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Renowned local artists create ‘instrument of art’ to help kids sing

Portland artist Paul Missal, with the help of Oregon Symphony Music Director Carlos Kalmar, has ‘retuned’ an old musical instrument to raise new musicians.  His work “Spring Lieder”, a mixed-media creation featuring the image of Kalmar pained on a viola, is being auctioned off this week, proceeds to benefit students of PP&R’s Community Music Center.  The online auction ends Saturday, June 16 at 11:15 am Pacific time.

Artist Paul Missal used oil paint, acrylic, paper and diamonds with a re-claimed, hand-carved viola to for this newly-created 'instrument of art', featuring an image of Oregon Symphony Music Director Carlos Kalmar, who posed for the work and also signed it.  A link to detailed images and information on bidding can be found on the Community Music Center’s web site: www.CommunityMusicCenter.org and Facebook album.

"The image shows the Maestro conducting a goldfinch who is singing his Spring song for him. A woodland fairy is perched on our director's shoulder listening to the performance. While on the face of the viola a cat lurks. The strings are host to a audience of butterflies,” says Missal.  The title “Spring Lieder” refers to the tune (“Lied” is German for song) the bird is singing, and is also a play on words, as the work was created soon after the Oregon Symphony season finale of Stravinksy’s “Rite of Spring”, lead by Kalmar.

“We are so grateful to Paul and Carlos for this wonderful, generous gift”, says CMC Director Gregory Dubay.  “Paul Missal has gone above and beyond to create an inspired work with a broad appeal.  Everyone who sees it goes ‘Wow!’”, said Dubay, adding “This will literally make kids sing.”  All proceeds of the sale of this auction go to CMC Inc., the non-profit partner at the Center, to support need-based scholarships for youth who otherwise would not be able to afford music lessons.

A painter and founding member of Blackfish Gallery, one of the nation’s oldest continuously running cooperative galleries, Paul Missal teaches painting, drawing and design at Pacific Northwest College of Art. He maintains an active studio practice while showing in numerous regional one-person shows. Missal also paints many official portrait commissions, including the official state portrait of Governor Bob Straub, four of the deans of OHSU, and Dr. Chenowith of the Devers Eye Clinic at Good Samaritan Hospital. In addition, Missal has painted numerous murals locally, nationally and internationally, in private residences and for companies and hotels such as The Benson Hotel and the Imperial Hotel, Portland; the Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong and Bangkok; and the Hilton Hotel, Hong Kong.

The Community Music Center (CMC) is a Portland Parks & Recreation facility in partnership with an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that raises money to help subsidize tuition fees at the school.  It serves families across the Portland area and supports those with limited economic means by increasing access to music performances and educational opportunities.  Benefit concerts such as this one support a need-based scholarship fund that enables students to follow their dreams in music.  For more information, call 503-823-3177 or visit www.communitymusiccenter.org.

For more information, call 503-823-3177