Conductor Boris Sirpo formed the Portland Little Chamber Orchestra in 1953 as an international touring ensemble affiliated with the Portland Chamber Orchestra. The orchestra, comprised of sixteen accomplished young female musicians under the age of thirty, first toured Europe in 1955, entertaining audiences that included famous composers and European dignitaries, including the President of Finland, the King and Queen of Sweden, and the Queen of Denmark. The tour brought director Sirpo accolades, including the first annual United Nations day trophy for promoting international understanding. A second tour in 1957 took them to Washington, D.C., where they performed for members of Congress, then to Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, England, France, Belgium, Germany, Morocco, Greece, Turkey, and Italy. On this trip, the ensemble was honored to play two concerts at the Bergen International Music Festival in Bergen, Norway, and also entertained U.S. troops stationed in Europe. African American soprano soloist Georgia Laster joined the tour in Europe.
From the description of Portland Little Chamber Orchestra collection [manuscript], 1955-1957 (Oregon Historical Society Research Library). WorldCat record id: 715321699
