Musical Interests

My passion is chamber music. This medium conveys the most intimate and deepest feelings in music, and I love playing it. I play the cello, and have explored the literature of string quartets and quintets, and piano trios, quartets and quintets, etc. My tastes are firmly rooted in the classical romantic tradition, from Beethoven to Shostakovich and Villa Lobos. Every summer I participate in two week-long participatory chamber music festivals. I am a regular attendee at the Humboldt Chamber Music Workshop at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA and the Ashland Chamber Music Workshop at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, OR.

I play informally -- just for the pleasure of making music together -- with several musicians in Salem in various groupings. I perform occasionally in church or in a Camerata Musica concert.

I am now president of Camerata Musica, which supports and encourages chamber music in the mid-Willamette Valley. Camerata Musica sponsors eight chamber music concerts a year in the Loucks Auditorium at the Salem Public Library, publishes a directory of chamber musicians in the region every three years, and sponsors “play-ins” three Sunday afternoons a year.

One high point: In 1991, as part of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death, I organized a Mozart Marathon. On one Saturday, at the Salem Public Library, 25 Salem musicians performed, among us, all 25 string quartets of Mozart. It took nine hours! I played in three of the groups, which meant that I played nine of the 25 quartets.

I also play in an orchestra from time to time. In November 1997 I was one of 68 cellists in a cello orchestra concert sponsored by the Oregon Cello Society. I have been treasurer and newsletter editor of the Oregon Cello Society.

Last modified December 26, 2008