on June 7, 8, and 9, 2025. All Classical Radio’s live broadcast starts at 7:15 on Monday, June 9, 2025, and will be archived for two weeks at allclassical.org.
On June 9, 2025, All Classical Radio is excited to present a very special live broadcast of composer Nancy Ives’s Celilo Falls, inviting local listeners and those around the world to experience this historic performance in a virtual setting.
All Classical Radio’s Director of Programming John Pitman’s latest Arts Blog interview is a timely one, in conjunction with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Memorial Day.
Composer, pianist, and vocalist Huang Ruo’s latest recording An American Soldier is a powerful and moving opera based on the true story of a young Chinese American Army solider named Pvt. Danny Chen, who was found dead at his base in Afghanistan in 2011, and the ensuing courts-martial of Chen’s fellow soldiers.
John’s interview is with composer Huang Ruo and his longtime creative partner librettist David Hwang (M. Butterfly, Yellow Face, and the Broadway production of Tarzan among others), who share their interactions with Danny’s mother and father in the musical telling of this tragic but also important American story.
Hear their conversation below:
An American Soldier is now available digitally in collaboration with the American Composers Orchestra and Platoon. For more, visit platoon.lnk.to/anamericansoldier.
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.
Photographer Joe Cantrell shared a collection of images to accompany the broadcast. See the Scenes of Celilo.
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.
Hosted by All Classical Radio’s Brandi Parisi and Christa Wessel, and produced by veteran journalist Tess Vigeland and President & CEO Suzanne Nance, the live broadcast aired at 7:15 PM PT on Monday, June 9, 2025, on 89.9 FM in Portland/Vancouver, and worldwide at allclassical.org.
After the live broadcast and national syndication, the recording of Celilo Falls will be included in All Classical Radio’s third Recording Inclusivity Initiative album:
“It’s an honor to amplify Celilo Falls for our community and the world. Thanks to our partnership with the Oregon Symphony and Navona Records, Celilo Falls will be featured on All Classical Radio’s third Recording Inclusivity Initiative album, in 2026, highlighting three women composers.” – Suzanne Nance
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.
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.
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.
Leaders in the statewide arts community met Monday to discuss approaches to cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. Afterward, they addressed reporters to raise alarm and show a united front against the Trump Administration’s funding cuts.
“I’m here to say that Donald Trump and the unelected billionaire Elon Musk do not understand the value of arts and culture,” said Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, whose office convened the meeting at the studio of All Classical Radio in the KOIN Tower. “(They) do not understand the importance of differing opinions, and, in fact, are trying to censor opinions. And they do not understand the separation of powers our founding fathers embedded in the Constitution, and we’re here to say that we will not stand by as they attack Oregon’s arts community and culture community.”
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Beaverton, stands in the middle of a group of arts leaders at a press conference to defend the NEA and NEH from drastic budget cuts. Photo by Elizabeth Hayes.
By for Elizabeth Hayes for Portland Business Journal
At a Monday press conference, the art groups announced plans for a series of art summits to “strategize a new plan.”
When you listen to All Classical Radio, you hear handcrafted radio programming that is locally produced and community focused. In collaboration with students from Portland State University’s Branded Media Course and the PSU School of Film, All Classical invites you to explore what it means to make radio for humans, by humans, with a brief and powerful behind-the-scenes look at the station’s approach to independent classical music public radio.
“What [All Classical Radio hosts share] of themselves…is what I think helps to create a narrative and a relationship with our listeners” says Director of Music and Programming John Pitman in the video.
“Connection is hard to come by,” adds Radio Network Program Director Brandi Parisi. “[All Classical] fills these gaps in places that people really need. We get letters from folks who say, ‘I feel like I know you,’ ‘I feel like you’re my friend.’ There’s nothing more human than that.”
Michael Stringfield: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Branded Media, PSU School of Film
John Pitman: Director of Music and Programming, All Classical Radio
Brandi Parisi: Radio Network Program Director, All Classical Radio
About All Classical Radio’s Arts Mentorship and Education Initiatives
This project with PSU and the PSU School of Film highlights All Classical Radio’s commitment to community collaboration, arts and media education, and supporting the next generation of creatives and leaders. The station’s robust mentorship and education initiatives include the unique Young Artist in Residence and Youth Ambassadors programs, paid internships, arts journalism and productino mentorships, and more. Its International Children’s Arts Network provides access to music and the arts for children, families, and educators 24/7 at icanradio.org.
Thank you to Michael Stringfield, Portland State University Adjunct Assistant Professor, Branded Media, PSU School of Film, and all of the brilliant PSU students involved in bringing this video to life.
Renowned for his interpretations of the music of Russian composer and mystic, Alexander Scriabin, celebrated pianist Yevgeny Sudbin is host John Pitman’s latest guest for this Arts Blog interview.
On Sudbin’s newest album, Ver La Flamme (Toward the Flame), the pianist shares his deep knowledge and appreciation for the music of the early 20th century composer, and his imaginative and thought-provoking piano pieces. The album includes preludes, études, sonatas, and fantasies.
In his conversation with All Classical Radio’s Director of Programming, John Pitman, Sudbin shares some fascinating stories about Alexander Scriabin’s wild ideas about the direction of his music, and his audiences. Listening to these works reminds us why the composer and his music truly feel “outside of time.”
All Classical Radio invites you to tune in for New at Noon, an original feature airing weekdays at 12:00 PM PT. Join host Brandi Parisi for this midday special showcasing new recordings, recent releases from today’s leading artists and composers, and updated interpretations of classical favorites.
Host Brandi Parisi shares, “All Classical Radio’s music library is constantly growing and evolving, and New at Noon is a perfect opportunity to discover and share exciting new recordings as they become part of our playlists. On New at Noon you’ll hear everyone from Lang Lang and Aaron Copland, to Mari Samuelsen and Soyoung Yoon, and more. Each selection is a chance to listen, learn, and explore some of the greatest music of our time, together over the airwaves.”
Brandi Parisi, All Classical Radio’s Radio Network Program Director, brings a lifetime of public media expertise and a passion of music and story-telling to this new original feature. Tune in at 89.9FM in Portland, or worldwide at allclassical.org, and discover something New at Noon.
