Sunday November 8

Oregon Symphony, Pacific Youth Choir

Orchestras across the country have been trying various gimmicks (acrobats! washed-up pop stars!) to win new audiences, and some of them have cashed in nicely with Video Games Live, a “multimedia experience” featuring orchestral and choral versions of music from classic video games. Hey, it is contemporary music, after all, and if not exactly what artistically ambitious listeners crave, it’s proved popular elsewhere. Will those new listeners return for regular OSO programming? With the money the orchestra is likely to make off these shows, maybe it doesn’t matter. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway., 288-1353. 7:30 pm Saturday, 3 pm Sunday, Nov. 7-8. $20-$70.

Wednesday November 11

Shen Wei Dance Arts

Based in the busy hub of New York but born in a rural Chinese village, lauded choreographer and visual artist Shen Wei’s pieces are both startling and meditative. Best known for his work for the Beijing Olympics’ 2008 opening ceremonies, Wei’s hypnotic, fascinating pair of new works Re: 1 and Re: 3 are based in part on his travels in Tibet as well as impressions of “hyper-modern” China. Performed at one point on a striking giant mandala made of shredded paper, Re: 1 often features dancers repeating a series of flowing yet off-kilter movements over and over, as if etching designs the floor and air with each pass of their arms and legs. Beautiful and enigmatic, this is a world of dance all on its own. KELLY CLARKE. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway., 248-4335. 7:30 pm Wednesday, Nov. 11. $20-$50. Visit ticketmaster.com or whitebird.org.

Friday November 13

Ian Anderson with the Oregon Symphony

[CLASSICAL ROCK] Let’s go living in the past. Only in the creaky classical-music world would bringing in the aging Jethro Tull frontman (Tull accordionist/keyboard player John O’Hara conducting) actually lower the average audience age. Bringing in rock musicians—an increasingly common ploy among American orchestras—attempts to broaden the audience for the symphony. When flamboyant belter/songwriter Anderson founded Tull in 1967, the presence of a “classical” instrument—his percussive flute—in rock still raised eyebrows, so maybe this crossover concert will work better than some. Expect the hits, including those durable early English folk-rock gems. BRETT CAMPBELL. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall 7:30 pm. $25-$130. All ages.

Saturday November 14

Portland Youth Philharmonic

David Hattner leads the oldest orchestra of youngsters in a strong and varied program: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto #4, plus some Shakespeare-inspired sounds: ballet music from Verdi’s Otello, the fanfare from Debussy’s King Lear, interludes from Oregon composer Ernest Bloch’s Macbe—er, Scottish Play, and excerpts from Prokofiev’s powerful Romeo and Juliet. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway., 223-5939. 7:30 pm Saturday, Nov. 14. $11-$37.