Ellen DePasquale From today’s Cleveland Plain Dealer: Ellen dePasquale, one of the Cleveland Orchestra’s most high-profile musicians, has resigned as associate concertmaster, even as the orchestra is preparing to hold an audition that will displace her as second-in-line after concertmaster William Preucil. Some of you may be wondering “what’s the fuss about?” Basically, there is
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I was surfing various blogs and came across this site. It is a project of the American Youth Symphony‘s Plight of American Music Initiative. While it seems largely to be aimed at the efforts of youth orchestras and other youth ensembles, some of the points made could be applicable to major symphonic ensembles. Here is
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The memorial service for Angela Svendsen took place today. Angela was killed two weeks ago tonight along with Kjersten Oquist in a tragic auto accident on I-5. It was a good service. It had what any real examination of a person’s life has: tears, laughter, celebration, mourning. Unlike Kjersten’s service, I had a role to
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From today’s Philadelphia Inquirer: In a surprise move made without the knowledge or approval of its full musician membership, the Philadelphia Orchestra has appointed Charles Dutoit chief conductor and artistic adviser. Dutoit, 70, a longtime and frequent guest conductor here who oversees the orchestra’s summer series in Saratoga, N.Y., will assume his new titles for
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Today I went to the home of a wonderful local pianist who is accompanying a student of mine for the district solo contest. The pianist is a veteran of the concert stage and has played just about everything written for violin, viola and cello (with piano) over the years. The student was on his maiden
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This afternoon the first of two memorials to be held for Kjersten Oquist and Angela Svendsen was held. It was a remarkable event. There must have been at least 250 people in attendance at the Portland Golf Club in SW Portland. What a testament to the impact that Kjersten had on her family, colleagues, students,
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Here is the obituary from The Columbian: SVENDSEN, ANGELA JOYCE Angela Joyce Svendsen, 31, passed away February 11, 2007. She was born January 28, 1976 in Bellevue, WA, to Gordon and Kathy Schuster. Angela was an extremely devoted wife, daughter, sister, and friend. As a violin teacher, Angela loved her students and drew limitless pride
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On Thursday evening, the Eugene Symphony went ahead with their scheduled concert featuring flutist James Galway. They also found some very touching and meaningful ways to express their grief and honor Kjersten and Angela, their two colleagues who were killed last Sunday night in a wrong-way accident. You can read three accounts of the concert
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I’ve been doing a lot of thinking these past three days. Thinking of how the pointless, needless deaths of two colleagues might have prevented. It’s a difficult process, coming to grips with the inexplicable – it makes one realize the value of a strong religious faith, and the comfort which that can bring. I, however,
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Click here for a beautifully written account of who Kjersten and Angela were and why what they were doing was important. Written by OSO Principal percussionist and OBT Music Director Niel DePonte.
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I have set up a simple guestbook for remembrances of Kjersten and Angela. It can be found via either of these links: http://www.remember.oregonviola.org http://books.dreambook.com/nobleviola/main.html
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Blogger Drew McManus has collected various news links of this senseless tragedy here. An eloquent comment from the Statesman Journal’s bulletin board: Angela and Kjersten were my colleagues, my friends. I am still in shock and deeply grieved to learn of their deaths–they were beautiful, brilliant, dedicated and…oh, so deeply loved and appreciated by the
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Being a freelance musician anywhere in the country involves one universal common denominator: driving. When I lived in the D.C./Baltimore area my “gig range” was from Roanoake, Virginia in the south to Lehigh, Pennsylvania in the north. I once even did a gig in Kingsport, Tennessee. Every current or former freelancer I know has a
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My first major, formal recital in Portland (it only took 11 years!!) will take place on Saturday, April 7th at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Music Center (3350 SE Francis St, Portland, 97202). I’m delighted to be able to invite some of my incredibly talented colleagues to join with me in the music-making for this
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Johnny Mathis It was a pleasure once again to see a packed house at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall last night. Having the Itzhak Perlman series sell out followed by a special appearance by the legendary Johnny Mathis was a great way to brighten the appearance of the orchestra’s future. I hope that these artists will
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