Psycho in Concert

The Oregon Symphony is bringing Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on Wednesday, October 28, as part of their Film Concerts series. It's a live-to-picture performance, which means the orchestra plays Bernard Herrmann's score in the room while the movie runs on screen. If you've seen the film, you know the music is half the experience—the high, shrieking strings during the shower scene are some of the most famous notes in cinema history.

There's a specific detail that makes this one stand out: Herrmann wrote the entire score for strings only, and the symphony is sticking to that. Instead of a full orchestral sound, it's just the string section playing live, which keeps that same lean, nervous energy the original recording had. Sean O'Loughlin conducts, and the music follows the story of a secretary on the run who checks into a secluded California motel and meets Norman Bates.

Because the music is happening in the room rather than coming through the speakers, it adds a different kind of tension to the whole thing. It's part of the symphony's 2026/27 season, and it's eligible for the Choose Your Own Series here in Portland. Seating is reserved, so you'll want to pick your spot ahead of time.

The show starts at 7:30 PM, with doors opening at 6:30 PM. Tickets range from $35.46 to $102.41, and everyone needs one to get in.