Carla Moore – Reflecting on 25 Years with PBO

Dear PBO Friends,

It is with much anticipation that I write to you today. Our 2022-23 season is here, and it will be my 25th with the orchestra. Hurrah! I am thrilled PBO will once again resume a full season of concerts.

Reflecting on the past 25 years, there are many special moments that stand out to me. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti, St. John Passion and Mozart’s Requiem are peak events that come to mind. We recorded the St. John Passion in 2011 with stunning vocalists in an intimate setting, voices and instruments as one. Since its earliest days, PBO has enjoyed working with accomplished directors and guest artists and continues that tradition to this day.

In 2015, I had the honor of leading the program “Blazing Strings” and in 2020 faced the disappointment of Covid striking just as I was to lead the program of “Theatrical Concerti”. We persevered with what would be our first livestream of many, thanks to the dedication of PBO’s management and board.

Since the arrival in 2003 of Andrea Hess, our Director of Operations, management has ensured that our orchestra runs like a well-oiled machine, even in dire circumstances. There were many times when we had no idea if we would be able to perform our annual December Handel’s Messiah concerts due to ice or snow storms. When an ice storm cut off power to the Lewis and Clark Chapel in 2004 in the middle of the concert, we found candles and performed by candlelight—magic!

What I reflect on most, however, is the hard work of many rehearsals with my fellow musicians, and the moment at the beginning of a concert when Monica would bound onstage with such electricity, willing us to join her in creating yet another exceptional musical experience. It is these moments that shape a career and an orchestra.

I have always felt that with every PBO project, I grow as a musician and as a person. My hope is that both the orchestra and I will continue our artistic growth with our next Artistic Director. The pandemic was a difficult moment in our history, and it places us at a crucial juncture. This season we have the opportunity to reaffirm what is important to us as a leading arts organization within our community. The search for a new Artistic Director will be intense—we will work with three candidates over the space of three and a half weeks. I hope you can join us for each program that the three candidates have curated. You will have the opportunity, along with the musicians, board and staff, to weigh in on each candidate. After each concert, find a musician and please introduce yourself. We enjoy getting to know our audience. The pandemic made something abundantly clear: without you, there would be no PBO!

See you soon,

Carla Moore