Synergy Quartet

Very honored to collaborate with Willamette University to celebrate International Women’s Month featuring music from women’s composers. See you all Sunday, March 8, at 2pm. Please see event details in the link below:

events.willamette.edu

Synergy String Quartet presents “Intimate Voices”

Had so much fun rehearsing at Grace City Portland Church today. Great kind people and what a beautiful space! Cozy and acoustically awesome!

We can’t wait to share these pieces with our Portland community! Two opportunities to hear these pieces:

The Synergy Quartet is excited to invite you to our concert on:

Saturday, January 31st, 2026, at 2 P.M.
Location: Saint Mark Lutheran Church
790 Marion St. NE Salem, OR 97301

Date: Sunday, February 1st, 2026, at 2 P.M.
Location: Grace City Portland Church
238 NE Mason St. Portland, OR 97211

The Synergy String Quartet will be performing:

- String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor by Ralph Vaughan-Williams
- String Quartet in D Minor "Voces Intimae" by Jean Sibelius


Featuring Guest Violist, Chris Fotinakis
Josh Koller - Cello
Sidran Olson - Violin
Mai Dotran - Violin

Christopher Fotinakis is a violinist, violist, composer, arranger, vocalist, and music educator specializing in strings and choral music. After leaving his hometown of Carson City, Nevada in 1996 to study music at the University of Portland under violinist Holly Stern and choral conductor Roger O. Doyle, Chris put down roots in Portland and has been performing across Oregon and Washington ever since.

As a violinist and violist, Chris performs regularly in orchestras and pits, most recently with Orchestra Nova Northwest, the Oregon East Symphony, Mid-Columbia Symphony, Willamette Master Chorus, Stumptown stages and Portland Center Stage. He is a core member of alt-classical group ARCO PDX and has served as concertmaster for the Portland Choir and Orchestra.

As a vocalist, Chris has held positions as a cantor at First Presbyterian and All Saints Episcopal Churches. He has been a member of the Portland Vocal Consort, Portland Baroque Chorus, Oregon Bach Festival Choir and the Resonance ensemble, with whom he performed in the world premier of Damien Geter’s “An African American Requiem.”

When Chris isn’t performing, he’s in the classroom teaching strings, choir, music theory, and music history to Portland’s youth. Currently, Chris directs music at Trinity Academy where he founded the strings program, and regularly works with Oregon East Symphony's Youth Orchestra and the Metropolitan Youth Symphony as a conductor and strings coach.



As with all our concerts, admission is FREE. A suggested donation of $10 is appreciated to help cover performance costs.



We look forward to seeing you all there!

Announcing the 2025/2026 Synergy String Quartet season!

We are excited to announce our upcoming season with more concerts than seasons past and more ways to see us perform in the community through the remainder of 2025! Our season is as follows:

Saturday November 1, 2025, 4 pm, St Mark Lutheran Church, Salem, OR
Members of the Synergy Quartet will perform a concert of piano trios with guest artist Crystal Zimmerman!
Works by Debussy and Clarke

Saturday January 31, 2026, 2 pm, St Mark Lutheran Church, Salem, OR
String quartet works by Sibelius and Vaughan Williams; featuring violist Chris Fotinakis!

Saturday June 6, 2026, 2 pm, St Mark Lutheran Church, Salem, OR
String Quartet works by Beethoven and Shostakovich;
featuring violist Koy Field!

Upcoming events and concerts featuring members of the Synergy String Quartet:

Salem Orchestra
Saturday September 27, 2025, 1-6 pm, Scenic Valley Farm
Experience a day of live music, featuring everything from classical chamber pieces to pop covers and rock and roll. Enjoy fine wine, delicious food, games, and a silent auction—all supporting Salem Orchestra's mission to bring exceptional concerts and impactful educational programs to our community. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to support the arts while enjoying the hospitality of our generous sponsor, Scenic Valley Farms Vineyard & Winery.
*food is provided with your ticket purchase, and wine is available for purchase by the glass or bottle

Salem Philharmonia Orchestra
Concert #1: Oct 11 & 12, 2025 – Eroica
Featuring Steve Vacchi, bassoon

Antonín Dvořák – The Wood Dove
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Bassoon Concerto
Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)
Concert #2: Nov 22 & 23, 2025 – Family Concert
Concert Times – 2:00 pm Saturday and Sunday

Antonín Dvořák – Slavonic Dance No. 8
Felix Mendelssohn – String Symphony No. 7, mvt. 1
Maurice Ravel – Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant, from Ma mere l’Oye
Ippolitov-Ivanov – Procession of the Sardar from Caucasian Sketches Suite No. 1
Hector Berlioz – Rakoczy March from The Damnation of Faust
Dmitri Shostakovich – Waltz 2 from Suite for Variety Orchestra no. 1
Leroy Anderson – Fiddle Faddle
Aaron Copland – Ceremonial Fanfare
Silvestre Revueltas – Sensemayá
Be on the lookout for more opportunities to see the Synergy String Quartet live! We thank you all for your continued support

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Such a treat playing with the Portland Le***an Choir this weekend! One more show to go!