Portland, the lovable teenager
Portland, for all of its flaws and foibles, is a pretty fantastic place to live. Yes, we longtimers may miss the old days when Downtown felt buzzy, clean and permanently populated, but despite its metaphorical mood swings, the city is still, like a typical teenager, a basically good-natured kid with admirable qualities. Regardless of some perennial challenges, it’s hard not to love a place that evokes such a deep sense of belonging and emits such joie de vivre. Because, let’s face it: Portlanders may be a little bit weird, but we’re loyal to our core. Portlanders stick to what we love, and we’re not afraid to show it.
We stand by our airport carpet. We fight for our bike rides (naked or not). We bolster our soccer team with an army of green-and-gold. We shuffle our way through the lines in Powell’s on weekends; on rainy mornings we wait patiently for our brunches under complimentary umbrellas outside our favorite farm-to-table restaurants. We love our parks and our parades and our roses and our fun and funky neighborhoods. We relax by taking long hikes or browsing the farmers’ market; doing tastings in our world-class wine country, sipping craft beer with our furry friends at our feet. We teach our kids that they won’t melt in the rain, that mud washes out and that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear. We love raised beds and Little Free Libraries; we recycle and buy second-hand because it’s good for the planet, not just trendy.
We also passionately love the arts. A 2017 national survey showed that 73.5% of adults in Portland attend performing arts events at least once a year, which is among the highest in the country. That statistic may have shifted, post-pandemic, but at PPI, we are proud to report that our ticket sales have ever so slightly increased over the last fiscal year. From our past season, it is strikingly clear that we have a core of deeply loyal, fully committed subscribers who are as keen to attend solo piano recitals as we are to evangelize about them.
When thinking about what makes the city not just a place to work and exist, but also a place to live and be, consider how committing to another season of PPI could benefit your happiness, your health, and your overall loyalty to our community. After 47 years of providing outstanding music, we are jumping into our 48th season with the enthusiasm of a teenage boy smelling lunch. With voracious appetite. Will you join us?
Season subscription & single ticket sales open to the public on Monday, June 2nd. Visit our website, portlandpiano.org, or call 503-228-1388 to reserve your seats.