Eugene Symphony to honor running legend Steve Prefontaine with world premiere and multimedia concert on June 4, 2022
Posted on December 15, 2021
EUGENE, OR — As the World Track and Field Championships come to Oregon in 2022, Eugene Symphony will honor one of Oregon’s greatest champions, Steve Prefontaine. Before his untimely death in 1975, he set 14 American records in distance running, and legends of his accomplishments still resonate across the world today. Featuring original music by Oregon’s best-known composer, David Schiff, this stirring multimedia project will be enhanced with imagery projected on a screen above the stage and punctuated with spoken accounts of Steve’s life performed by Oregon Contemporary Theatre actors. Words of tribute and gratitude, submitted by Steve’s fans around the globe, will be woven into the performance to underline his impact that endures today.
The creative team includes Oregon Contemporary Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director Craig Willis, veteran sports journalist Curtis Anderson of TrackTown USA and Oregon Track Club Elite, and Steve’s sister Linda Prefontaine.
“Few athletes have ever captured public imagination as Steve did, and still does,” says Executive Director Scott Freck. “His is a story of perseverance, heart, and unmatched drive. Steve’s legacy lives on, undimmed, and we are proud to showcase one of Oregon’s best and brightest in this extraordinary new way.”
“Two movies, a documentary, and now a symphonic work created about an unremarkable kid who grew up in a rural town of 15,000 people on the Oregon coast. Wow!” Linda Prefontaine adds. “My brother would be very humbled by all of this attention and recognition. His records have been broken, his times replaced with faster times, but what has never been replaced is the size of his heart. He is an example of selflessness, compassion, and fairness. His life ended at 24 but his amazing story continues to inspire people worldwide.”
Submit your tribute: Visit eugenesymphony.org/prefontaine to submit a brief description of between 25 to 60 words on how Pre has impacted your life or inspired you to be your best self, or how you would say thank you to him if you could. Submissions are due by February 25, 2022. Watch the Eugene Symphony’s social media channels in spring 2022, as they may share some of these words in advance of the concert performance in June.
Tickets: Tickets available now, ranging from $49.50 to $93.50. Student/youth tickets available for $20.
Purchase at eugenesymphony.org or the Hult Center Ticket Office 541-682-5000
Interview & Media Opportunities: High-resolution photos available upon request. For interviews, contact Associate Executive Director Lindsey McCarthy or lindsey.mccarthy@eugenesymphony.org.
About Eugene Symphony
Now in its 57th season, the Eugene Symphony is a nonprofit and 83-member part-time orchestra based in Eugene, Oregon led by Music Director & Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong with a mission of enriching lives through the power of music. With the addition of virtual programming initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Eugene Symphony reached more than 60,000 people around the world. Now back in the concert hall, Eugene Symphony presents annual classical and pops concerts, as well as music education and community engagement programs, regularly commissioning and premiering new American works, and disseminating its performances via radio broadcasts and recordings. More at eugenesymphony.org.
