Portraits was commissioned by the Tonhalle Düsseldorf for concerts that introduce classical music and musicians to young audiences. The original version completed in 2015 for a colorful octet consisting of flute, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, violin, contrabass and two percussionists has been performed on numerous occasions. The director of children’s concerts Ariane Stern conceived a delightful narrative that accompanies the music. The narrative imagines neighbors living in a typical city dwelling. One neighbor is an inventor working on a strange contraption, twin girls are aggressive flirts, another neighbor nervously paces her apartment in high heels, an older man sits in contemplation, one person always has something to whine about, another is terrified of the cellar, and lastly, an athlete lives on the top floor training for his next event. The present orchestral rendering was completed in 2022.