Violinist Stefan Jackiw performs the gorgeous Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy this weekend with the Oregon Symphony. You may remember that Jackiw performed with the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 (Sydney, Australia) the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto:
Category Archives: Symphony Life
Strauss Don Juan
This weekend’s program at the symphony features Richard Strauss’ Don Juan, a brilliant, virtuosic piece for orchestra, and especially for the violins. A little secret: Violinists preparing for national orchestra auditions are expected to play Don Juan (first violin part) and therefore they have spent years mastering it. I do not care to count how…
Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey
Just heard that Rick Steves, that famous American traveler who is frequently on public television, will partner with the Cascade Symphony in Edmonds, WA for a symphonic journey that is sure to be enjoyable. What a great idea! But it gets better. The performances will be filmed, edited and aired on public television. The resulting…
Video Production Innovation: San Francisco Symphony
As some of you know, I am a big fan of YouTube videos and the use of multimedia to promote orchestras and the performing arts in general. While there are sound reasons why some American orchestras do not have much video presence online, it greatly annoys me that when I type and search for “Oregon…
2011 Oregon Bach Festival
Are you wondering where to get your classical music fix this summer? One wonderful option is the 2011 Oregon Bach Festival (OBF) held in Eugene, Oregon June 23-July 10. Under the artistic leadership of German conductor Helmuth Rilling, the festival is filled with choral-orchestral masterworks, guest artists, chamber music, social events, and education programs. I…
Oregon Symphony concertmaster Iwasaki leaves for Nashville
Oregon Symphony’s concertmaster Jun Iwasaki has accepted the concertmaster position with the Nashville Symphony, effective September, 2011. Iwasaki has been a great leader for the past four seasons in Portland and will be missed. I have appreciated his top level of discipline and preparation, his artistic flexibility working with artists and conductors, and his superb…
Oregon Symphony celebrates the Orchestra
Alas, the final Classical week of the Oregon Symphony’s 2010-2011 season is here this already, but what a way to go! It’s been only nine days since our performance at Carnegie Hall. The symphony soloists sound great and are a joy to listen to. Then the entire orchestra performs the virtuosic Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra….