James Bash

James Bash enjoys writing for The Oregonian, The Columbian, Classical Voice North America, Opera, and many other publications. He has also written articles for the Oregon Arts Commission and the Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd edition. He received a fellowship to the 2008 NEA Journalism Institute for Classical Music and Opera, and is a member of the Music Critics Association of North America.

Gifted athletes: The Chien-Kim-Watkins Trio plays Beethoven

March 23, 2024James Bash

CMNW’s March mini-fest delivered all of the maestro’s piano trios with elan.

Rooted in music: Metropolitan Youth Symphony plays works touching on the environment

March 9, 2024James Bash

MYS performed world premieres of music by Nancy Ives and Charles Martin alongside Beethoven and Lalo.

Honoring the past, setting sights on the future: Portland Youth Philharmonic and Imani Winds

March 9, 2024James Bash

PYP geared up for their upcoming East Coast tour with a thrilling concert featuring music by Amy Beach, Jessie Montgomery, and Jeff Scott.

Capturing the musical and historical imagination: Portland Baroque Orchestra serves up a delicious musical pie in Dinner with Handel

February 17, 2024James Bash

A new “pasticcio” created by PBO director Julian Perkins and librettist Stephen Pettitt combined arias by Handel and other Baroque composers with newly-written recitatives for an evening of operatic entertainment.

Music ninja: Oregon Symphony Principal Librarian Joy Fabos describes how the orchestra’s library is a huge funnel

February 9, 2024James Bash

Discussing the finer details of orchestra library maintenance, from the legalities of part rentals to the need for librarians to be musically well-educated.

A guiding hand in the darkness: Timo Andres discusses his ‘The Blind Banister’ and his performance this weekend with Oregon Symphony

February 7, 2024James Bash

The Brooklyn composer will perform his Puliter-nominated concerto Feb. 9-12 alongside Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” and Carlos Simon’s “Fate Now Conquers.”

SoundsTruck NW nominated for SXSW Innovation Award; Kalmar sues Cleveland Institute of Music

February 1, 2024James Bash

The mobile venue is a South By Southwest finalist; the former Oregon Symphony conductor's CIM saga continues.

Sonic explorations: Fear No Music’s ‘Locally Sourced Sounds IX’ presented music by Portland-based women composers

January 25, 2024James Bash

Last Monday’s concert at The Old Church featured ebows and superball mallets in music by Skye Neal, Kirsten Volness, Rachel Modlin, Bora Yoon, and Kimberly Osberg.

A beautiful sonic bouquet: Camerata PYP’s Sound Garden

January 17, 2024James Bash

Portland Youth Philharmonic’s chamber orchestra strutted their stuff with a challenging program that included four world premieres.

Portland Opera set to move; Symphony and musicians OK a new contract

January 11, 2024James Bash

The opera will sell the Hampton Center and look for a new home; the symphony and its musicians agree on a new three-year contract.

Singing before she could talk: The awesome journey of Coty Raven Morris and her quest to share music-making

January 8, 2024James Bash

The Louisiana-born, Texas-raised singer and educator, recently named Hinckley Assistant Professor of Music Education and Social Justice at Portland State University, is one of ten finalists for this year’s Grammy Music Educator Award.

Connecting young and old: Portland Youth Philharmonic’s “Concert-at-Christmas”

January 2, 2024James Bash

PYP and its various subgroups, including the alumni orchestra, performed at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert in Downtown Portland the day after Christmas.

Music Bites: Grammy noms for Andy Akiho and Esperanza Spalding; Deanna Tham goes to Paris; Tomás Cotik goes 3D

November 30, 2023James Bash

Akiho's "Sculptures" and Spalding's collaboration with Fred Hersch received multiple nominations, Tham has been selected for an international conductor competition, and Cotik has unveiled a prototype of his new interdisciplinary media project.

Smiling on it all: My Voice Music, amplifying young voices

November 28, 2023James Bash

Two years after the death of founder Ian Mouser, MVM continues to provide education and opportunities for young musicians.

‘Why music? Music is fun!’: Metropolitan Youth Symphony’s silly symphonies

November 21, 2023James Bash

MYS stirred up the fun in their cartoon-themed season opener.

A wild ride of sonic colors: Portland Youth Philharmonic with Nolan Tu

November 21, 2023James Bash

PYP season opener celebrated the group’s century mark.

Like a prayer: Fear No Music presents music from the late-Soviet and post-Soviet eras

November 20, 2023James Bash

Fresh as ever, the music of four women composers received a superb outing.

Before Akiho/After Akiho: ‘Sculptures’ with the Oregon Symphony

November 10, 2023James Bash

New work by Portland-based composer continues to push the boundaries of percussion music.

Impressionistic gems: Sarah Ioannides and Philippe Quint with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

November 2, 2023James Bash

Cinematic, picturesque music will trigger the imagination at VSO concert.

Choose your own adventure: Oboist Ben Price talks about their life at the Curtis Institute of Music

October 30, 2023James Bash

Discussing American and European oboe styles, musical studies, dry halls and the Curtis Sound with the Portland-raised musician.

Music Bites: News flash, October 19

October 19, 2023James Bash

the 1905, Damien Geter, Carlos Kalmar.

Harnessing the energy: Music training from front to back with PYP and David Hattner

October 16, 2023James Bash

Committed to excellence through music, the Portland Youth Philharmonic has a winning season every year – for 100 years!

‘Music has to fill the soul and be fun’: The future of the industry with MYS and Raúl Gómez-Rojas

October 16, 2023James Bash

Metropolitan Youth Symphony emphasizes fun and enjoyment in music-making

Footloose and fancy free: Leonard Slatkin with Oregon Symphony

October 10, 2023James Bash

After a gap of many years, the conductor/composer/author returns to Portland for a concert of Mason Bates, Beethoven, and Elgar’s ‘Cello Concerto’ with Joshua Roman.

A delightful confection: Sarah Davis Buechner with Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra

September 21, 2023James Bash

Authentic music making and memories highlighted the recent PSCO concert “Authentic Self,” which featured music by Mozart alongside works by Florence Beatrice Price, Gerald Finzi, Joaquín Turina, and more.

Swirling with gusto: Palatine Piano Trio teams up with SoundsTruck NW for outdoor concert of Pacific NW composers

September 11, 2023James Bash

The trio of violinist Inés Voglar Belgique, cellist-composer Nancy Ives, and pianist Susan DeWitt Smith performed music by Tomáš Svoboda, Ernest Bloch, David Schiff, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Ives.

Darrell Hanks, bowmaster and archetier suprême

September 5, 2023James Bash

Patience, attention to detail, and years of experience are big factors in this niche profession.

Music, vino, vistas: Willamette Valley Chamber Music Festival delivers a sensory trifecta

August 23, 2023James Bash

As the festival winds up, a pair of concerts at Archery Summit and Sokol Blosser wineries create a tasty blend of new and old sounds.

‘Wiggle! Waggle! Wobble!’: Fred Child, Wang Jie, and Third Sound ‘Blame the Obituary’

August 1, 2023James Bash

The absurd quest for immortality was explored in a world premiere at Chamber Music Northwest.

Deep resonance: Introducing the Vancouver Arts and Music Festival