bridge & bow winter 2006 · portland. 6:30 and 7:30 pm. free. january 29: winterreise, a...

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es Events Calendar…………………….……………………….. 2

Ronald Leonard Master Class ……………………………… 3 Reflections on the Ronald Leonard Master Class………… 4 Ask Dr. Cello: Choosing a Bow……...……………………… 6 2005 Student Cello Orchestra………………………………. 10 Higher (Cello) Education: Willamette University…….. …... 14 New Salem Chamber Orchestra Director: Hekun Wu……. 15 OCS September 05 Board & Annual Meeting Minutes……15 Cuarteto Casals to Perform and Teach at Willamette……. 18

PRESIDENT

Bud Armstrong (‘08) 360.673.3566

[email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT Katherine Schultz (‘06)

503.312.4444 [email protected]

SECRETARY

Barbara Smoody (‘08) 503.249.8300

[email protected]

TREASURER/ WEBMASTER Wayne Nutsch (‘06)


ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

David Keyes 503.997.8179

[email protected]

NEWSLETTER EDITOR Laura Saddler 503.771.9347

[email protected]

Board Members

Naomi Blumberg (honorary) 503.252.7543

Jess Dishman (‘06)


Nancy Ives (honorary)


India Jobelmann (honorary)


Dorothy Lewis (‘08)


Bruce McIntosh (‘07)


Una O’Riordan (‘07)


Sherill Roberts (‘07)


Lynne Roe (‘08)

[email protected] 503.675.1942

Joan Sargent (‘07)


Charlene Wilson (‘07)


President’s Message The Oregon Cello Society has been fortunate this last year in being able to sponsor a number of master classes. It was a real pleasure to attend the Ron Leonard master class in Eugene last November, which was par-tially sponsored by OCS. Of the many classes that I have attended over the years, I believe this was the best. Mr. Leonard has made a career of both teaching and

performance. In his critiquing of the students, he talked to them as well as the audience, and concentrated on the delivery of quality sound to the audience. Yo-Yo Ma, several years ago, also in Eugene, keyed in on that same "connecting with the listener" theme, except Yo-Yo was more theatrical. See inside for the Gar and Kerstin Williams article on the class, and the student comments as well. There were some 50 people in the audience, which is too bad since it was free. There should have been over 200 there to hear the good students and Mr. Leo-nard — he was that good! Perhaps Mr. Leonard does not have the name recogni-tion in the Northwest as some other great cellists.

The fall season concluded with the first Student Cello Orchestra since 2000. There were 50 students on stage enjoying themselves, and I know they will remember the experience for a long time. It was great music and there was a good-sized crowd.

All the events sponsored by the Society take a lot of hard work and dedica-tion by individuals in the Society. It is their interest in watching and helping young people with their improved performances that keeps the Society alive, and I thank them all. The board will continue to search for playing and listening opportunities for our students and all members. As I sit here writing, a new op-portunity just dropped in. Hekun Wu, the new professor of cello at Willamette will hold First Monday Cello Class starting in February. Dr. Wu has opened these classes to students outside the University program, one to two students each month. See inside and watch our website, www.oregoncello.org.

— Bud Armstrong

Bridge & BowBridge & Bow Oregon Cello Society — Winter 2006

Bridge & Bow — Winter 2006

Events Calendar

January 16: Shanghai Quartet plays Jiang, Janácek and Beethoven. Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU, 7:30 PM. (503) 224-9842 or www.focm.org for tickets. January 17: Shanghai Quartet plays Beethoven, Zhou Long and Bartók. Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU, 7:30 PM. (503) 224-9842 or www.focm.org for tickets. January 28: Cello students of Kathie Reed in recital. Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis Street, Portland. 6:30 and 7:30 PM. Free. January 29: Winterreise, A Portland Youth Philhar-monic Chamber Music Concert in conjunction with the Portland Art Museum's "HESSE: A Princely Ger-man Collection." PYP members play Mozart, Reicha, Beethoven and Schubert. $8 and $10. 503-223-5939. Ticket price does not include exhibit admission. January 30: Miami String Quartet with David Shi-frin, clarinet. Kaul Auditorium, Reed College, Port-land, 8:00 PM. www.cmnw.org. February 2: Instruments of Art gallery opening, fea-turing works inspired by music, utilizing “unplayable” stringed instruments from the Commu-nity Music Center. Pacific Northwest College of Art, 1421 NW Johnson Street, Portland. 5:00 PM. For info call (503) 823-3177. February 5: OCS Student Recital, Community Music Center, 7:00 PM. For information contact Charlene Wilson at 503.691.1196 or [email protected]. February 5: Hekun Wu’s debut recital at Willamette University with Elise Yun, piano. 3:00 PM, Hudson Concert Hall at Rogers Music Center, Salem. Free. February 6: First Monday Cello Class with Hekun Wu at Willamette University, Salem. 7:00-9:00 PM. Rogers Rehearsal Hall, Rogers Music Center. Free and open to the public. February 7: Cuarteto Casals workshop with the

Willamette University Chamber Orchestra, 5:00

PM, Hudson Hall, Rogers Music Center, Salem. Free and open to the public. February 7: Creativity and the Brain lecture. See p. 12 for details. February 8: Cuarteto Casals chamber music master class, 10:20 AM. Hudson Hall, Rogers Music Center, Salem. Free and open to the public. February 8: Cuarteto Casals plays works by Mozart, Ligeti and Brahms. Hudson Hall, Rogers Music Cen-ter, Willamette University, Salem. 7:30 PM. Tickets at Safeway TicketsWest (800-992-8499) or at the door, adults $20, students/seniors $12. February 25: OCS Adult Amateur Recital. Commu-nity Music Center, 3350 SE Francis Street, Portland. 7:30 PM. For information call Dave Keyes at (503) 997-8179. March 4: Jerry Bobbe, cello and Maria Choban, pi-ano play Barber, Villa-Lobos, Charlie Chaplin, and The Beatles. Southminster Presbyterian Church an-nual art show (corner of Denney and Hall in Beaver-ton), 7:30 PM. March 5: Zuckerman Chamber Players perform Bridge, Mozart and Brahms. Kaul Auditorium, Reed College, Portland, 4:00 PM. www.cmnw.org March 6: First Monday Cello Class with Hekun Wu at Willamette University. 7:00-9:00 PM. Rogers Re-hearsal Hall, Rogers Music Center, Salem. Free and open to the public. March 11: Make Music Portland adult amateur chamber groups. Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis, Portland. 6:30 PM. Free. (503) 229-5720. March 12: Collin Heade plays Tcha ikovsky's Pezzo Capriccioso for cello and orchestra with the Wil-lamette Falls Symphony. Oregon City Methodist Church, South End Road, 3:00 pm. March 13: Tokyo Quartet plays Mozart, Bartók and Brahms. Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU, 7:30 pm. (503) 224-9842 or www.focm.org for tickets.

(Continued on page 9)

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Oregon Cello Society

Ronald Leonard Master Class Inspires Cellists and Audience Members Alike

By Gar and Kerstin Williams

Amateur cellists, proud relatives of the performers, and mu-sic-lovers in general enjoyed an inspiring and entertaining master class by distinguished cellist Ronald Leonard on Saturday, No-vember 5, 2005 at the University of Oregon, Eugene. The event, cosponsored by the University’s Department of Music and the Oregon Cello Society (OCS), drew an appreciative audience, in-cluding several OCS members. Mr. Leonard, Professor at the University of Southern Califor-nia, immediately established a warm rapport with the student per-formers. Each player received many useful hints. Musical inter-

pretation, left- and right-hand mechanics, bowing technique (including bow speed), thumb po-sition, shifting, ingredients for daily practice, body language, stage presence, vibrato, tone quality, and how to tackle difficult passages are just some of the many features that Mr. Leo-nard emphasized. An example of the many helpful points was to "present your personality" to the audience boldly, confidently and forthrightly right from the very first note. (We audience members were also wowed by his ability to apparently sight read difficult passages while play-ing standing up!) We often hear from teachers and coaches that we must slavishly follow the music exactly as it is written. It was therefore quite refreshing to hear Mr. Leonard say that it's important to experiment with tempi and dynamics (even within a given phrase), even though they either aren't written into the score or differ from what's written. As an extreme example, he men-tioned how Shostakovich occasionally would accompany his own works with a performer who completely disregarded the composer’s notations; Shostakovich then would declare that the new interpretations were better than his own score. On the program were Kenny Lee, who played Pampeana #2 by Alberto Ginastera; Eric Al-len with two movements of the Solo Suite for Cello by Gaspar Cassado; Travis Nutsch, who played the first movement of the Kabelevsky Cello Concerto in G Minor; Nicholas Toben with the first movement of the Dvorák Cello Concerto; and Derek Newell, who played the first two movements of the Shostakovich Sonata. The accompanists—unsung heroines and heroes, as always—in this class were excellent and were a significant contribution. Thanks again to the University of Oregon, Steven Pologe, and the OCS for a very successful event.

Ronald Leonard is the Gregor Piatigorsky Professor of Cello at the University of Southern California, and former Principal Cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

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On November 5, 2005, Ronald Leonard gave a master class at the University of Oregon. Below are reflections from the five performers who participated in the class that day.

Travis Nutsch In Ron Leonard’s master class I played the first movement of Kabalevsky’s first cello concerto Op. 49. I have done other master classes in the past, and Ron Leonard’s approach was very direct and to the point. I was impressed with what I got out of it. He showed me the difference in how I was playing at the tip of the bow and how I should be playing at the tip of the bow. The difference was dramatic and some-thing I had never noticed before. He also gave me suggestions on interpretation and fingering, which I usually don't get in a master class. It was very benefi-cial. I was really nervous to work with Ron Leonard, but being able to play for a world-renowned cellist was pretty cool.

Reflections on the Ronald Leonard Master Class

Nicholas Toben Besides feeling nervous about playing for Mr. Leonard, I felt honored and excited that I was chosen to play for him. I performed the first movement of Dvorak's Cello Concerto in B minor with pianist Mi-hyun Kim. After performing the movement, Mr. Leonard wanted to focus on performance aspects of the work, such as selling your performance, using more bow to your advantage in sound production, and worrying more about the final product rather then technical perfection. It was great to tackle these issues during the mas-ter class because often as students, we are always be-ing told that some aspect of or technique is not quite right. Often, we focus on very specific details of technique (which of course is important) without looking at the bigger picture, which is the perform-ance, and ultimately the final product. As I prepare for DMA auditions this winter, I certainly will not forget what I learned that day.

Nicholas Toben takes some tips from Ronald Leonard. Photo courtesy Bud Armstrong.

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Travis Nutsch and Ronald Leonard. Photo courtesy Wayne Nutsch.


Eric Allen This master class helped me remind me and in-troduce different ways of practicing and preparing a solo. One question I remember was, "Do you work on just on sound?" I was confused at first but then Ron Leonard demonstrated just playing one note and see-

ing the different sounds he could get out of it by chang-ing the vibrato and pressure of the bow. Then he asked if I had thought about what kinds of sounds I wanted to get within the piece. I have honestly never thought about it before — I would practice a passage

slowly for intonation but not experimenting with the different timbres and seeing which one I liked the best. Another comment was that I was playing my piece too freely (I was playing an unaccompanied piece). Part of the problem was that I wasn't stressing the important beats of the bar, mostly the first one. Because the piece had difficult chords or more inter-esting harmony after the first beat, I was stressing those beats instead. Leonard said that because I was-n't giving a clear indication of the meter that the aud i-ence [would] hear the piece to be a little too free and lose interest. I will definitely keep this in mind when preparing an unaccompanied piece again. It was a pleasure working with Ron Leonard and I will re-member there is more to preparing a piece than just slow intonation and articulation work. Derek Newell The master class taught by Ron Leonard was defi-nitely an enriching musical experience. It is such a great experience to play for such a renowned artist. I feel that the information that he passed on will affect my playing in a very positive way. Even now, almost a month after the class, I am still applying his con-cepts of phrasing and musicality to all of the pieces in my repertoire. During the class, I realized how impor-

tant it was to really let the ex-pression of the music comes first. Although it is important to play in tune and in time, we must not forget to in-clude musicality and character as well. Mr. Leonard was a great guide in this direction. I would like to thank the Oregon Cello Society very much for this enlightening experience. Kenny Lee The day of master class with Ron Leonard was a wonderful and a very inspiring experience. However, the MTNA competition was to be held on the same day, so I was both very eager and concerned in many ways. I pondered on what I was going to hear from him that would somehow affect my performance in the competition. His teaching style and approach re-minded me very much of my teacher’s, and my moti-vation increased as I kept playing Ginastera’s Pam-peana No. 2. He was very direct with his comments and he often demonstrated passages on his cello for me to try to imitate. He also wanted me to scrupu-lously focus on the rhythms towards the end as well as try some varying types of vibrato in the slow sec-tion of the Ginastera. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay and listen to the rest of the master class, because I had to leave im-

mediately for the MTNA competition. I wish that I could've seen the rest of the class. However, the competition went much better than I’ve expected as I had Mr. Leonard’s comments embedded in my mind, which had me winning in the state division.

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Derek Newell and Ronald Leonard. Photo courtesy Bud Armstrong.

Eric Allen and Ronald Leonard. Photo courtesy Bud Armstrong.

Kenny Lee and Ronald Leonard. Photo courtesy Bud Armstrong.

Ask Dr. Cello Ask Dr. Cello practical advice for cellists

from guest columnist Ken Altman

Dear Dr. Cello, I need advice on how to pick out a bow. Do you have any pointers on what to look, feel and lis-ten for as I’m making a choice? — Bowless Dear Bowless, The first piece of advice I can offer about choosing is bow is to try a number of them. There is no "best bow" for everyone and every instru-ment. A bow that makes one cello sing, for exam-ple, might deaden the sound of another. Likewise, a bow that is supple and light may be perfect for some players, but probably won't work for someone who plays with a lot of weight on the bow. It's not a matter of which is better; it's just that they're differ-ent. Your goal is to find a bow that draws the best sound from your instrument, while making your work as a player as easy as possible. When trying a bow, I like first to listen to the sound that it draws from an instrument. This is purely a matter of taste, so what sounds best to you is what's most important. Draw long, even strokes on each string. The effect a bow has on sound is determined by the interact-ing resonances of the bow and the instrument, and by the dampening effect of the bow, and is very difficult to predict. If you don't like the sound of a bow, set it aside and try another. After you've narrowed down your choices based on sound to two or three bows, then see how they feel and how they perform various strokes. Again, take long, slow strokes. If the bow has weak spots in the stick, or unevenness in the curve of the stick, you'll often find that it chatters at the same spot with each stroke. Try off- the-string

strokes; you may have to search a bit for the

"sweet spot" where the bow bounces best, which can be in different places on different bows. Try trills; do the individual notes speak clearly? Does the weight of the bow feel right to you? Don't worry too much about the bow's weight in grams, since balance can greatly affect the perceived weight. When you've found one or two bows that seem to work for you, it's then important to play them for extended periods in the settings in which you'll ultimately be using them. Give yourself time to get used to a bow, and to learn what it can and can't do. Those are the basics. If you would like to evaluate bows in a more technical way, there are a number of things to look at: Materials: Fine bows are almost always made from pernambuco, a very strong, dense wood from the eastern region of Brazil. Its strength and reso-nant qualities are what set it apart from other mate-rials. A bow made from other woods would have to be very heavy in order have acceptable strength. As for the resonant qualities, this is a very complex matter. Suffice it to say that just as spruce is far and

away the best wood for instru-ment soundboards, the same can be said of pernambuco for bows. Unfortunately for us to-day, pernambuco is a rare and endangered wood. It grows in the rainforests of the Amazon, and is subject to the pressures of development and the strug-gles of many of the people there to survive. The wood be-

ing used now is from existing stocks, as the Brazil-ian government is not allowing any pernambuco to be harvested. Many bow makers are experimenting with other woods, trying to find an acceptable sub-stitute for pernambuco. So far these efforts have met with only limited success.


Cello bow by Ken Altman.

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The grain of the wood should run fairly straight through the stick. If the grain has "run out," meaning that's oriented diagona lly across the stick, it is weaker at that point than straight grained wood would be. A little run out in the thicker two thirds of the stick is acceptable. However, it's important that the grain runs straight in the upper third of the bow near the tip. Because this area is thinner and more delicate, it is susceptible to damage. Straight grained wood will lessen the possibility of a broken stick or tip. Less expensive bows are often advertised as be-ing made of "Brazilwood." This has come to be a ge-neric term for just about any wood other than per-nambuco. While these bows may be fine for begin-ning students, they won't perform as required for more advanced playing. Frogs are generally made of ebony, with fittings of nickel silver, Sterling silver or gold. So-called "nickel silver" actually has no silver content, and is used only on inexpensive bows. Sterling silver or other silver alloys are the standard, and are used on bows ranging from higher grade student bows to very fine bows. The use of gold on frogs is, for the most part, cosmetic. Bow makers save their best sticks, and strive to do their best work on gold mounted bows. The shell used for the slide and eyes in the frog and button won't have an effect on the playing qualities of a bow, but some types wear bet-ter than others. The salt and acids in perspiration can deteriorate shell. White mother-of-pearl from oysters wears very little over time compared to more color-

ful abalone. (This wear can be minimized by wiping the frog with a clean cloth after each use.) The mechanics of the bow: The frog should fit well on the stick, without too much side-to-side movement. There has to be a little play here, so that the frog can slide freely back and forth. When the hair is under tension, the back of the frog may lift from a stick just a little, but the front should show no gaps and the frog should feel secure on the stick. Feel the sides of the stick and the frog where they meet. They should be even with each other; the frog should not be wider or narrower than the stick at this junction. The button should turn freely, and have only minimal play. Push side-to-side on the button; you should feel only the slightest movement. The camber (curve) of the stick: When you tighten up the bow the camber should be a smooth, even curve with no kinks or flat spots. Hold the bow right up to your eye, looking from the button towards the tip, and sight down the stick. If you over-tighten the bow a bit, any flaws in the camber will be exag-gerated and easier to see. You should also check to see that the bow is fairly straight from side to side. As you sight down the bow from button to tip, a little curve to the left is acceptable for violin and viola bows. Any curve to the right is definitely not OK. This is because when you're holding the bow in the typical playing position it is leaning away from you, or to the right when viewed from the frog end of the stick. If the stick is already curved in that direction, the tendency for the stick to hit the strings will in-crease. Because of the way cello and bass bows are held, the opposite is true; a little curve to the right is acceptable. Weight: A cello bow should be in the range of 78 to 85 grams. Eighty grams is considered about the median. I often advise players looking for a bow not to be fixated on having a bow of a certain specific weight. The balance of the bow is also an important factor, and can affect the feel of a bow at least as much, if not more, than the weight. A simple demon-stration can make this clear: Take two bows that weigh exactly the same and have the same balance point. Tape a nickel to the tip of one bow, and a nickel to the frog of the other. The bow with the nickel at the tip will feel much heavier than one with the nickel at the frog, because of the leverage of the weight so far from your hand compared with the di-rect pull of the nickel on the frog. It's not necessary to know the measurement of the balance point of

Janos Starker Master Class April 4-5, 2006

Portland State University

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Details will be announced in the spring Bridge & Bow, and also posted on the Oregon Cello Society web site at www.oregoncello.org.

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a bow when evaluating it. How it feels in your hand is what's most important. If you are interested in measuring the balance point, this is a method commonly used by

bow makers: Adjust the frog to the forward-most po-sition, so that it touches or is at least close to the thumb leather. Screw in the button until it just touches the end of the stick. Then balance the bow on your finger or a pencil, note where that point is, and measure from there to the end of the stick where it touches the button. This measurement should be in the range of 8 ½" to 10", except for bass bows which generally have a balance point a bit closer to the frog. The closer the balance point is to the tip, the heavier the bow will feel. Conversely, the closer the balance point is to the frog, the lighter the bow will feel. The strength or stiffness of the stick: When a bow is tightened to normal tension, the stick should not hit the strings when normal playing pressure is applied. What's normal bow pressure can vary a lot from player to player, and good bows can range from

quite flexible to very strong. If you have to over-

tighten a bow in order to keep the stick from hitting the strings, the stick can get "squirrelly" and tend to flex side to side when pressure is applied. Bows can be too stiff too, which can hinder the way a bow bounces and possibly the sound it generates. I've found that many good players often use very flexible bows. Rather than using a lot a pressure to draw a big sound, they use more bow speed, or the proper balance of speed and pressure. That being said, I also know some good players who like very strong sticks. Bow preference is a very individual thing. This may seem like a lot of factors to consider. It's important to keep in mind that playing music is not like operating a machine. Trust your instincts. What feels best, sounds best and makes music mak-ing the most enjoyable is what's important. — Bow maker Ken Altman lives in Silverton, Ore-gon, where he works in a small shop at his home. His bows are played by amateur and professional cham-ber musicians, orchestral players, and students across the U.S. and abroad. His website is www.open.org/~kalt

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Events Calendar (Continued from page 2)

March 14: Tokyo Quartet plays Beethoven, We-bern and Schubert. Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU, 7:30 pm. (503) 224-9842 or www.focm.org for tickets. March 31: Rutter's Requiem with Collin Heade and the Cannon Beach Chorus. Community Pres-byterian Church, 132 Washington, Cannon Beach, 7:00 PM. April 2: Rutter's Requiem, Collin Heade and the Cannon Beach Chorus. St. Catherine's Episcopal Church, 36335 Hwy 101, Manzanita, 3:00 PM. April 3: First Monday Cello Class with Hekun Wu. 7:00-9:00 PM. Hatfield Room, Hatfield Li-brary second floor, Salem. Free and open to the public. April 3: Škampa Quartet plays Mozart, Adams and Ravel. Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU, 7:30 pm. (503) 224-9842 or www.focm.org for tickets. April 4: Škampa Quartet plays Mozart, Shostakovich and Beethoven. Lincoln Perform-ance Hall, PSU, 7:30 pm. Call (503) 224-9842 or visit www.focm.org for tickets. April 21: Borromeo String Quartet and Friends perform Mozart. First Baptist Church, Portland, 8:00 PM. www.cmnw.org for tickets.

April 22: Chamber Music Northwest Spring Fam-ily Concert with the Borromeo String Quartet. 10:00 AM, The Old Church, Portland. www.cmnw.org for tickets. April 23: Ethel (string quartet) at Kaul Audito-rium, Reed College, Portland, 3:00 PM. (503) 224-9842 or www.focm.org for tickets. May 1: First Monday Cello Class at Willamette. 7:00—9:00 PM. Rogers Rehearsal Hall, Rogers Music Center, Salem. Free and open to the public. May 6: Collin Heade plays Vivaldi's Cello Con-certo, RV 413 in G major, with the Oregon Chamber Players. All Saints Episcopal Church, 4033 SE Woodstock Boulevard, 7:30 PM. May 20: Jerry Bobbe plays the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto #1 with the Beaverton Chamber Orches-tra. Oak Hills Christian Reformed Church, 2815 NW Forest Ave, Beaverton. 8:00 PM. May 28: Jerry Bobbe plays Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto #1 with the Beaverton Chamber Orches-tra. Oak Hills Christian Reformed Church, 2815 NW Forest Ave, Beaverton. 3:00 PM. Second Tuesdays: The Music Workshop—Adults perform classical chamber music with and for each other. 10:00 AM, Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis Street, Portland.

Oregon Cello Society 2006 Student Recital February 5, 2006 - 7:00 PM, Community Music Center, Portland

Teachers: I hope you are preparing two of your students (or two duets, trios, etc.) for the Student Recital. It will be held in February instead of fall this year to avoid conflict with the Student Cello Orchestra or the Scholarship Auditions. This is a great opportunity to inspire some of your students to work hard at this slow time of the year...just in time for a performance before the Solo Festivals, too. Every paid-up member teacher can send two students/ensembles to play one movement of a concerto or ensemble. Be sure to get the applications in by the deadline. Questions? Contact me at 503-691-1196 or [email protected]. Hope you all plan to take part! — Charlene Wilson, Recital Chairman

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2005 OCS Student

Cello Orchestra: A Success in Bass Clef

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“The cello orchestra was a very good learning opportunity for me. I play in MYS and my school orchestra so I am used to playing for orchestras, but I have never played in an orchestra with just cellos. This was different in good ways such as the celli al-ways got the tune, which unfortunately is rare, and that you get an opportunity to meet new people who play your same instrument, but it did not have a counter to the low sounds the cello makes. Also, we had great music to play for it and there were two small chamber groups. Overall I enjoyed it greatly and look forward to the next time it happens.” — Elliott (Elmo) Olson, student of Charlene Wilson

“It was fun and I enjoyed playing. I liked sitting in front of an audience. It made me feel lucky. I definitely want to do it again!” — Mackenzie Katherine Ray, age 7, student of Charlene Wil-son, on her first experience with Cello Orchestra.

Photo courtesy Bud Armstrong.

On November 20, at St. Anne's Chapel, Marylhurst University, the combined work of a great many OCS members culminated in a remarkable Cello Orchestra of 50 students, aged 7 to 17. They were students of 9 OCS member teachers and were brilliantly con-ducted by Gwen Gilbertson and William Hunt. It is impossible in a few words to com-municate what this experience meant to all involved, but the notes from some of the stu-dents will give you some idea. Those in at-tendance were amazed at the excellence of the performances, which included works by Corelli, Couperin, Haydn and Joplin; tradi-tional songs and transcriptions by local and international cellists. Most notable, and per-haps the most beautiful, was an arrangement of "Danny Boy" by 10-year-old Virginia Wang, an OCS member. —Charlene Wilson, orchestra committee member

National Cello Institute: www.creativeharmony.com/members/nci Cello Festivals: www.cello.org Chamber Music Northwest: www.cmnw.org Friends of Chamber Music: wwww.focm.org Camerata Musica: www.open.org/~camerata American Chamber Music Players: www.acmp.net Internet Cello Society: www.cello.org Salem Youth Symphony Association: www.youth-symphony.org fEAR nO MUSIC: www.fearnomusic.org Four Daring Celli: www.apocalyptica.com New Directions Cello Association: www.newdirectionscello.com Los Angeles Violoncello Society: www.lacello.org Violoncello Society of London: www.violoncellosocietylondon.org

Cello Resources on the Web


“In most orchestras, the numbers of cellos are limited to nine due to their ability to overpower the rest of the instruments, but imagine 100 cellos playing at once. That was my grand experience. It was exciting to play in the Oregon Cello Society Ensemble at Marylhurst University. The cello en-semble was just amazing and I never could've imagined 100 cellists all together playing in har-mony. We played beautifully with passion and vigor. It was truly a once in a life time experi-ence. I will never forget this, and if given another chance, I would definitely play with this ensem-ble again.” — Justin Chan, student of Collin Heade

“My experience with OCS at Marylhurst was positive in more ways than one. I had a positive mu-sical experience, I got to meet a lot of other cellists, and for once, I got to work with a conductor who is-n't a violinist. I am definitely looking forward to the next OCS event!” —Tanya Finder, student of Collin Heade

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“If Cello = great sound, then Cello X 50 = great sound X 50. (Guess who’s taking algebra). The cello orchestra was one of the most fun events I’ve done since I started playing the cello. The main thing that I liked was the sound. At the beginning of the first rehearsal, when all the cellos started playing to-gether, I felt a surge of adrenaline. It sounded so thick and rich. Another thing I liked about the cello orchestra was seeing all the other cellists. I had never seen so many cellists of all ages playing to-gether. I liked getting to know a few of the other cel-lists. All of them were nice (of course). I hope there will be another cello orchestra soon.” — Andrew Ponec, student of Charlene Wilson

“I really liked the way it sounded. And, I liked having the opportunity to play with older and better players!” — Erica Hauser, age 12





Oregon Cello Society Adult Amateur Recital

A friendly, supportive aud i-ence, an intimate recital venue, and the company of cello enthusiasts at intermission — what more could you ask for? (Dessert, perhaps, but

that’s also provided!) Adult amateur cellists, don’t let stage fright keep you out of the limelight. Dust off that mu-sic and practice those scales, because it’s time for the fifteenth annual OCS Adult Amateur Cello Recital. The recital is scheduled for Satur-day, February 25, 2006, at 7:30 PM in the aud i-torium of the Community Music Center, 3350 S.E. Francis St., Portland. All non-professional adult cellists are invited to participate. We will have refreshments and chance to visit during the intermission. If you would like to play, please let us know by February 10. You may complete and return the application inserted into this newsletter or send an e-mail with the same information to [email protected]. And if you would like to just come and listen, please plan to do that. For more information, please contact Dave Keyes at (503) 997-8179 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

OCS Annual Membership Rates

Students - $15.00 Adults - $25.00

Teachers - $30.00* Don’t let your membership expire. Check the short code above your name on the mailing label — if it doesn’t end in “06” renew today! *Includes $5.00 for Bridge and Bow cello teacher listing.

Creativity and the Brain

OHSU Brain Awareness Season Lecture by Nancy Andreasen, MD, PhD How do our brains allow us to be creative? Are creative geniuses born brilliant or do their life experiences shape them? Why are some of the world's most creative people also troubled by mental disorders? The OHSU Brain Awareness Season Lec-ture Series returns for its seventh year. This year's kickoff event is a lecture by world-renowned neuroscientist Nancy Andreasen, M.D., Ph.D., who will discuss creativity and the brain. Andreasen, who also has a Ph.D. in English Literature, began her career as an English pro-fessor and Shakespearean scholar. After battling life-threatening complications with hyperten-sion, Andreasen shifted her focus from art to sci-ence. Realizing that the same illness would have killed her a 100 years earlier, Andreasen decided to focus her efforts to the field of medicine where she felt she could do the most good. Dr. Andreasen, Editor- in-Chief of American Journal of Psychiatry, author of The Creating Brain, and recipient of the US National Medal of Science, is the Andrew H. Woods Chair of Psychiatry and Director of the Mental Health Clinical Research Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals. Don't miss this rare opportunity learn first-hand about the creative brain from one of the world's leading neuroscience experts, February 7 at 7:00 pm at the First Congregational Church in downtown Portland. Tickets and lecture series information available online at www.

oregonbrains.org or by calling 503 418-2515.

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Ashland Beth Goldstein 541.482.7709 [email protected] Beaverton Corey Averill 503.526.3908 Hyun-jin Kim 503.591.7542 [email protected] Corvallis Ann Grabe 541.758.0638 Nancy Sowdon (also Scio) 541.451.3348 [email protected] Eugene Dale Bradley 541.607.0246 dalebradleycello@yahoo. com Fanny Carroll 541.344.6803 Eric Eklund 541.513.7375 [email protected] Robert Hladky 541.746.0135 Steven Pologe 541.346.3785 [email protected] David Straka 541.485.0923 Gresham Jane Day [email protected] 503.665.5850 Marshall Tuttle 503.618.8655 [email protected] McMinville Sherill Roberts 503.472.7286 [email protected]

Portland / Northeast Dieter Ratzlaf 503.288.6577 [email protected] Portland / Northwest Jerry Bobbe (also Beaverton) [email protected] 503.626.1075 Fred Nussbaum 503.292.5549 Portland / Southeast Diane Farrell 503.236.8844 [email protected] Gideon Freudmann 503.231.7755 [email protected] Collin Heade 503.775.2892 [email protected] Walter Hogsett 503.774.1722 Tim Scott 503.774.4231 [email protected] Portland / Southwest Hamilton Cheifetz 503.725.3185 [email protected] Dorien de León 503.246.0093 [email protected] Salem Bruce McIntosh 503.585.4298 [email protected] Salem / Southeast Grace Burnham 503.364.4910 [email protected] Cathy Schnelker 503.364.4133 [email protected]

Georgienne Young 503.362.1525 [email protected] Tigard Hermann Jobelmann 503.524.0789 [email protected] India Jobelmann 503.524.0789 [email protected] Kathie Reed 503.639.3795 [email protected] Tualatin/Lk Oswego/W. Linn Renee Dolphin 503.957.1156 Rdolphin@ oregonmusicacademy.com Dorothy Lewis 503.699.1337 [email protected] Katherine Schultz 503.312.4444 [email protected] Charlene Wilson 503.691.1196 [email protected] Seattle, WA David T. Stone 206.586.5524 [email protected]

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Teachers: what a deal! Your name, telephone number and e-mail address can appear here for regu-lar member dues plus an additional $5.00 per year.

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The Willamette University Music Department offers sev-eral major degree programs in music, including a B.M. degree in music composition, music education and music perform-ance; a B.A. degree; and a music minor. Classes in the department of music are small. Lessons are one-on-one, usually for one hour per week. Lecture courses in music theory and history generally have no more than 8-10 students in a class, enabling time for individual consultation between student and professor. Vocal and instrumental per-formance opportunities abound, with 13 formal music ensem-bles. The Mary Stuart Rogers Music Center includes an acous-tically exquisite 450-seat performance hall, a multi- function rehearsal space, a percussion studio, faculty teaching studios and student practice rooms. Nine tenured music faculty members are distinguished scholars, performers, pedagogues and composers. In addition, every major orchestral instrument and voice type is repre-sented by Willamette's adjunct faculty, who are among the most accomplished freelance chamber music and orchestral players in the Pacific Northwest. A recent grant has enabled the university to establish a state-of-the-art digital music stu-dio, along with a proposed minor in arts and technology. Graduates typically enter teaching certification programs in music education or go on to graduate schools or conservato-ries for more specialized training in composition, historical musicology or performance. The careers of recent music alumni include a piano accompanist, a university music pro-fessor, a secondary school music teacher, a church choir direc-tor, a children's choir director, a jazz pianist and arranger, and the conductor of a regional orchestra. The newly launched First Monday Cello Class at Wil-lamette will give cello students more performance opportuni-ties. "It will create a format where cellists can exchange ideas about cello playing and teaching," said Associate Professor of Cello Hekun Wu. "I hope it will eventually develop into a cello seminar, where some of the world's finest cellists will present master classes and recitals." For more information, call 503.370.6255 or visit www.willamette.edu/cla/music.

Higher (Cello) Education Higher (Cello) Education Opportunities for Cellists at Willamette University

First Monday Cello Class at Willamette University

7:00-9:00 PM

Open to the Public Free Admission

February 6

March 6 May 1

Rogers Rehearsal Hall Rogers Music Center, Salem

April 3

Hatfield Room Hatfield Library, second floor

900 State Street, Salem In addition to Professor Wu’s students, cellists from outside of Willamette University are welcome to play in one of his classes. If interested, please contact the Department of Mu-sic office at 503.370.6255.

Hekun Wu Debut Recital at Willamette University

with Elise Yun, Pianist

Sunday, February 5, 2006

3:00 PM Free Admission

Hudson Concert Hall

Rogers Music Center, Salem

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New Music Director Picks Up the Baton of Salem Chamber Orchestra Hekun Wu has played Bach and Beethoven for decades, but every time he opens the score he discovers new things. “An artist is a seeker, always on a journey,” he says. Wu has been on a journey himself, growing up in Mao’s China—where Western music was banned, immigrating to Paris and finally set-tling in the United States. He taught at a number of schools, energized orchestras with his conducting and electrified audiences in Europe, China and the States with his cello performances. He plays cello as if the instru-ment is an extension of himself and conducts in an almost rapturous spell, taking the audience with him. Growing up during China’s Cultural Revolution, Wu was selected to attend one of only four “Experimental Art Schools” in the entire coun-try—all conservatories and universities had been closed. There, at age 12, Wu was introduced to cello and piano. After studying at the Shanghai Conservatory in the early 1980s, Wu was selected by China’s Ministry of

Culture to go to Paris as part of an artist exchange program. In Paris, he became immersed in a world he had only guessed at—art museums, French literature and Western music. He met one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century, Maurice Gendron, who took the young man under his wing, inviting him to his home for lessons outside of the conservatory and discussions about art and life. Wu’s career followed a trajectory from his studies with Gendron to worldwide acclaim, a teaching and performing career and finally, to Willamette, where he has replaced Salem Chamber Orchestra Founder and Music Director Laureate Bruce McIntosh. The 45-member Salem Chamber Orchestra is composed of faculty, students and professionals from the community. Wu comes to Willamette with his wife, Elise Yun, who is an accomplished artist in her own right. A pianist, she is a visiting assistant professor this year. Yun has performed extensively with Wu.

Stevens,Lynne Roe, Wayne Nutsch, Cindy Caul-field, Dale Bradley and Joan Sargent. Board President Bud Armstrong was unable to attend due to a head cold and sore throat, and in his absence, Charlene Wilson led the meeting. Before she began the review of the past year’s activities of the Cello Society, she expressed appreciation for how much Bud has done to build up the Cello Soci-ety, in organizing events and especially in creating opportunities for young cellists to attend orchestra rehearsals and concerts of the cello master-

The Oregon Cello Society 2005 Annual Meeting was held October 16, 2005 at ap-proximately 5 p.m. at the Community Music Cen-ter, 3350 SE Francis Street in Portland. It fo l-lowed an outstanding recital by the six student winners of the 6th Annual Scholarship Auditions. The meeting was attended by Charlene Wil-son, Alan Ely, Jess Dishman, David Keyes, Doro-thy Lewis, Amelia Roberts, Sherill Roberts, Gideon Freudman, Barbara Carpenter, Andy Schubrig, Kathie Reed, Bruce McIntosh, Jianna

Oregon Cello Society 2004/2005 Annual Meeting Minutes

Hekun Wu, new Associate Professor of Cello at Willamette University and director of the Salem Chamber Orchestra.

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pieces, and to perform in master classes given by the visiting professional cellists. Kudos to Bud for all he has done for the Cello Society! Review of the past year’s activities: Charlene characterized this as a “Banner Year!” for the Ore-gon Cello Society, with six major cello events: 1) The Fall 2004 Cello Day included a presenta-tion about pernambuco, the perfect wood for bows. Then a panel comprised of Nancy Ives, Úna O’Riordan and Hamilton Cheifetz old about their musical educations, audition experiences, and teach-ing and orchestra activities as cellists. As well, there were cellos and bows for sale to try out, brought in by area luthiers, and new music to see. Thanks to Dave Keyes for his good work in putting this event on. 2) In October the student recital at Community Music Center included thirteen young cellists. 3) In November Alban Gerhardt, who performed the Elgar cello concerto with the Oregon Symphony, gave a master class at Marylhurst University. 4) In February 2005 OCS sponsored a master class with Daniel Muller-Schott who was in Portland to play the Dvorák concerto with the Oregon Sym-phony. 5) In April 2005 the 10th Annual Scholarship Auditions were held at the Community Music Cen-ter: twenty-three students played solos before a panel of judges. Scholarships and gift certificates were awarded. Winners played at CMC on October 16 (the day of this annual meeting). 6) Still to come: the Student Cello Orchestra with three rehearsals culminating in a performance on November 20 at Marylhurst. Treasurer’s Report: Wayne Nutsch reported that all bills have been paid, all deposits made, and the OCS accounts reconciled through August 31. Out-standing are some small expenses, such as a post box fee due, but no major expenses. The present bank balance is $7,238.21, which Wayne commented was a healthy sum compared to other times. At the last Board meeting, Bud had asked Wayne about specific expenses incurred in the last calendar year. Wayne reported today that the major events had cost the following: 1) the Daniel Muller-Schott master class: $525 with an additional fee of $110, for a total of $625. 2) scholarship auditions had cost $1,400 to put on, for judges’ fees (nominal)

and awards. 3) the cost for Ron Leonard’s mas-

terclass next month in Eugene is unknown right now, because Wayne has not yet been billed, but he be-lieves that cost will be $1,000. Wayne reported that from January 1 2005, the year’s balance overall is down $793 at this time, but that that number will change as we go toward the end of the year, as dues come in in the fall. And that new memberships will come in with the last student or-chestra applications. Dave commented that OCS members will have free admission to the Ron Leo-nard events if they contact Bud Armstrong - see de-tails in the fall newsletter. The Treasurer’s report was accepted by the meeting. Board Elections: The following were elected to serve three-year terms on the OCS Board of Direc-tors: Bud Armstrong, Dorothy Lewis, Lynne Roe, and Barbara Smoody. Kathie Reed asked for help putting together folders of music for the student cello orchestra, and a sign-up sheet was sent around. The two small en-sembles in the middle of the Nov. 20th concert will be coached by Kathy Schultz and Jane Day. Although she was unable to attend the meeting, Laura Saddler was thanked for her excellent work as Newsletter Editor of the Bridge & Bow. The next Board meeting will be held at Char-lene’s house on an as yet undetermined date. The meeting was adjourned. Following the meeting a Cello Reading Orchestra enjoyed playing together - thanks to Charlene, Gideon Freudmann and Dale Bradley for bringing in music for us to play. We had a wonderful time.

Oregon Cello Society Fall ’05 Board Meeting

Minutes

Minutes of the Oregon Cello Society Board Meeting, 11 September 2005: The meeting was called to order at 3:10 pm. Members present, Bud Armstrong, Charlene Wilson, David Keyes, Jess Dishman, Lynn Roe (board member-elect), Laura Saddler, Una O'Riordan and Barbara Smoody. Minutes of 1st May meeting: reviewed, ap-proved, m/s/c.

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with the November concert it has been pushed into the winter. Each teacher may send up to two stu-dents. Students are not required to be OCS members to participate, and if piano accompanist is required, the student must supply such at their own expense. Charlene will coordinate this event. Spring Scholarship Auditions: as Katherine was not at the meeting, we postpone discussion. A date should be decided in order to assure a location. Ron Leonard events in Eugene : 5, 6 and 8 November 2005. Master class on 5 November, one student will be Travis Nutsch, Bud will ask India and Hamilton if they have "concerto level" student to take the other slot available. Complimentary tickets to the Eugene master class and concerts are available to OCS members. Please send your requests to Bud, who will forward the lists to Eugene event organiz-ers. Board member liaison to musical organiza-tions: Bud asked Jess, who agreed, to serve as liai-son to the 20+ Portland area music organizations he contacted. The scope and responsibilities of this po-sition remain to be determined, let us know how things are out there, Jess! Member News column in Bridge & Bow: Lots of new contacts have been made in recent months, which warrants a regular feature in newsletter high-lighting activities/recordings/profiles of OCS mem-bers. Recent examples are Hamilton's CD and Mar-shall Tuttle at Mt Hood Community College. But a regular feature needs regular supply of subject, so keep your ears and eyes open for future columns. Laura Saddler is contact for newsletter items, and Wayne Nutsch will continue as Webmaster of the oregoncello.org site, (thanks to you both for the gath-ering and sharing of information for our commu-nity!). The meeting adjourned about 4:45 pm.

Treasurer's Report: by email report from Wayne Nutsch, bank balance $6669.00, as of 10 Sep-tember 2005, non-profit status maintained by annual $50 fee, various expenses from April scholarship auditions are paid. Report approved, m/s/c. Annual Meeting: 16 October 2005, Community Music Center 4 pm. Bud asked if anyone has a copy of the by- laws to check what is required of us for an-nual meeting business. David Keyes says he might know where a copy of the by- laws is. We collec-tively believe that there needs to be election of board members and an annual treasurer's report. There is one vacancy on the board (Kathie Reed's place) and today we met the newest board member-elect Lynn Roe, taking Nancy Ives' place. In addition to these two items, we will hear performances by the winners of the April scholarship competition and we will par-ticipate in a sight-reading concert with music from Charlene's library, and also (perhaps) from Gideon Freudmann, composer and cellist recently moved to Portland from Massachusetts. We do not have a firm commitment for anyone to conduct this final portion, perhaps someone will come forward or we will play with "the force" leading us. Dues Renewal letter: will be sent this week, and includes annual meeting announcement. Student Cello Concert: 20 November 2005. First conductor will be Gwen Gilbertson, she will handle the bigger groups, and has good skills for working with the youngest participants. Second con-ductor will be Bill Hunt. Jane Day and Katherine Schulz will coach two small ensembles. Program in-cludes "Simple Gifts" (four part harmony all/most? first position; "Danny Boy" (arranged as a gift to Charlene by Virginia Wang); Corelli "Grave" ; three Spanish Pieces; and other pieces depending on the make-up of the group, possibly including Bach Cho-rales and The Entertainer. We discussed having re-freshments at the rehearsals and/or concert. How-ever, Bud double-checked with Marylhurst and learned that their policy prevents us from serving food in the chapel building; however, we are getting to use the facility without charge. Winter Recital: 5 February 2006 at Commu-nity Music Center 3350 SE Francis in Portland. In the past, this event has occurred in the fall, however

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The Grace Goudy Distinguished Artist Series at Willamette University will present Cuarteto Casals on Wednesday, February 8 at 7:30pm in Hudson Hall, Mary Stuart Rogers Music Center. The program will include works by Mozart, Ligeti, and Brahms. The brilliant Spanish string quartet was founded in Madrid in 1997 and has since garnered much praise and top prizes at notable competi-tions, including First Prize at the 2000 London In-ternational String Quartet Competitions and First Prize at the Johannes Brahms International String Quartet Competition in Hamburg (2002). The Cuarteto has been heard extensively across Europe, the US, Japan, and South America and has thrilled audiences with a wide repertoire of works. A recording of the complete string quartets of J. C. Arriaga has gained wide praise in Europe and the US. In 2003 Cuarteto Casals was appointed Quartet in Residence at leading Spanish conservatories in Barcelona, Zaragoza, and San Sebastian. Tickets are available through all Safeway TicketsWest outlets (1-800-992-8499) or at the door. (adults $20, students/seniors $12). The Cuarteto will present a chamber music master class master class on Wednesday, February 8 at 10:20 AM in Hudson Hall and a workshop with the University Chamber Or-chestra on Tuesday, February 7 at 5:00 PM in Hudson Hall. The public is cordially invited to attend these events at no charge.


Cuarteto Casals to Perform and Teach at Willamette

Cuarteto Casals: Vera Martinez Mehner and Abel Tomas Realp, violin; Jonathan Brown, viola and Arnau Tomas Realp, cello. Photo courtesy joschwartz.com.

Cuarteto Casals Teaching Events

Workshop with the Willamette University Chamber Orchestra Tuesday February 7, 5:00 PM

Hudson Hall, Willamette University

Chamber Music Master Class Wednesday, February 8, 10:20 AM Hudson Hall, Willamette University

Public welcome — Free admission

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PUBLICATION INFORMATION To be added to the cello teacher listing or to purchase advertising space, contact OCS treasurer Wayne Nutsch at 503.371.3002 or [email protected]. To submit articles or photos for publication, contact Laura Saddler at 503.771.9347 or [email protected].

Hot Off the Press

For the Love of It by Wayne Booth [University of Chicago Press], $10.40 (paperback). For the Love of It by Wayne Booth is the “story of the intimate and often comic struggles between a man and his cello.” It begins at age thirty-one when he takes his first lesson and continues for the next forty plus years. This is an enjoyable and wide-ranging exploration of music, culture and life. A professor emeritus of English, the author began the book as an essay entitled Why Bother to Learn Thumb Position When Moving Into Your Seventh Decade. — Jess Dishman


www.artmusicbywhimsy.com Karen Bates-Smith,

Composer TEL 503-347-0692

Music for Violin/Cello duets & String Trios

Donations Your membership dues and donations make it possible for the Oregon Cello Society to pro-vide high-quality educational experiences to a cellists of all ages in Oregon. A special thanks goes to the following individuals for their gener-ous donations:

Bruce McIntosh Clyde B. Ellis David Schmidt

India Jobelmann Robert Hladky

Vernon (Bud) Armstrong

The Bridge & Bow Oregon Cello Society P.O. Box 4035 Portland, Oregon 97208

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT No. 6003

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OCS Membership Form Please send to: Oregon Cello Society attn: Treasurer PO Box 4035 Portland, OR 97208 I wish to: ____ become a new member ($25.00) ____ renew my membership ($25.00) ____ become a student member — I’m a full-time student ($15.00) ____ renew my student membership ($15.00) ____ begin or renew my membership with OCS published teacher status ($30.00) Signed _____________________________________________________ Date ____________

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Note: The short code above your name shows the status of your membership. If your code is not PD06, ST06 or TC06, please take a moment to return this form with a check for your 2006 dues. This will guarantee that you receive your newsletter regularly.

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