I came across this video from Zach Carstensen’s Seattle-based arts blog The Gathering Note, and I’m quite impressed by the production values and the message that this video puts across – namely that music belongs everywhere in our lives, and that it is a joyful and affirming activity for listener and player alike.
Also a surprise: that former OSO violist Mara Lise Gearman is featured in this video – it’s about 2’30” into the video, and features the trio playing the opening march from Dohnanyi’s great Serenade for string trio. It’s all put together by the group Simple Measures, founded by cellist Rajan Krishnaswami (who you see first in the video).
Before I let you get to the video itself, what I’m wondering is why such a group isn’t really operating here in Portland. Top-notch musicians from the big arts organization in town, interesting locations (we’ve got a streetcar, too, for crying out loud – and we had it first!) and innovative programming. We’ve got groups that have two out of three in every configuration, but not all three together. Hmmm…