Category Archives: ACR Happenings
Crystal Records: 49 years of music in our midst
I recently interviewed Peter Christ, founder of Crystal Records, based north of Camas, WA. With him, Oregon Symphony’s Principal Horn, John Cox, who has participated in two recent recordings. Mr. Christ founded Crystal in Los Angeles in 1966, at a time when instrumental music, of the sort that Peter enjoyed, wasn’t covered much by the …
Hilary Hahn pairs Mozart and Vieuxtemps
On the heels of her Grammy-winning “In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores”, the American violinist releases her first orchestral CD in five years with “Mozart 5/Vieuxtemps 4”. Ms. Hahn, who has been dazzling audiences with her artistry since she was a teenager, has been playing these works since she was 10 years old. The …
Thoughts on Cuba
Our trip to Cuba with Earthbound Expeditions was a success. The only complaint that I heard was that we were overfed. I have heard worse. Of course, Cuba is not like Puerto Rico or St. Martin, or any other island in the Caribbean. It is fraught, as much a symbol as a place. Our history …
Together: Yolanda Kondonassis and Jason Vieaux
He recently won the Grammy for “Play” as Best Instrumental Solo, and was also in Portland in the fall for a solo recital with Portland Classic Guitar. She has a Grammy-nominated CD titled “Air”, and next season, will perform Alberto Ginastera’s Harp Concerto with the Oregon Symphony. Now, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis and guitarist Jason Vieaux …
New Scenery, New Sounds
It’s the first day of July, and the ninth day of our residence in Suite 200 of the Hampton Opera Center. If you’ve visited the All Classical Portland Facebook page recently, then you’ve no doubt seen some of the photos and video that I’ve posted as we packed up equipment, documents and 25,000 Cds, and …
Get To Know The Hosts: Christa Wessel
As All Classical Portland’s mid-morning host, Christa Wessel has brightened up the workdays of many listeners with her distinctively bubbly voice. When she’s not on air, she can usually be found interviewing local artists for Northwest Previews, or busy with production for On Deck with Young Musicians. Christa talks about how she got into …
Get To Know The Hosts: John Pitman
John Pitman has been working at All Classical Portland since 1983, back when the station was little more than a small FM booth inside a converted classroom. After taking a radio station class at Benson Polytechnic and working part-time at the AM station, John realized that radio was what he wanted to do in life. …
Lutosławski at 100
As the Bard Festival in New York concluded over the weekend, we are reminded again of the importance and multifariousness of its subject this year, Igor Stravinsky. As his iconic Rite of Spring turned 100 this year, the classical music world, Portland not excepted, has examined the eminent composer’s oeuvre once again. The Oregon Symphony …
