240 Strings Community Concert
Dec
14
3:00 PM15:00

240 Strings Community Concert

240 Strings continues their community concert season on December 14 at 3pm at 28 Neal Street in Portland. The Portland Piano Trio will play the Mozart C Major Trio, written in the midst of  excruciating hardship, and the G Minor Piano Trio, which the young Chopin wrote while still in Poland under the thumb of Russian rule.

Free and open to the public! Free reservations are required through Portix.

This concert will be held at Portland Conservatory, 18 Neal St., Portland, ME.


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240 Strings Community Concert: Welcome, Spring!
Mar
30
3:00 PM15:00

240 Strings Community Concert: Welcome, Spring!

Help us welcome the new season! This concert will feature the Portland Piano Trio playing works by Grieg, Higdon, Kreisler, and Maine composer Bill Matthews.

Bill Matthews studied composition at Oberlin, the University of Iowa, the Institute for Sonologie in Holland, and the Yale School of Music. His principal teachers include Richard Hervig, Gottfried Michael Koenig, and Jacob Druckman. Among his awards and prizes are three BMI Awards to Student Composers, several grants for study abroad, a Charles E. lves Scholarship from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, two ACA recording awards, and a composer-fellowship from the NEA. He has composed music of several types, including solos, orchestral, electronic and chamber music, as well as music for the theater. Teaching at Bates College since 1978, Matthews was named the first Alice Swanson Esty Professor of Music in 1997.

Free and open to the public!

Stay after to hear some 240 Strings students perform!

Location TBD

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240 Strings Community Concert: Portland Piano Trio plays Chausson!
May
18
3:00 PM15:00

240 Strings Community Concert: Portland Piano Trio plays Chausson!

Join us for our final concert of the season! The Portland Piano Trio will perform Chausson’s piano trio, a journey from darkness to light.

Following the Piano Trio, the students of 240 Strings will perform their end of the year showcase.

Free and open to the public!

Join us after the concert for the 240 Strings Student Showcase Celebration!

Location TBA


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Nov
3
3:00 PM15:00

Portland Piano Trio: Women!! -at University of Maine Farmington

On Sunday, November 3, at 3:00 PM the Portland Piano Trio will perform a concert of pieces by Women composers at the Nordica Auditorium in Farmington. The program includes The Scarlatti Effect for Violin, Cello and Piano by Elena Ruehr, Piano Trio in G Minor by Clara Schumann, and Color Through: Brilliant Blue by Jennifer Higdon. Ruehr and Higdon are both acclaimed American composers. Clara (Wieck) Schumann, perhaps less well known than her husband Robert Schumann, was a talented composer and one of the most brilliant pianists of her time.

The trio consists of Anastasia Antonacos, piano, Tracey Jasas-Hardel, violin, and Jing Li, Cello.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.artsfarmington.org or at the door. Suggested adult ticket is $20, more if you can, less if you can’t. All welcome, no one turned away. Youth 18 and under and UMF students free.

ArtsFarmington sponsors The Portland Trio with support from the Onion Foundation, the Maine Community Foundation, Franklin Savings Bank, and the Buttonwood Trio as well as other local businesses and, of course, our members.

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Sep
30
1:00 PM13:00

Portland Piano Trio: Oceanview at Falmouth

The Portland Piano Trio will perform pieces by some of their favorite composers. (Spoiler alert: this concert features women playing music by women!)

“One of today’s finest composers was a compositional late bloomer. Jennifer Higdon wrote her first pieces in college and went on to win the 2010 Pulitzer Prize (for her Violin Concerto) and two Grammy Awards (for her Percussion Concerto and Viola Concerto). She has been praised as “a savvy, sensitive composer with a keen ear, an innate sense of form and a generous dash of pure esprit.” -Classical California KUSC

“From an early age Clara's prodigious talent at the piano was esteemed throughout Europe. Her talent at the keyboard attracted fellow composer Robert Schumann, and the pair married in 1840.
Clara continued to perform throughout her life, but her skills as a composer were never fully realised. Balancing her husband's mental instability, the pressures of a solo career, and a family of eight children put pressure on her time, but she still managed to create many important works: her Piano Concerto, Piano Trio and songs set her apart as one of the most talented - if not one of the most overlooked - composers of the era.
Clara was unsure if she should continue to write music because she was a woman. She said: "A woman must not desire to compose — there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?"- Classic FM

Elena Ruehr says of her music “the idea is that the surface be simple, the structure complex.” And from Gramophone Magazine, “The sound world is wholly Ruehr: it never sounds like anyone else and the effect is exhilarating…her output is unified by her desire to communicate effectively without compromise…” An award winning faculty member at MIT, she has been a Guggenheim Fellow, a fellow at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute and composer-in-residence with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Known for her vocal music and collaboration with poets, she has written five operas, five cantatas and a number of songs. She has also written extensively for orchestra, chorus, wind ensemble, chamber ensemble, instrumental solo, opera, dance and silent film. Her work has been performed internationally and described as “sumptuously scored and full of soaring melodies” (The New York Times), and “unspeakably gorgeous” (Gramophone).

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240 Strings Community Concert Season Opener: WOMEN!
Sep
28
3:00 PM15:00

240 Strings Community Concert Season Opener: WOMEN!

  • Portland Conservatory of Music (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In this stunning season-opening concert, the Portland Piano Trio will perform pieces by some of their favorite composers. (Spoiler alert: this concert features women playing music by women!)

“One of today’s finest composers was a compositional late bloomer. Jennifer Higdon wrote her first pieces in college and went on to win the 2010 Pulitzer Prize (for her Violin Concerto) and two Grammy Awards (for her Percussion Concerto and Viola Concerto). She has been praised as “a savvy, sensitive composer with a keen ear, an innate sense of form and a generous dash of pure esprit.” -Classical California KUSC

“From an early age Clara's prodigious talent at the piano was esteemed throughout Europe. Her talent at the keyboard attracted fellow composer Robert Schumann, and the pair married in 1840.
Clara continued to perform throughout her life, but her skills as a composer were never fully realised. Balancing her husband's mental instability, the pressures of a solo career, and a family of eight children put pressure on her time, but she still managed to create many important works: her Piano Concerto, Piano Trio and songs set her apart as one of the most talented - if not one of the most overlooked - composers of the era.
Clara was unsure if she should continue to write music because she was a woman. She said: "A woman must not desire to compose — there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?"- Classic FM

Elena Ruehr says of her music “the idea is that the surface be simple, the structure complex.” And from Gramophone Magazine, “The sound world is wholly Ruehr: it never sounds like anyone else and the effect is exhilarating…her output is unified by her desire to communicate effectively without compromise…” An award winning faculty member at MIT, she has been a Guggenheim Fellow, a fellow at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute and composer-in-residence with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Known for her vocal music and collaboration with poets, she has written five operas, five cantatas and a number of songs. She has also written extensively for orchestra, chorus, wind ensemble, chamber ensemble, instrumental solo, opera, dance and silent film. Her work has been performed internationally and described as “sumptuously scored and full of soaring melodies” (The New York Times), and “unspeakably gorgeous” (Gramophone).

This concert will be held at 28 Neal Street, Portland, ME. Parking available in lot or on street.

Free and Open to the Public! No tickets or reservations necessary.

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Portland Piano Trio: Celebrating "The Seasons"
May
18
3:00 PM15:00

Portland Piano Trio: Celebrating "The Seasons"

“Piazzolla, to this day, is claimed by everybody. He’s claimed by world music, classical musicians, jazz musicians. He’s one of us, because… people recognise, in his music, their own DNA” — Yo-Yo Ma

We wrap up the 240 Strings Concert Series in grand style with Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons” and Ravel’s Piano Trio! Maurice Ravel and Astor Piazzolla were both influential composers of the 20th century. Ravel was a French composer who was known for his unique use of harmony and orchestration, while Piazzolla was an Argentine composer who revolutionized the tango genre by blending traditional tango with jazz and classical music. Both Ravel and Piazzolla's compositions were characterized by their expressive melodies and intricate rhythms.

Presented by 240 Strings

Free and open to the public

3pm

Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St. Portland, ME

Parking available in lot and on street


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MECA x 240 Strings
Apr
29
6:30 PM18:30

MECA x 240 Strings

In partnership with the Maine College of Art & Design, the Merch Table presents a pop-up sale featuring creations by students enrolled in the Merch Table class. This multimedia exhibition and sale, the culmination of a Printmaking elective led by Professor Adriane Herman, showcases a diverse array of items, including fine art prints, T-shirts, hats, home decor, jewelry, stickers, keychains, patches, and more, all crafted by BFA students.

The pop-up exhibition will also offer merchandise supporting 240 Strings, produced by individuals from the Industries program at Maine Correctional Center. These artisans are honing vocational skills such as sewing, commercial embroidery, digital printing, and laser cutting.

Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy a concert by the Portland Piano Trio and its talented 240 Strings students at Osher Auditorium on Monday, April 29th, at 6:30.

Merch Table Hours:
Thursday and Friday: 5 – 8pm
Saturday: 11am – 6pm
Sunday: 11am – 4pm
5 – 9pm during First Fridays

Source:: https://meca.edu/event/d90d0c8/


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Portland Piano Trio: Folksong Traditions
Mar
16
3:00 PM15:00

Portland Piano Trio: Folksong Traditions

  • Portland Conservatory of Music (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Classical composers have looked to folk music for inspiration from the earliest days to the present. Piano trios by Dvorak and Wijeratne will explore the use of diverse traditional music throughout the ages, opening our hearts and ears to the world.

Presented by 240 Strings

Free and open to the public

3pm

New Venue! Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St., Portland

Parking is available in lot or on the street


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A Child's Christmas in Wales
Dec
21
7:30 PM19:30

A Child's Christmas in Wales

The beloved story of Dylan Thomas
interwoven with chamber music, holiday favorites and carols. An annual tradition not to be missed!

Gary Lindemann, narrator
The Portland Piano Trio
Ilana Davidson, soprano
Krista River, mezzo soprano

Date:
December 21, 2023
Time: 
7:30 pm
Venue and Tickets:
Sacred Heart University Community theater

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Portland Piano Trio: The Waning Light
Dec
17
3:00 PM15:00

Portland Piano Trio: The Waning Light

Our pre-solstice concert explores the waning light of the season. Composers have long been fascinated with light, mood and the seasons. We will perform a collection of light-filled works by Saariaho, Boulanger, Pärt, Bunch, Kirchner and Florence Price.
If you missed our fall concert, you will be treated to our new Steinway piano and our sweet new venue, the Parish Hall of Holy Trinity Church.

Presented by 240 Strings

Free and open to the public

3pm

Parish Hall, Holy Trinity Church, 133 Pleasant St., Portland, ME 04101

Parking available in lot or on street

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Nov
4
3:00 PM15:00

Portland Piano Trio: Autumn Colors

Our opening concert of the 2023-24 season celebrates the colors of autumn through music! With works by Kirchner, Mazzoli and Higdon, the Portland Piano Trio will dazzle with a kaleidoscope of musical colors. This will be the inaugural concert on our fabulous Steinway piano, in our cool new venue, the Parish Hall of Holy Trinity Church.

Presented by 240 Strings

Free and open to the public

3pm

Parish Hall, Holy Trinity Church, 133 Pleasant St., Portland, ME 04101

Parking available in lot and on street

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Sanford Historical Society presents the Portland Piano Trio
Jun
10
7:30 PM19:30

Sanford Historical Society presents the Portland Piano Trio

Our very traditional offering, a concert of Mozart and Beethoven, might be viewed as “basic.” But then again, Mozart and Beethoven were anything but basic! Beethoven’s “Archduke” Trio, written firmly in his so-called middle period, is full of surprising plot twists and drama. Mozart’s Piano Trio No. 5 in C Major was written just a few years before his death, and showcases a life of creativity and undeniable genius.

For more info and tickets, visit https://www.sanfordhistory.org

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240 Strings presents the Portland Piano Trio
May
21
3:00 PM15:00

240 Strings presents the Portland Piano Trio

Our very traditional offering, a concert of Mozart and Beethoven, might be viewed as “basic.” But then again, Mozart and Beethoven were anything but basic! Beethoven’s “Archduke” Trio, written firmly in his so-called middle period, is full of surprising plot twists and drama. Mozart’s Piano Trio No. 5 in C Major was written just a few years before his death, and showcases a life of creativity and undeniable genius.

At 5pm, the students of 240 Strings will perform their End-of-Year Showcase concert, and everyone is invited!

Portland Piano Trio: 3pm, Student Showcase: 5pm

Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME

Concert is free and open to the public, as part of the mission of 240 Strings to make classical music accessible to all. Donations are welcome, important, and greatly appreciated!

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240 Strings presents the Portland Piano Trio in "Optimism and Despair"
Mar
10
7:00 AM07:00

240 Strings presents the Portland Piano Trio in "Optimism and Despair"

The Portland Piano Trio presents a concert two major works for Piano Trio, David Baker’s Roots II and the mighty Brahms Piano Trio in B major. Each of these works were composed, and then revised many years later, and each of them present us with both optimism and despair. The Brahms Trio begins in B major and ends in a sorrowful B minor! 100 years later, the Baker combines joyful themes from the African American tradition with the pain and horror of slavery.

At 7pm, select 240 Strings students will show off their hard work and dedication, performing pieces they have been working on this year. The Trio will perform at 7:30.

Join us! This concert is free and open to the public, and will be performed at First Parish Church, 425 Congress St., Portland ME. No reservations required.

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Jul
25
to Aug 22

Chamber Music Institute of New England Music Camp

  • Portland Piano Trio (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

 NEMC’s Chamber Music Intensive is a two-week summer workshop for advanced high school musicians interested in immersing in the world of chamber music. Program participants will focus on two to three works in the chamber music literature, alongside a faculty representing organizations such as Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Portland Piano Trio, The New Jersey Chamber Music Society, The Borealis Wind Quintet, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Festival Orford Musique, Midwest Mozart Festival, US Marine Band Chamber Orchestra, Sequitur, VentiCordi, and The Harlem Chamber Players. 

2022 Program dates:  

July 25, 2022 - August 8, 2022

Cost: 

  • $3000

*Financial Aid is available! 

Application Deadline is March 15, 2022!

 Eligibility:

  • Instrumentation: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Oboe, Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Saxophone, Piano

For complete info, click HERE!



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Jul
20
7:30 PM19:30

Fox Islands Concerts: Folk Songs!

Chamber music on the island of Vinalhaven! For more info:

http://foxislandsconcerts.org

The program includes Haydn's "Gypsy" Trio; Piano Trio by Reena Esmail, a young composer who weaves the sounds of India into her work; and Mendelssohn's D Minor Trio, whose slow movement draws on the tradition of German Romantic song.

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Jul
6
7:00 PM19:00

Peaks Island

The program includes Haydn's "Gypsy" Trio; Piano Trio by Reena Esmail, a young composer who weaves the sounds of India into her work; and Mendelssohn's D Minor Trio, whose slow movement draws on the tradition of German Romantic song.

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May
21
7:30 PM19:30

Cancelled: Sanford Historical Society: Classics, anyone?

Due to family emergency, we have cancelled this concert.

Join us for these two giants of the piano trio repertoire, performed by the Portland Piano Trio! We celebrate the season with beloved pieces by Mozart and Beethoven. Concert is free and open to the public, proof of vaccination required.

Program:

Mozart Piano Trio No. 5 in C Major, K. 548
Beethoven Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97, "Archduke

Info and tickets can be found at https://www.sanfordhistory.org/forthcoming-events-exhibits

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May
20
6:30 PM18:30

Cancelled: 240 Strings: Classics, anyone?

Due to family emergency, we have cancelled this concert.

Join us for these two giants from the piano trio repertoire, performed by the Portland Piano Trio! Join us for these two giants of the piano trio repertoire, performed by the Portland Piano Trio! We celebrate the season with beloved pieces by Mozart and Beethoven, and some special performances by 240 Strings students.

Concert is free and open to the public, proof of vaccination required.Program is free and open to the public. Proof of vaccination required.

Program:

Mozart Piano Trio No. 5 in C major, K. 548
Beethoven Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97, "Archduke"

First Parish Church

425 Congress St, Portland, ME


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May
1
3:00 PM15:00

Portland Piano Trio at the Hanna Powell Memorial Piano Competition

240 Strings presents "Folk Songs" by the Portland Piano Trio. The program includes Haydn's "Gypsy" Trio; Piano Trio by Reena Esmail, a young composer who weaves the sounds of India into her work; and Mendelssohn's D Minor Trio, whose slow movement draws on the tradition of German Romantic song.

Sanford Performing Arts Center

Info and tickets can be found at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35877/production/1085399?performanceId=10879316

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Mar
27
4:00 PM16:00

240 Strings: Folk Songs!

240 Strings presents "Folk Songs" by the Portland Piano Trio. The program includes Haydn's "Gypsy" Trio; Piano Trio by Reena Esmail, a young composer who weaves the sounds of India into her work; and Mendelssohn's D Minor Trio, whose slow movement draws on the tradition of German Romantic song.


This free concert is at Maine Mechanics Hall, 519 Congress St, Portland, at 4pm. Please go to Eventbrite to reserve your spot and read about the covid policy at Mechanics Hall.

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Mar
26
7:30 PM19:30

Bates College: Folk Songs!

The Portland Piano Trio presents “Folk Songs!” The program includes Haydn's "Gypsy" Trio; Piano Trio by Reena Esmail, a young composer who weaves the sounds of India into her work; and Mendelssohn's D Minor Trio, whose slow movement draws on the tradition of German Romantic song.

For more info including tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/portland-piano-trio-classical-music-tickets-287891640647?aff=ebdsoporgprofile



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Mar
6
2:30 PM14:30

ChoralArt: Hope and Consolation

The Portland Piano Trio will be joining forces with ChoralArt for a concert fittingly called “Hope and Consolation,” featuring two blockbusters by Gabriel Fauré: his emotionally-charged Requiem and his Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 120.

Tickets are available at: https://www.choralart.org/Events/hope-and-consolation/

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Jan
9
4:00 PM16:00

240 Strings Community Concert: Folk Music!

240 Strings presents "Folk Songs" by the Portland Piano Trio. The program includes Haydn's "Gypsy" Trio; Piano Trio by Reena Esmail, a young composer who weaves the sounds of India into her work; and Mendelssohn's D Minor Trio, whose slow movement draws on the tradition of German Romantic song.

Concert will be presented at Mechanics Hall in Portland, 4pm, free of charge and open to all vaccinated individuals, with proof required at the door. Please reserve your FREE seat at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/240-strings-presents-folk-songs-by-the-portland-piano-trio-tickets-229039131207


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Oct
24
4:00 PM16:00

240 Strings Presents the Portland Piano Trio and "American Voices"

  • Portland Conservatory of Music (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

What do Kenji Bunch and Paul Schoenfield have in common? They are both alive and well, born and raised in the US! You’ll love hearing the threads of Americana winding through both of these wonderful pieces for piano trio. We can’t wait to see everyone in person again at the Portland Conservatory’s new space in Portland.

As always, this concert is free and open to the public!

Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St., Portland, ME

Please click this link to view the Covid-19 guidelines in place at the Portland Conservatory of Music: https://portlandconservatoryofmusic.org/coronavirus/

Program:

Kenji Bunch: “Swing Shift, for Piano Trio”

Paul Schoenfield: “Cafe Music”

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Jun
6
7:00 PM19:00

PPT concert for 240 Strings

This event is the first release in our series of mini livestreams! We decided less is more, and more is better: less time in front of the screen, and more content overall. We are excited to try this new format!

Program: “Swing Shift” (2002) by Kenji Bunch

As always, this concert is completely free and open to the public. Link to the livestream is https://youtu.be/ArUgRYM17Rs

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