Oregon Mozart Players

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Oregon Mozart Players
Also known as	OMP
Origin	Eugene, OR, USA
Genre(s)	Classical
Years active	December 1983–present
Website	www.oregonmozartplayers.org
Members
Artistic Director Glen Cortese

Oregon Mozart Players is a professional chamber orchestra based in Eugene, Oregon. The orchestra presents six concert sets in a typical season, in addition to numerous small ensemble performances and recitals by guest artists. Orchestral repertoire ranges from the Baroque period to world premieres of Twenty-first Century works. Soloists with the group include internationally acclaimed artists as well as members of the orchestra.

[edit] History

The organization was founded in 1983 in Eugene by a group of professional musicians, many from the University of Oregon, who wanted to play the wealth of music written for small orchestras and intimate venues and who recognized that they could do so and could bring this music to the Eugene-Springfield community by forming their own orchestra. Today OMP is a resident company of the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, and many of its performances take place at the Hult Center.

At first, the organization functioned as a sort of musicians' cooperative, but after a few years it established a non-profit organization with a board of directors and modest staff. In keeping with the group's roots, the corporation bylaws specify that as many as six musicians, elected by the players, may sit on the board of directors, and the board's vice president must be a player.

The orchestra's conductors and music directors have included Robert Hurwitz, Apo Hsu, Andrew Massey and Glen Cortese. A number of other distinguished musicians have served as guest conductors.

The Mozart Players encourage an appreciation of classical music among young people, as both listeners and performers. The Ticket Rewards program allows instrumental students in primary and middle schools to attend OMP concerts at whatever price they can afford. An adult may accompany the student for the same price. OMP musicians, including the conductor and guest artists, are also available to visit schools, meet with students, and share their enthusiasm for the music performed in concerts.