Watch Hidden Women of Rome!

You’ve been asking for weeks, and we are elated to share what’s been percolating behind the scenes for months.

Next season’s lineup is here, and it is packed with everything we love about Baroque music. Violin fireworks by PBO principals, Handel’s Messiah in an intimate hall, a journey into early American Baroque, and a luminous nocturnal finale with Mozart. Artistic Director Julian Perkins has built a season of extraordinary contrast and connection, and it all begins this October.

What’s Coming

The season opens with Art of the Violin. Bach, Vivaldi, Leclair, and Locatelli on a single stage, each pushing the violin to its expressive limits with dazzling brilliance. You’ll hear PBO players you know and love bringing their own interpretations to one of the most thrilling programs of the year.

From there, our wind players step into the spotlight for Winds of Fortune, an intimate chamber evening with Telemann, Vivaldi, and some wonderful surprises. November brings The Bach Dynasty: J. S. Bach and three of his sons in vibrant conversation, four distinct voices spanning a century of musical change, including C.P.E. Bach’s Flute Concerto with its striking intensity and bold unpredictability.

December belongs to Handel. Messiah, performed on period instruments and led by acclaimed guest director Gary Thor Wedow, runs four performances at Sanctuary Hall (including a Thursday evening highlights performance). This is the winter tradition you don’t want to miss, and tickets will go fast.

The new year brings discovery. American Baroque traces Moravian composers forging new musical paths in the early colonies. Viols at Court, curated by Principal Cellist Joanna Blendulf, immerses you in the warm, reedy world of Restoration England with a thrilling bass viol finale that will bring the house to its feet.

March offers something deeply moving: Liberation, built around Bach’s Ich habe genug, a profound meditation on acceptance and peace featuring returning countertenor Tai Oney. And the season closes in April with A Little Night Music — Boccherini, Rameau, and Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik sending you home glowing.

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2026/27 Season at a Glance

Art of the Violin: Bach, Vivaldi & Leclair
Saturday, October 10, 7 PM
Sunday, October 11, 3 PM

Winds of Fortune: Vivaldi & Telemann
Saturday, October 17, 7 PM

The Bach Dynasty: Symphonies & Concertos
Saturday, November 14, 7 PM
Sunday, November 15, 3 PM

Handel’s Messiah
Thursday, December 10, 7 PM (Highlights)
Friday, December 11, 7 PM
Saturday, December 12, 3 PM
Sunday, December 13, 3 PM

American Baroque: Haydn’s Moravian Connection
Saturday, February 13, 3 PM

Viols at Court: Purcell & Locke (Joanna’s Podium)
Saturday, February 20, 7 PM
Sunday, February 21, 3 PM

All Ages Concert
Saturday, February 20, 2 PM

Liberation: Bach, Telemann & Pergolesi
Saturday, March 13, 7 PM
Sunday, March 14, 3 PM

A Little Night Music: Mozart & Friends
Saturday, April 10, 7 PM
Sunday, April 11, 3 PM

This month, we invite you to travel back to the opulent world of 17th-century Rome to experience an intimate, exclusive salon bankrolled by royalty, attended by the elite, and performed by some of the most humble and unexpected.

Below is an abbreviated version of the program notes for the Hidden Women program for March 14 & 15.

In 1654, Queen Christina of Sweden (1626-1689) abdicated her Protestant throne, converted to Catholicism, and moved to Rome, where she was received as a hero of the Counter-Reformation.  A fierce intellectual who wielded influence in church politics and civic leadership, Queen Christina is one of only seven women buried at the Vatican. Her patronage of the arts—particularly within Rome’s numerous convents—is the starting point for this program. Within years of arriving in Rome, Christina founded a house orchestra employing leading composers (Corelli, Scarlatti, Pasquini, and Carissimi), established the Arcadian Academy dedicated to history, science, and the arts, and opened one of Rome’s first opera houses, the Tor di Nona.

This program also highlights another pillar of Queen Christina’s values: female monastic life. Melani’s Magnificat and Benedictus, scored for four sopranos and two mezzo-sopranos with continuo, actually lists the names of the nuns who performed them, something extremely rare in pre-modern manuscripts. While the manuscript doesn’t specify which convent commissioned these works, my research revealed that the six women lived and sang at the Augustinian convent of Santa Lucia in Selci in Rome. The rediscovery of these six virtuoso singers at the convent and the modern premiere of works composed for them is an important step in reconstructing the forgotten role of female musicians in the history of Baroque music. The music that Melani composed for these nuns is no less technically demanding or sophisticated than anything he wrote for the professional male singers of the day.

The three instrumental works by Pasquini, Corelli, and Scarlatti represent the flowering of instrumental music in late 17th-century Rome, intimately connected to Christina’s patronage of young, innovative artists. Pasquini’s Sinfonia a quarto was the overture to a now-lost dramatic work. His first opera for Christina’s new theatre, L’Alcasta, focused on feminine revenge; he composed over thirty dramatic works between 1672 and 1692. Corelli’s Trio Sonata Opus 1, No. 12 in D Major concludes his groundbreaking first published collection, the Sonate da Chiesa, which appeared in Rome in 1681, dedicated to Queen Christina.

Upcoming Event:

Hidden Women of Rome: Lost Music of Sacred Divas

March 14, 2026 | 7:00 PM
Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational
1126 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205

March 15, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Kaul Auditorium
3017 SE Woodstock Blvd
Portland, OR 97202

This Valentine’s weekend, sweep your favorite person (or your favorite self) into a full Baroque date experience with Shadows and Light: French Baroque from Rameau to Couperin.

Make it a Night to Remember:

Saturday, February 14

Start with dinner somewhere cozy and conversation-worthy, then drift into Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational for a program of French Baroque magic.

One of the most delightful parts of having a venue on the Park blocks is just how close it is to amazing restaurants, bars, museums, and other music venues. PBO loves being a part of such a vibrant downtown arts community.

So if you are headed to the Saturday evening show, some nearby date-night wins such as Higgins for classic Northwest romance, Southpark Seafood if oysters feel on-theme, or Migration Brewing for a more laid-back start.

A fuller list of places to try can be found here (with a handy map too)!

Or Make It a Dreamy Day Date:

Sunday, February 15

More brunch people than night owls? We see you. Start with a leisurely lunch or coffee near Kaul Auditorium, then ease into an afternoon concert that moves from the hush of night toward the warmth of sunrise.

It’s the musical equivalent of that perfect slow Sunday where time stretches, and everything feels a little softer.

Some favorite eateries near Reed College include brunch at Cafe Rowan, Nudi Noodle Place for some stir-fried delights, pizza and beer at Double Mountain Brewery, and plant-based lunch at Laughing Planet.

A fuller list of places to try can be found here (along with a map)!

No matter the day you choose or the meal you pick, we know Shadows & Light pairs well with a full belly and a full heart. Food. Music. Atmosphere. A little drama. Très magnifique. See you soon!

Shadows & Light: French Baroque from Rameau to Couperin

February 14, 2026 | 7:00 PM
Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational
1126 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205

February 15, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Kaul Auditorium
3017 SE Woodstock Blvd
Portland, OR 97202

At the heart of this year’s Keys & Teas recital and fundraiser is an instrument you don’t often see on our stage: PBO’s fortepiano, generously donated by our previous Artistic Director Monica Huggett. We rarely break it out, which makes this event all the more intriguing. This particular fortepiano is a Stein copy, modeled on an early instrument by Johann Andreas Stein, one of the most influential piano builders of the 18th century.

Why does that matter? Because Stein changed everything. In 1777, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart encountered a Stein fortepiano and famously wrote to his father that it was far superior to others he had played—thanks especially to its revolutionary escapement mechanism, which allowed for greater control, nuance, and expressive clarity.
Recently, PBO’s fortepiano received a transformative update from Paul Irvin, a master builder and restorer who has worked full-time on historical keyboard instruments since 1976, building more than 60 harpsichords, clavichords, and related instruments. 

Paul was “pleasantly surprised” by how well the instrument was originally constructed, crediting the excellent work of Donald Mackinnon, and noted that fortepianos, once properly voiced and regulated, tend to hold their improvements longer than harpsichords. Built in 1987, the instrument benefited enormously from updates made possible by modern research and materials that simply didn’t exist at the time of its construction.

Paul restrung the fortepiano using historically appropriate materials, replacing the modern steel strings of the ‘80s and ‘90s with phosphorus iron and newly drawn brass wire that more closely mimic the sound composers would have been familiar with. Unlike steel, these materials produce a smoother, richer timbre and a more resonant, longer-lasting sound. He also replaced key components, eliminating overly stiff modern materials that dampened vibration and color.

The result is a fortepiano that sounds more balanced, vibrant, and true to its historical intention. While still quieter than a modern piano, it now bridges the gap beautifully, revealing why the fortepiano represents such an important step in the evolution of keyboard instruments and why it shines so brilliantly in intimate chamber and salon settings.

Our fortepiano spans a range from F1 to F6, offering a sound world that is lighter, more transparent, and more conversational than the modern piano, which is perfect for chamber music.

This year’s program brings that sound world vividly to life, with Artistic Director Julian Perkins at the fortepiano and Christine Wilkinson Beckman on violin.

Together, they’ll perform:

• Franz Schubert: Sonatina in D Major, Op. 137, No. 1
• C. P. E. Bach: Sonata in D Minor
• C. P. E. Bach: Fantasia in C Major
• W. A. Mozart: Sonata in B-flat Major

From Bach’s mercurial imagination to Mozart’s radiant lyricism and Schubert’s youthful warmth, this program is tailor-made for the fortepiano’s expressive voice—and for the close, convivial atmosphere of Keys & Teas.

Secure your seat before January 20 for a bonus raffle ticket and other additional perks for supporting us early and often!

Join us for an afternoon where history, artistry, and community meet over exquisite music (and, of course, tea). Keys & Teas is not just a fundraiser—it’s a rare invitation into PBO’s musical heart.

KEYS & TEAS 2026

Feb 07, 2026 | 2:00 PM
Sentinel Hotel
614 SW 11th Ave
Portland, OR 97205
Tickets are still available

For many Portland Baroque Orchestra fans, Messiah is a cherished annual ritual. For percussionist Mark Goodenberger and his daughter, soprano Noelle Goodenberger, it’s something even more profound: a musical thread woven through their family’s life.

We sat down with them to talk about family musicianship, beloved traditions, the endurance required for Messiah, and what it means to make music together after decades of shared history.

Mark, you’ve performed Messiah countless times. What keeps the piece alive for you?

Mark: Yes, I stopped counting after 200 Messiah performances. For me, Messiah is a ritual. I only play three movements, but I’m onstage the whole time to keep the drums in tune. Each year, the experience shifts. So much can impact the performances, depending on the weather, the conductor, and the atmosphere in the group. Jos [van Veldhoven] is a brilliant musician, and working under him keeps the piece fresh. I try to relax and let the mood of the ensemble guide me.

Noelle, you have experienced Messiah many times, but have performed it far fewer times than your dad. What is it like stepping into such a legendary tradition?

Noelle: There’s something almost mythic about singing this work—it takes you through so many emotional highs and lows. There is a point in Messiah where everyone is hanging on the alto as she brings you down so low, you feel like you’ve gone through hell, and you come out exhausted and transformed. It’s like “bam, bam, bam,” and I look forward to those moments when we really take everyone on a journey.
But the intimacy of PBO’s ensemble makes it beautiful; if I were singing this with a massive 100-piece orchestra and choir, I don’t think I’d enjoy it as much. The scale here allows you to feel the story deeply and personally. It feels special, and I’m looking forward to experiencing it again with all of you.

How do your individual experiences with Messiah shape how you approach the music?

Mark: Weather changes everything for percussion—humidity and temperature affect tuning, so preparation means staying flexible. Beyond that, I let the conductor’s approach shape the performance. Jos is demanding, but he delivers something extraordinary every time.

Noelle: Every conductor and every set of soloists changes the energy. What I’ve had to learn is vocal stamina—three hours is no joke. Vocal care becomes personal accountability. Right before a performance, I need a moment of quiet to reconnect with the part of me that loves this story; otherwise, I won’t be grounded.

Do either of you have a movement or moment that feels especially meaningful?

Mark: Absolutely—the Amen. Some conductors pull back dramatically, and when I enter with that strong beat and ornamentation, it can be electrifying. And I love the choral fugue before that moment.

Noelle: There’s a moment when the choir sings a cappella, and the violins echo us—that is so precious to me. And then my dad enters on percussion, and that connection is really special. I also love the chorales after “He is despised”—they have this light, slightly quirky character that I find delightful.

Noelle, what was it like growing up with professional musician parents?
Noelle: My parents showed me their love for music without ever telling me how I “should” love it. I was that kid running through the pews during Messiah and absorbing it as something joyful and playful—not just serious work. That foundation allowed me to choose music for myself later. And now, when I perform with musicians who have worked with my parents, it feels like stepping into a lineage of shared stories.

Mark: We always had music playing—at home, on road trips, everywhere. I tried to make sure the joy of music was always present. When Noelle was little, we’d record on a four-track machine, make goofy songs, and just create. She’s a wonderful songwriter; watching her grow into her many talents has been inspiring.

Were there any musical “family rules” passed down to you?

Mark: If it’s not fun, don’t do it. And if you have to do something, find the fun in it. Staying connected to joy helps with nerves and keeps the work meaningful.

Noelle: I always watched my dad ground himself before performing—quietly connecting with the music. He didn’t teach it explicitly, but I absorbed that. Right before I go onstage, the only thing that matters is being fully present.

What do you admire about each other’s musicianship?

Noelle: My dad’s ability to stay grounded and connected to the music is something I aspire to. There’s a steadiness in his artistry that I really admire.

Mark: Noelle brings this incredible blend of curiosity, creativity, and emotional honesty. She’s fearless about exploring new genres, and her musical instincts are sharp and joyful.

Finally, what advice would you give young musicians or musical families?

Noelle: Let kids engage with music in whatever way feels natural—movement, excitement, stillness, anything. Music isn’t something to gatekeep. A friend brought her three-year-old to PBO’s All Ages Concert, and the second the music started, the kids were totally centered and thrilled. That’s what we should nurture.

Mark: Some of my favorite memories are dancing with my daughters. Find the internal groove and have fun—it’s the foundation for everything.

EVENT:

Experience Messiah

As you’re filling your calendar with holiday traditions, don’t overlook the oldest continuously performed choral work in history: Handel’s Messiah. Since its 1742 premiere, audiences around the world have returned to this oratorio for its emotional sweep, radiant storytelling, and sheer musical power—and here in Portland, PBO proudly carries that tradition forward.

If you’re looking for a shorter experience, join us Thursday evening for a 2-hour highlights performance. Or, for the full arc of Handel’s vision, immerse yourself in the complete three-hour Messiah on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday—performed with the authenticity, artistry, and heart that define Portland Baroque Orchestra.

It’s a tradition our musicians cherish each year—and one we’re thrilled to share with you.

Messiah: The Highlights
December 11, 2025 | 7:00 PM
Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational
1126 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205
Tickets still available

December 12, 2025 | 7:00 PM
Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational
1126 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205
Tickets still available

December 13, 2025 | 3:00 PM
Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational
1126 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205
Tickets still available

December 14, 2025 | 3:00 PM
Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational
1126 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205
Tickets still available

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PBO’s November concert theme of Father vs. Son prompted a closer look at the families into which Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Philipp Telemann were born. A fuller understanding of Bach’s and Telemann’s relationships to their respective families may give insight into their creative development. And, what different families they were! Georg Philipp Telemann was born in 1681 to a respected family of Magdeburg. In the year of Bach’s birth (1685), the death of Telemann’s father left four-year-old Georg surrounded by a family that would prove unsupportive of his musical life. The budding musical talents of young Telemann were evident, but developed largely through self-education. His interest in composition ran parallel to his ability to perform on several instruments. Counter to his family’s intention that he become a lawyer, Telemann launched his musical career while a university student in Leipzig.

In contrast, Johann Sebastian Bach’s musical family was a legend in its own time. This dynasty of professional town and church musicians grew in the conservative Lutheran soil of Thuringia. Under the shadow of Wartburg Castle, where Martin Luther had translated the New Testament, generations of the Bach family had passed down musical talents and training. By the age of ten, Johann Sebastian was orphaned by the deaths of his mother and father. Johann Sebastian and a younger brother were placed in the care of their older brother, Johann Christoph. Through the tutelage of his organist brother, Johann Sebastian’s musical world expanded to include lineages beginning with Pachelbel— Johann Christoph’s teacher—as well as Kerll, Froberger, Böhm, and Buxtehude. From beyond Germany, the works of Lully, Marchand, Frescobaldi, and others became known through manuscript scores. Bach’s and Telemann’s paths crossed in Leipzig, where Telemann founded the Collegium Musicum later directed by Bach during his time as Thomaskantor. Their friendship is best evidenced by Johann Sebastian’s having Georg Philipp stand as godfather and namesake for Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.

Despite dissimilar familial attitudes toward music, these two musical masters shared certain aspects of humanity. Both were fathers to large families, each remarrying after the death of his first wife. Telemann’s first wife, Amalie Louise, died after the birth of their daughter. His second marriage produced nine children, but proved so stormy that Georg and “seconda” Maria Catharina eventually lived apart. In sharp contrast, Bach’s marriage to Maria Barbara brought seven children into a loving home before she died in 1720. Three infants did not reach adulthood, but their firstborn, Catharina Dorothea (1708-1774), began a century of sibling lives that extended until the death of Regina Susanna in 1809. The sons of Johann Sebastian and Maria Barbara are well known:  Wilhelm Friedemann, Carl Philipp Emanuel, and the troubled Johann Gottfried Bernhard.

Bach’s second marriage to Anna Magdalena gave the world not only the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, but also seven surviving children from thirteen births. Johann Christoph Friedrich and Johann Christian became successful musicians. Gottfried Heinrich, Elisabeth Juliane Friederica, Johanna Carolina, and Regina Susanna are not identified as musicians. Yet, along with the Telemann siblings, all were witnesses to the remarkable talents and creativity of families who expressed themselves in music of perennial power.

EVENT:

Experience Father vs Son: Two Bachs & Two Harpsichord

Truncated All Ages Concert
November 15, 2025 | 2:00 PM
Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational
1126 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205

November 15, 2025 | 7:00 PM
Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational
1126 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205

November 16, 2024 | 3:00 PM
Kaul Auditorium
3017 SE Woodstock Blvd
Portland, OR 97202

As a veteran player — though I prefer the term continuo survivor — people sometimes ask what keeps me optimistic about Baroque music. I usually smile and say, “Well, have you met Henry Purcell, Georg Muffat, Antonio Vivaldi, or Tomaso Albinoni lately?”

Their music — our music — is so masterfully conceived, so vividly alive, that every time I open a score, it feels as if the ink is still wet. It’s new because they were new — always experimenting, always daring. Our task, simple yet impossibly hard, is just to play it with all the love, care, and virtuosity we can muster. If we manage even a tiny fraction of their brilliance, the music will sound brand new — because it is.

The musical theme for the season, ground bass, could sound like a recipe for repetition. (After all, how many times can we descend the same four notes?) But in truth, that ground bass is less a rut and more a runway—a firm foundation for imagination. The Italians would call it Exquisitioris harmoniae instrumentalis gravi-jucundae or “of the most exquisite, serious, and delightful instrumental harmony.”

Speaking of imagination, the big question becomes: Is it Baroque improvisation or jazz?

Now, when people talk about improvisation, I like to distinguish between improvisation and extemporization. Improvisation is like creating music out of thin air: no plan, no map, just pure, spontaneous conversation. Extemporization, by contrast, is what we Baroque folk usually do: we create something new within a framework—ornamenting, elaborating, extemporizing over a bass line or a harmony. It’s like jazz with powdered wigs, or perhaps, jazz is Baroque in a tuxedo. Both depend on courage, inspiration, and the willingness to go for it.

Which brings me to a personal discovery that has most influenced my playing: that my greatest limitation is—and always has been—my imagination. Once I realized that, everything changed. Every phrase became an opportunity not just to play what’s written, but to think, “What if?” The challenge isn’t so much conquering technical limits, but freeing the imagination from them—turning the proverbial stumbling block into a stepping stone. Or, to borrow from the Latin again, recte et recto (to walk rightly in a straight path, but with grace) and perhaps a little rhythmic arsin per thesin (a lifting and a lowering — the musical heartbeat itself.)

And finally, if I could pass along one piece of advice to young Baroque musicians, it would be this: always follow your heart. Always. Because when you do, your phrasing, your bow, your words, your silences — all will be in tune with the universe itself. Then, as the ancients said, Propitia sydera — the stars will be favorable. And when that happens, even a simple ground bass becomes a cosmic dance, and everyone in the room — audience and players alike — will feel that we’ve touched, if only for a moment, the oldest traveler in existence: Music itself.