Welcome to The Harney County Arts in Education Foundation ...

“The life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of a nation, is close to the center of a nation's purpose – and is the test of the quality of a nation's civilization.” 

– John F. Kennedy

Oregon Experience premiered the story about Mary Dodge, the PYP and the Sagebrush Symphony on November 9, 2009 on Oregon Public Broadcasting.  Click the photo of Mary Dodge with her Sagebrush Symphony Studio below to access the Sagebrush Symphony pages at OPB which include archival photos, links and other information, in addition to video of the show.

The Portland Youth Philharmonic’s roots extend back to Harney County and the Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra.  The vibrant and talented violinist, Mary Dodge, arrived in Burns, Oregon in 1910.  She began sharing her musical gifts with the local children, playing for them in a tent at her husband’s engineering camp.  Funds were secured to purchase instruments from Harney County rancher, Bill Hanley, lawyer and artist C.E.S. Wood and Burns businessmen.  Under Mary Dodge’s careful instruction, the children began to learn to play their instruments.  By 1912, the group had become the Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra and the first concert was performed.

The vision of Mary Dodge led the orchestra to achieve musical excellence in a very short time.  The Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra toured Eastern Oregon with the Redpath Chautauqua programs in 1915.  Concert tours to Portland soon followed and the 35 member orchestra enthralled their listeners with their musical achievements.  The group was housed at the Imperial Hotel and for three performances, people stood in line for a city block to hear the young musicians.  They also performed for the state fair in Salem and won $100 for their efforts.

In 1918, Mary Dodge left Harney County and moved to Portland accompanied by several students of the original orchestra including Ruth Saunders and Gwendolen Lampshire.  Mary Dodge continued teaching in Portland and formed an orchestra at the Irvington School.  This group became the Portland Junior Symphony and was later renamed the Portland Youth Philharmonic.

Today, the Portland Youth Philharmonic maintains the standards of musical excellence that were established through Mary Dodge and the first youth orchestra in Oregon, the Sagebrush Symphony.  The Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra is world renowned having toured in Europe and Asia.  Orchestral directors have included Jacques Gershkovitch, Jacob Avshalomov, Huw Edwards and Mei-Ann Chen.  Current director, David Hattner, continues the tradition of excellence with the talented student musicians of the PYP.

Harney County looks forward to welcoming the Portland Youth Philharmonic on October 30, 2010 when the orchestra will perform in concert in Burns, Oregon to honor the Centennial Celebration of the Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra.

Click the PYP Logo below to access the Portland Youth Philharmonic Association web site to read more about the PYP.