In November of 2001, a small group of musicians with a common vision came together. That vision was to provide talented musicians an outlet to share their gifts with the community; to learn, to enjoy and to participate within an organization that desires to achieve something more than just a place to play.

From the beginning, the members have been strongly committed to the need to be both innovative and stable while also offering a different musical experience. Research identified the strengths and weaknesses of the orchestras and musical groups in metropolitan Portland and allowed OPACO’s founders to isolate those elements that keep musical groups thriving and patrons pleased and to develop achievable goals for the young organization.

January 2002 marked a whirlwind of development and growth. Armed with data that identified how to fail, OPACO worked hard to ensure that every move ensured success. Filing for Oregon non-profit status and IRS 501 (C) (3) were the first steps. We became a real entity, on paper. We now needed to be a real chamber orchestra.

No one knew who we were, and advanced to professional musicians did not want to invest time in just another musical group. We needed to attract and retain top talent. Most musicians who enjoy chamber orchestral work also love small-group ensembles; thus, some of our first public performances were by trios, quartets and quintets. OPACO became committed to maintaining our ensemble groups, which led us to community, civic and regional performances and raised our visibility as a viable group.

We ultimately found that simply playing good music was not enough; there were many more opportunities for OPACO to contribute locally. Parents and community leaders approached orchestra management with the idea of forming the first youth chamber orchestra in Oregon. With a great deal of excitement and support, the Oregon Pro Arte Youth Chamber Orchestra (OPAYCO) debuted in the summer of 2003. This performing chamber orchestra consists of 45 talented young musicians who range in age from 12 to 23. We are proud to say that it is the only youth orchestra in Oregon that does not charge tuition. With a successful audition, our youth arm of the OPACO organization sponsors each young musician through the donations from family and friends, as well as corporate and private support.

In addition, our “Young Musicians Scholarship Fund” assists talented young players who need financial support for private lessons, instrument rental, music camps or special programs. This program reflects our ongoing commitment to providing a positive contribution to our community.

Through our experience with OPAYCO, we identified another need. There were many young musicians whom we had to turn away until they reached appropriate levels of age or skill. In an effort to keep these young people from becoming discouraged, and to provide them with a formative orchestral experience, in 2005 we created a younger group called the Pro Arte Conservatory Strings (PACS). These musicians, age 8 to 14, also audition for their seats and have a tuition requirement, at half the local rate, until they are successfully placed in the more advanced group, where they will be sponsored.

The contributions of our musicians in terms of time, energy and a commitment to success are unparalleled. This, coupled with dedicated leadership by a proactive board of directors to guide OPACO’s growth and development, results in a growing, healthy organization devoted to top-quality musical performance.