EOU profs' music, poetry performed in Portland

Eastern Oregon University faculty John McKinnon and David Axelrod will have their collaborative work, “Darkness under Pines: Two Poems of David Axelrod,” performed in Portland Friday.

The performance is part of the Cascadia Composers Autumn Concert series featuring the works of eight Northwest composers.

McKinnon, a professor of music, and Axelrod, a professor of English and writing, teamed up to combine their original music and poetry in “Darkness under Pines.”

“I was attracted to the poems for several reasons. They have an element of ‘musicality’ built in, as serious as they are in tone,” McKinnon said. “I could imagine them being sung with a musical counterpoint, like a ‘landscape.’

“The poems had some room in them, some expanse that allowed for music.”

Last spring, McKinnon and Axelrod shared their knowledge of collaboration with senior music and English students at EOU, discussing ways to combine words and music. The culmination was a concert of original readings and musical compositions.

“All poets are frustrated musicians,” Axelrod said. “John has given me the pleasure of hearing these poems in their purest form — song. For that I am deeply grateful to John for his having relieved me of my frustrations.

“He possesses great-hearted talent. His sincerity and genuine love of language have given these poems a magnitude they would not otherwise have enjoyed.”

The two songs, “Snowbound” and “From a Forest Soon to be Logged,” will be published in a new collection of poems by Axelrod titled “Departing by a Broken Gate,” out later this fall from Wordcraft of Oregon, LLC.

McKinnon and Axelrod hope to organize a performance of the songs at EOU this winter with different performers.

Nancy Safar, singing soprano, and Jeffrey Winslow, on piano, will perform “Darkness under Pines.”

The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, 2828 SE Stephens St. in Portland.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 for seniors and $5 for students. Children under age 13 are admitted free of charge.