Quarter notes

Lots going on this weekend.  The Seattle Modern Orchestra — Julia Tai’s creation — gears up for a concert tomorrow night at Cornish.  Then on Sunday there is a free George Shangrow memorial concert at Benaroya Hall.  The concert program itself is a mix of various pieces organizers knew Shangrow adored.  This is the second memorial concert for Shangrow.  The first one happened this summer, after Shangrow’s untimely death.  Memorial concerts are nice testaments and this one will be no different. I do wonder if all of this memorializing is obscuring Shangrow’s legacy as a renegade force in the music community who had no problem thumbing his nose at authority and accepted conventions.  Every time the establishment came down on Shangrow he found a new way to survive and thrive. Adam Stern leads the Philharmonia Northwest this weekend in another concert that highlights Vaughan Williams.  Its his last (for the time being) with the orchestra.  other guest conductors will take the podium for the remaining programs this season.

Two classical music legends passed away this week: Rudolph Barshai and Henryk Groecki.  Gorecki will be remembered for his 3rd Symphony and Barshai for his orchestrations of Shostakovich’s string quartets.

Update: I forgot a performance.  The Thalia Symphony kicks off their new season after considerable uncertainty.  Stephen Radcliffe has taken over as music director.   Musicians are in high spirits.  The orchestra even has a new home at Town Hall.