Week after week the musicians of the

play in formal wear on a stage in front of thousands of people. Distant and unapproachable, they perform behind an invisible barrier that prevents audiences from getting to know them.

But in May, that will change. For one week, the players will break out of their concert shell and perform free, informal concerts at several locations around the Portland area.

The musicians want listeners to toss etiquette out the window. Not all etiquette. Don't expect to stand on your chair and sing along. But you will be encouraged to take photos, tweet, text and clap anytime the spirit moves you.

No more waiting until the end of the piece to show your appreciation. Afterwards, you can even ask the musicians questions.

Shocking, right?

Called

the weeklong series includes six evening concerts and a couple of "blitz" concerts each day.

"We want to make the symphony visible to everybody, and to thank our supporters by going to them instead of them always coming downtown," says Sarah Kwak, the orchestra's concertmaster. "We hope to make new friends and reach as many people as possible."

The idea for the series began after the Oregon Symphony canceled its return to Carnegie Hall in May because the trip was too expensive. That opened a free week for the musicians.

What to do, what to do?

Should they bolt for Hawaii? Keep practicing? Put their instruments under the bed and watch old episodes of "Frasier"?

They decided to give more concerts.

Expect to hear small groups of two, three, four and more musicians playing some of their favorite chamber music, an activity they enjoy because it offers an intimacy different from their orchestra work.

Kwak encourages listeners to ask questions. "What are our backgrounds? How did we end up here? Everybody has a unique path. Ask about our work, our instruments, our family lives, what it's like being married to another violinist."

Kwak is one of them: Her husband is Vali Phillips, who also plays violin in the orchestra.

For some concerts, chairs will sit onstage, so audiences can sit near the musicians for a more intimate experience.

Here's the schedule for evening concerts:

7:30 p.m. May 6, Eliot Chapel, Reed College, 3203 S.E. Woodstock Blvd.

7:30 p.m. May 7, Agnes Flanagan Chapel, Lewis & Clark College, 0615 S.W. Palatine Hill Road

7:30 p.m. May 8, Sunnyside Seventh Day Adventist Church. 10501 S.E. Market St.

7:30 p.m. May 10, Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, Lake Oswego 4040 Sunset Drive, Lake Oswego

7:30 p.m. May 11, West Linn Lutheran Church, 20390 Willamette Drive, West Linn

7:30 p.m. May 12, The Old Church, 1422 S.W. 11th Ave.

In addition, symphony musicians will play up to 14 blitz concerts during the week, mostly in and near downtown, including at Multnomah County Central Library, Powell's City of Books and Oregon Health & Science University.

"We hope we can do this every year," Kwak says.

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