Article about Erin Furbee coaching session

http://face2face.salemchamber.org/profiles/blog/show?id=2231027%3ABlogPost%3A26330

Karin Holton
Oregon Symphony’s Erin Furbee Visits West Salem Classroom

* Posted by Karin Holton on January 25, 2010 at 3:37pm

The West Salem High School Advanced Orchestra had a real treat when Oregon Symphony Assistant Concertmaster Erin Furbee came to work with them on their chamber music section. As part of the Oregon Symphony Association in Salem’s Master Coaching program, Furbee spent one class period with these young musicians in a master class format.

Students from one of West High’s Chamber Ensembles, The Lady Titan String Quartet, played while Ms. Furbee worked with them on bowing technique as well as musicality as the rest of the class observed. Zevon Smith, a senior who plays violin in the group compared the experience to painting, “I find that when it comes down to the music itself, Erin Furbee brings out the grace and beauty of it. The way she worked with my quartet group felt as if we ourselves were painting a watercolor picture with her guidance as the brush.”

For many young musicians working with professional performing artists can be rather daunting, but Ms. Silberman, Director of Orchestras at West Salem High School, believes whole-heartedly in making her students comfortable with these opportunities by integrating as many of these types of experiences into her curriculum. “I’m a huge proponent of bring the ‘real world’ of music right to the school!” said Silberman. Freshman Hayley Hicks agrees that these “real world” experiences are important saying “It was so exciting to work with her! I was a little nervous at first but she turned out to be extremely nice and she had a lot of good input. I think that time we got to spend with her was time well spent.”

Furbee, who in addition to her work with the Oregon Symphony, plays with a number of small chamber ensembles and encouraged the students to do the same.

The Oregon Symphony Association in Salem provides these opportunities for each of the Salem area high schools as part of their ongoing education programs. For more information about the programs of the Oregon Symphony Association in Salem visit www.orsymphonysalem.org.