David Stabler of the Oregonian broke the story earlier today:
A good friend returns to Portland to close out the final concert of the Oregon Symphony’s 2011/12 season. Violinist Jun Iwasaki is scheduled to appear as guest concertmaster to lead the players in Igor Stravinsky’s famously furious “Rite of Spring,” May 20 and 21.
Iwasaki was a popular leader among his Oregon colleagues and audiences. Blessed with brilliant technique and agile musicianship, he held the orchestra’s concertmaster position from 2007 to 2011, before becoming concertmaster of the Nashville Symphony. He comes to Portland from New York, following Nashville’s performance at the 2012 “Spring for Music” festival in Carnegie Hall. Iwasaki played there with the Oregon Symphony during the festival’s inaugural season last May.
The “Rite of Spring” concert, led by music director Carlos Kalmar, includes Liszt/John Adams’ “The Black Gondola,” Adams’ “City Noir” and Antonin Dvorák’s “Nocturne.”