Oregon State University – Cascades and OSU’s Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts are launching a new concert series at Bend’s Tower Theatre that will debut in January 2026.
The Patricia Valian Reser Center — known as PRAx — opened in 2024 on OSU’s Corvallis campus. The “x” in its name signifies the intersection of the arts with other academic disciplines. As a hub for performing and visual arts, PRAx is expanding its reach to Central Oregon through the new collaboration.
“We’re excited to expand PRAx’s role in advancing artistic excellence—contributing to the innovation thriving at OSU-Cascades and enriching the vibrant, diverse cultural landscape of Bend and Central Oregon,” said Peter Betjemann, executive director of PRAx and associate vice provost of arts and humanities.
In a rare North American appearance, Yagódy will perform on Jan. 21. Founded in Lviv, Ukraine in 2016, the seven-member ensemble blends ancient Ukrainian folk melodies with theatrical performance, dramatic costumes, Balkan rhythms and haunting vocals.
On April 12, virtuoso composer and percussionist Andy Akiho — a Pulitzer Prize finalist and seven-time Grammy nominee — will present “BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging,” a collaboration with the Grammy-winning wind quintet Imani Winds. Based in New York, Imani Winds bridges traditional and contemporary music, from chamber works to reimagined arrangements.
“BeLonging” explores the issue of mass incarceration and earned a 2025 Grammy nomination.
PRAx is named for Patricia Valian Reser, an OSU alumna and volunteer leader, who has given $36 million to the OSU Foundation for the arts at Oregon State, including $25 million for PRAx.
Tickets for both concerts are $30 for the general public, plus the theater's historic preservation fee, and $5 for students. Tickets for Yagódy can be purchased at beav.es/PRAx-Yagody and tickets for “BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging” can be purchased at beav.es/PRAx-BeLonging.
To learn more about the series, visit osucascades.edu/community-connect.
To request accommodations, contact the Tower Theatre at info@towertheatre.org or 541-317-0700.
About OSU-Cascades: Oregon State University’s campus in Bend brings higher education to Central Oregon, the fastest growing region in the state. Surrounded by mountains, forest and high desert, OSU-Cascades is a highly innovative campus of a top-tier land grant research university, offering small classes that accelerate faculty-student mentoring and experiential learning. Degree programs meet industry and economic needs in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship, natural ecosystems, health and wellness, and arts and sciences, and prepare students for tomorrow’s challenges. OSU-Cascades is expanding to serve 3,000 to 5,000 students, building a 128-acre campus with net-zero goals.