About Us
Playing a Critical Role in the Region
Since its founding in 1982, Portland Columbia Symphony has become a staple of Multnomah County’s arts scene, bringing 62 paid core musicians together each year to perform a classical subscription series and myriad education and outreach events for audiences based in both Portland and Gresham. What started out as a volunteer orchestra formed by Jerry Leudders would soon become an incorporated non-profit organization, when John Trudeau took over as PCSO’s music director and conductor in 1986. Huw Edwards served in that same role from 2000 to 2012, before Steven Byess took the reins in 2014 after a national search.
Playing a critical role in the artistic landscape of the Portland Metro area, PCSO provides affordable and comfortable concert environments for audiences of all kinds, while also providing competitive, creative jobs and opportunities for the area’s leading freelance professionals, music educators, and newly established conservatory-trained musicians. As the only orchestra that performs regularly in East County, PCSO is a growing presence in the Gresham area, reaching record audiences each season.
Mission & Values
Portland Columbia Symphony is a professional orchestra serving the greater Portland area from Gresham to Hillsboro. PCSO cultivates and champions a diverse community of musicians and audiences through affordable and accessible performances. Each season we intentionally showcase living, local, and female composers and collaborators who represent our diverse and changing community.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at PCSO
Portland Columbia Symphony recognizes that orchestral music traditions have historically been shaped largely by privilege, exclusivity, and bias. Guided by the belief that our artform is strengthened and made more meaningful when it is accessible and representative of our diverse, changing communities, we commit to changing the narrative in the following ways:
- Creating space onstage each season for all who seek creative expression via the orchestral arts, including, but not limited to, living, local, female, and underrepresented composers/collaborators.
- Adopting systems and practices that acknowledge the varying needs of a diverse audience, including disadvantaged, underserved, and at-risk populations and those from differing socioeconomic, ethnic, and age groups.
- Recruiting personnel, especially at the leadership level, who bring diverse viewpoints and backgrounds to elevate underrepresented voices, bring willingness to expand institutional perspective, and bring balance to the decision-making process.
As we work to create a welcoming, accessible, and relevant concert experience for the widest possible audience, we recognize that the path to greater inclusivity is neither routine nor predictable; we therefore commit ourselves to fostering a culture of curiosity, learning, and adapting for the sake of our art form and community.
(Adopted January, 2020)
Make a difference at PCSO
Curious, talented, and open-minded individuals keep Portland Columbia Symphony going and growing on all levels. As artists and arts administrators, we recognize that our best, most creative work happens when we learn from our diverse perspectives and experiences; we are an equal opportunity employer.
Administrative Team
POSITION TITLE: Patron Services Manager / Marketing Associate
Prepared by: Kevin Irving 05/16/2023
Reports to: Executive Director
FSLA status: Full-time, exempt
Supervision exercised: None
SUMMARY: The position of Patron Services Manager / Marketing Associate is an integral part of a small yet highly dedicated team. The focus and division of tasks is meant to productively challenge the person in this multi-purpose role. The bulk of working time is devoted to audience facing operations of Portland Columbia Symphony, serving as the primary point of contact for customer service, ticket sales, and phone reception. 50% of working time will be focused, under the supervision of the ED, on marketing & communications, including some design work for social media and internal needs.
Hybrid in-person/remote options are considered.
SALARY RANGE: $42,000 annually + benefits
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
- Serves as primary point of contact for patrons, responding promptly to customer inquiries and providing outstanding customer service.
- Works directly in primary CRM database (Arts People) to set up ticketing, including subscriptions and single tickets, for all events, including GA and reserved seating, discounts and promotions, pricing, etc.
- Manages all ticket sales, enters phone and mail orders and donations into Arts People as they come in, and prints/mails tickets weekly. Runs ticketing reports as directed.
- Ensure consistent data across databases, including Arts People, Greater Giving, and MailChimp.
- Maintains the Portland Columbia Symphony website, making updates as needed/directed, in coordination with Executive Director and PCSO site platform (WordPress).
- Serves as point person for all social media and creates content for Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms as directed.
- Creates internal-use flyers, promotions, etc. as directed.
- Serves as point person for all media requests and outreach.
- Creates segmented customer lists for email blasts and direct mail campaigns, including inclusions and exclusions, using Arts People and Greater Giving.
- Attends and works all ticketed and in-person concerts, managing ticket sales and providing customer service at the hall.
- Builds audience surveys in Survey Monkey and coordinates other surveys as needed.
- Serves as office reception during work hours when applicable.
- Assists with in-house mailings and other administrative duties.
- Attends staff meetings and other meetings as required.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Demonstrated success working in a non-profit customer service environment.
- Minimum 2 years of related experience in ticket services and database management, using Arts People, Greater Giving, Raiser’s Edge, Tessitura, or similar CRM.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency in WordPress.
- Proficiency in algorithms and practices of major social media platforms.
- Ability to remain calm under pressure and solve problems as they arise.
- Ability to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends on occasion.
- Competency in the use of Microsoft Excel, Word, and Google Docs.
- Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud/Photoshop and/or similar creative programs.
- Knowledge of classical/orchestral music a plus.
- Must have reliable transportation.
Portland Columbia Symphony is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Auditions
We are not currently auditioning.
Request a Ticket Donation
Portland Columbia Symphony is pleased to offer local non-profit organizations donated ticket vouchers to help with auctions and fundraisers. Vouchers are good for two tickets to one PCSO concert, and are valued at $60 each.
Note: If you’re a social service organization looking to support clients with concert tickets, visit our Community Connections page instead.
Please submit ticket donation requests at least four weeks prior to your event – if approved, you will receive your voucher within two weeks. Note that we are unable to support organizations with political or religious affiliations.
Contact PCSO
Portland Columbia Symphony’s offices are located in the Rose City Park neighborhood of Portland, in the Rose City Park United Methodist Church.
Physical address:
5830 NE Alameda
Portland, OR 97213
Mailing address:
PO Box 6559
Portland, OR 97228
Box Office: Open Monday through Friday, 9 am – 1 pm: 503-234-4077 / info@pcsymphony.org