Music Millennium

Oregon Music News


Posts by James Bash


jbash James Bash

James Bash writes articles for a variety of publications, including magazines such as Opera America, Open Spaces, Opera, MUSO, International Arts Manager, American Record Guide, Symphony, Opera Canada, and PSU Magazine. The newspapers include Crosscut, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The Oregonian, The Columbian, The Portland Tribune, The Register-Guard, and Willamette Week. James has also written a number of articles for the Oregon Arts Commission. James was a fellow to the 2008 NEA Journalism Institute for Classical Music and Opera. He is a member of the Music Critics Association of North America (mcana.org) and lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Kathy.



Oregon Symphony kicks off music season with free concert at Waterfront Park

Annual concert by the Oregon Symphony features cannons, ballet dancers, fireworks, and great music.


Interview with Welsh choir director Eirian Owen

The North American Festival of Wales is sponsoring the voices of Côr Godre’r Aran in a concert on Friday evening.


Andrew Raeburn passes

The former artistic director of the Honens International Piano Competition dies at age 77.


American String Quartet reveals Schubertian echos in new recording

Hear connections between Schubert’s last quartet and quartets by Berg and Webern.


Cantores in Ecclesia and conductor Richard Marlow featured in final Willaim Byrd Fest concert

Sunday’s concert will present sacred choral music from the English Renaissance.


Portland Opera Chorus moves its rehearsal room outdoors this Sunday

Hear a 70-member chorus sing excerpts from Pagliacci and Carmina Burana in an open rehearsal.


Choral call to arms issued – PPS board meeting today will hear Grant alumni and friends

Voices will be lifted in unison and in protest of Wagner-West’s abrupt dismissal as director of the Grant High School Royal Blues, one of Oregon’s best high school choirs.


David Hattner keeps raising the bar with Portland Youth Philharmonic

The Portland Youth Philharmonic’s 87th year will feature a number of challenging works.


Evanee and Heather Terrall to give free noontime concert

One piano – four hands concert on Friday will take place at St. James Lutheran in the Park Blocks.


Portland Youth Philharmonic announces new executive director

Kevin Lefohn will take over the administrative helm of the orchestra at the end of the month.


Villazon cuts short his recital after three numbers

Famous Mexican tenor sings for seven minutes and quits. Ticket goers are initially not refunded. Later Villazon changes tune and all is well.


Lawrence Leighton Smith chats up the Sunriver Music Festival

The Portland native and former music director of the Oregon Symphony loves the music festival that is based in Central Oregon.


Movement underway to get Grant High School choral teacher reinstated

Katy Wagner-West abruptly laid off from her teaching position despite much success at Grant High School.


William Byrd, the Euroskeptic, recital tonight

Recital opens the William Byrd Festival, which is dedicated to the great English Renaissance composer.


Nicholas Phan gets plus marks from Alex Ross

At a recital in Marlboro, Phan wows the audience, including critic Alex Ross.