Concertmaster Kelly Farris announces retirement

Dec 16, 2005

For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie Matlow 326-3136

Spokane Kelly Farris, Spokane Symphony's concertmaster for the past 36 years today announced his retirement as concertmaster at the end of the current season. He has served with six of the Symphony's seven music directors since he earned the concertmaster's chair in a 1969 audition.

The board, staff and musicians of the Spokane Symphony are deeply indebted to Kelly Farris for the high level of artistic excellence and the stability he has brought to the orchestra through changes in leadership at every level, said Board of Trustees President Cate Moye.

It is with regret that I accept Kelly Farris' decision to resign as concertmaster and to pursue other interests in his life. Kelly has been with the orchestra since 1969 -- the year I was born -- and has brought with all these years an incredible wealth of experience and knowledge that we will miss, said Music Director Eckart Preu

He is a wonderful musician and colleague, always ready for a musical adventure, and always ready for new ideas. His leadership has been appreciated by six Music Directors and hundreds of musicians. As concertmaster of 36 years, he has had an enormous influence on the sound and progression of the orchestra. He has been a driving force, ensuring and pressing for quality - helping to build this organization and making it what it is today.

Kelly has dedicated his life to music, this orchestra and this city. Like very few people, he has shaped the musical life in Spokane, both on a level as a performer, a teacher and a tireless advocate for the orchestra and classical music in general. Not only was he concertmaster of the Spokane Symphony, the Connoisseur Concerts, and the Spokane String Quartet, but he has shaped many lives as a teacher at Eastern Washington University as well. He was the teacher of many musicians in the violin section, continuing a European tradition of building a coherent sound.

Personally, I want to thank him for all his help and support he has given me from day one. I value his musicianship and leadership. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for everything he has done for this orchestra and this community. I wish him all the best in this new part of his life. I hope that his travels will bring him back to Spokane soon. I know they will because there's no better place than Spokane, Preu concluded.

The concertmaster is the heart of the orchestra and this orchestra has had a strong heart for a very long time. We are going to miss him, but we respect his desire to travel and enjoy some of the things he has been unable to do because of his commitment to this orchestra, said Executive Director Brenda Nienhouse.