October 10th, 2025 — Sounds Like Portland, a three-week festival led by Oregon Symphony showcase the talent of a handful of Civitellians. Darrell Grant (CRF 2025) will premiere Uptown/Downtown, a world premiere piano concerto on October 31st and esperanza spalding‘s (CRF 2018) performances on October 18th and 19th are Oregon Symphony premieres and include a work composed by Jessie Montgomery (CRF 2023).
Darrell’s performance emerges out of a collaboration between himself and fellow Portland-based composer David Schiff, who has written a new piano concerto inspired by Langston Hughes, conceived for specifically Darrell, and inspired the two artists’ long friendship and their shared artistic interests. The premiere on October 31st in Salem, Oregon will be followed by performances on November 1st and 2nd at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland.
Portland-based esperanza spalding is a bassist, singer, songwriter, composer, and GRAMMY Award winner. At the Festival, she’s performing her own songs with arrangements that showcase the expanded forces of the orchestra as well as Jessie Montgomery’s Hymn for Everyone.