—3— RAPS club reports Book Club: ‘The Madonnas of Leningrad’ The RAPS Book Club will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 1:30 p.m. at the home of Marge Terdal, 997 SW Westwood Dr., Portland. Contact her at 503-244-5714 or terdalm@pdx.edu to RSVP and for directions. We will discuss The Madonnas of Leningrad, written by Debra Dean. On the cover, it is described as: Bit by bit, the ravages of age are eroding Marina’s grip on the everyday. An elderly Russian woman now living in America, she cannot hold on to fresh memories—the details of her grown children’s lives, the approaching wedding of her grandchild—yet her distant past is miraculously preserved in her mind’s eye. Vivid images of her youth in war-torn Leningrad arise unbidden, carrying her back to the terrible fall of 1941, when she was a tour guide at the Hermitage Museum and the German army’s approach signaled the beginning of what would be a long, torturous siege on the city. As the people braved starvation, bitter cold, and a relentless German onslaught, Marina joined other staff members in removing the museum’s priceless masterpieces for safekeeping, leaving the frames hanging empty on the walls to symbolize the artworks’ eventual return. As the Luftwaffe’s bombs pounded the proud, stricken city, Marina built a personal Hermitage in her mind—a refuge that would stay buried deep within her, until she needed it once more . . . Looking ahead, we will read The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery, for March. —Mary Brannan Bridge Group: Second Tuesdays The RAPS Bridge Group meets at 1:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. The group is open to all members of RAPS. If you are interested in playing or need information about the group, please call me at 503-292-0838. —Colin Dunkeld Past Tense FLORESTAN TRIO ENRICHES PSU In 1974 violinist Carol Sindell, cellist Hamilton Cheifetz, and pianist Harold Gray won the competition to become Portland State University Music Department’s first (and only) artists-in-residence ensemble—and the Florestan Trio came into being. These artists were hired not only to provide music students with rehearsal and performance techniques and opportunities, but also to provide the University and Portland-area audiences with the very finest performances of the piano trio literature. Concerts were performed on campus and throughout greater Portland as well as on state tours. The Florestan Trio (named after a character in Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio) was only half of the trio’s appointment. The other half of the trio’s members’ time was to be spent in teaching their respective instruments to PSU students. As a result, chamber music became a vital part of Portland State students’ music education. The trio also toured Japan and performed for several summers in educational programs and festivals in France. While most other major universities were able to keep their residence ensemble programs, with a series of severe budget cuts over the years at Portland State, the post of artist-in-residence was abolished. The members of the trio then became regular members of the Music Department faculty. Upon Harold Gray’s retirement, Janet Guggenheim (although not connected with the PSU Music Department) became the trio’s pianist. The Florestan Trio has joined the Friends of Chamber Music, the Piano Series, and the Guitar Festival as having once been under the auspices of the PSU Music Department. Each of these ensembles has continued to provide a rich and varied musical culture to the Portland area and the entire state. —Gordon Solie Hikers: Tualatin Hills Nature Park On Tuesday, Feb. 23, we will hike in the Tualatin Hills Nature Park, 15655 SW Millikan Way, just west of Beaverton. Meet at the entrance of the park at 9:30 a.m. We will hike a series of loop trails for less than five miles. Lunch after the hike will be at a local restaurant. Contact Larry Sawyer at 503-771-1616 or larry_sawyer@comcast.net for more information or to confirm your participation. —Larry Sawyer Carol Sindell, Hamilton Cheifetz, Harold Gray
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