The Oregon Mandolin Orchestra ("OMO") is underway, and we are looking for mandolinists and musicians to join. OMO was conceived by Brian and Elizabeth Oberlin in an effort to revive the beauty and popularity of the traditional mandolin orchestra, which was mainstream in the United States before the turn of the 20th Century. The Oberlins, who live west of Portland, selected the Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center in Hillsboro, Oregon, to host and partner with the Orchestra. OMO has four concerts slated for 2010 at the Walters Cultural Arts Center.

There will be a main orchestra, consisting of mandolin 1, mandolin 2 (perhaps mandolin 3), mandola, mandocello, (hopefully) a mandobass, and a few accompanying musicians on guitar, bass, and piano. The Orchestra will be open to hosting soloists on any instrument, as well as vocalists. The repertoire will stem from classical, folk music, swing, and rags, as there are many arrangements in these genres available for mandolin orchestra. Original compositions by Brian Oberlin and other recent composers will also be played. The Orchestra will be on a volunteer basis as far as rehearsals and performances at the Walters Cultural Arts Center are concerned.

Within the main orchestra, there will be the Oregon Mandolin Chamber Orchestra, a smaller group (approximately ten) of seasoned musicians. At each concert, the Chamber Orchestra will perform with the main orchestra, as well as separately. The Chamber Orchestra will have a small budget in order to pay its members and requires an audition. At this point, the repertoire for the Chamber Orchestra is open to original compositions, string quartets, and whatever else may arise.

Rehearsals will start in January in 2010 with the first concert scheduled in April of 2010. The rehearsals will be on Tuesday evenings at the Walters Cultural Arts Center. For those who use public transportation, the Walters Cultural Arts Center is conveniently located, just two blocks north of the Max stop in Hillsboro. Rehearsals will be every other week in January and February and weekly in March and April, up to the concert date.

Brian Oberlin is the Music Director of the Orchestra, and Elizabeth Oberlin is the Orchestra's coordinator, handling publicity, administration, fund-raising, and everything else not directly related to music.

Please contact Brian if you are interested in becoming a member of the Orchestra. I have a few mandolins and mandolas available. If you or someone you know is interested in being part of the Orchestra in a non-music capacity, please contact Elizabeth.

We look forward to hearing from you and are delighted about the launching of the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra!!

Brian and Elizabeth Oberlin

PRACTICE PLACE / TIME: (Starting 2010) Tuesday evenings at the Walters Cultural Arts Center