It's easy to lament the prominence of “pops” in this year’s Oregon Symphony calendar—nights dedicated to music from Pokémon, Frozen, and Raiders of the Lost Ark sit alongside usual hoary suspects like Beethoven and Mozart. But it’s a continuation of a strategy that’s getting music-loving butts in seats: The Oregon Symphony recently reported that the 2015/16 season was among their best ever, with revenue records broken and the organization’s finances firmly in the black.
So let’s be grateful for one-off nights like The Music of David Bowie, Orchestrated for People Who Don’t Like David Bowie (September 29) and George Constanza Sings Fuckin’ Show Tunes (October 15 & 16), because those fill the coffers in order to pay for the real meat of the Symphony’s season, which this year showcases a truly impressive slate of lesser-known pieces from history’s best composers. It all kicks off this week with a terrific free concert on the Portland waterfront; the regular-season concerts listed below take place at the Symphony’s longtime home, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway).