The Portland Chamber Orchestra [PCO] was founded by renowned Russian-born Finnish composer and conductor, Boris Sirpo in 1947. Sirpo founded the Finnish Vyborg Music Institute in 1918 and worked as its director, until the Winter War began in 1939. Leaving his war-torn country Sirpo moved to Oregon in 1943 and directed the Marylhurst College String Department. In 1945, Sirpo began a 21-year career at Lewis & Clark College. It was shortly after moving to Lewis & Clark that he established the Portland Chamber Orchestra. The Portland Chamber Orchestra was initially formed with Sirpo's students from Lewis & Clark College and was based on the campus for many years. PCO is the oldest incorporated chamber orchestra in the United States.

Paul Bellam lived in Portland from 1966 to 1987. In addition to teaching at Lewis and Clark, he conducted the Portland Chamber Orchestra, played with the Portland (now Oregon) Symphony and the Portland Opera, was artist in residence at George Fox College, and conducted the Oregon Symphonette and the Hood River Orchestra. He performed in many recitals and concerts, sometimes in three roles: violin soloist, viola soloist, and conductor.