For my first blog interview I could think of no better person than violinist James Ehnes. I have been a long time fan of his, more than twenty years! I personally first heard the wunderkind at the Canadian Music Festival when we were among the ten national string finalists. It’s been exciting to witness his…
It’s Oscar night , but I’ve opted instead to watch My Neighbor Totoro with my two-year old. According to Wikipedia, My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ, Tonari no Totoro?), is a 1988 Japanese anime film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film follows the two young daughters of a professor and…
While tweeting with @FeinViolins today (when he asked “what was the most memorable piece you played”) I retrieved an envelope filled with programs and newspaper clippings saved from my childhood to check if I had gotten my facts straight. As I searched, I found a “Stars of the Festival” program, dated 1987. In that program…
Austrian violinist Benjamin Schmid is one who is equally at home playing classical and jazz music. In addition to his impressive concert violin career, he has also performed with other jazz violin greats: Didier Lockwood, Stephane Grappelli, and Mark Feldman. He performs October 30 and November 1 with the Oregon Symphony a concerto by William…
Really, I cannot believe that American violinist Hilary Hahn has not performed as soloist with the Oregon Symphony yet. But she will-finally- October 2nd, 3rd and 4th, performing the Tchaikovsky violin concerto at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. I definitely recommend that you go. I became Hilary Hahn fan when I heard her play at…
Superstar violinist Joshua Bell returns to perform one night only with the Oregon Symphony September 16. He will perform the tantalizing Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, a delightful piece not performed with the Oregon Symphony since I joined the orchestra. It’s one of my favorite violin concerto pieces. Its idiomatic writing, virtuosity and irresistible melodic Spanish flavor…
Quartet San Francisco is not your typical classical string quartet. As their website states, Non-traditional in their delivery, QSF redefines the sound of chamber music. “When the music says swing, we swing. When the music says groove, we groove.” Members of this fine group are Jeremy Cohen and Alisa Rose, violinists, Keith Lawrence, violist, and…