One in eight women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Inheriting the BRCA gene, prevalent among Ashkenazi Jews, means chances increase to more than 50%. A terrifying diagnosis at any age, young women might face a uniquely devastating loss. Chemotherapy may cause permanent infertility, and tamoxifen, the drug commonly used in long- term therapy,…
Greg Ewer, founder and artist director of 45th Parallel, shares his love for the violin, chamber music, the Oregon Symphony and the opportunity to push musical boundaries in Portland. His replies to the following questions have been edited for brevity and clarity. Where did you get the name for the chamber music 45th Parallel? I…
Most musicians tend to reduce their professional engagements as they age. Not Itzhak Perlman. If anything, Perlman has increased his activities. In addition to his 40-plus years as one of the world’s premier violinists, in recent years he has returned to his alma mater – Juilliard – to teach. He’s also embarked on a second…
The Oregon Symphony welcomes pianist Emanuel Ax. Ax has an unusual double feature: he plays Johan Sebastian Bach’s Concerto for Keyboard in D minor, BWV 1052, alongside Richard Strauss’ Burleske for Piano and Orchestra with the Oregon Symphony on Jan. 11-13. Ax combines unsurpassed musicianship with a self-effacing, almost diffident approach to making music, whether…
Newly appointed principal flutist Jessica Sindell’s honeymoon period with the Oregon Symphony has spawned a surprising new passion: Playing pops. “I thought they’d be a breeze, but rhythmically it’s more challenging to learn than a classical piece,” said Sindell, 23, an Eastman School of Music graduate who began her gig with the Portland orchestra in…
