Gordon Wright 1934 - 2007

Celebration of Life Sunday, June 24th, 2007 4:00 P.M. Charles Davis Concert Hall University of Alaska Fairbanks ( more details ) Join us as we continue to honor and respect Gordon's life and legacy. We will gather at the Dog Musher's Hall on Farmer's Loop Road afterwards for a potluck dinner. This is a disorganized potluck similar to the ones we would have for Arctic Chamber Orchestra. Bring food!

A celebration of Gordon Wright's life and legacy will be held on June 24, 2007 at the Charles Davis Concert Hall on the University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus. The event will be a gathering of friends, family, colleagues and students who were all touched by Gordon's 'larger than life' personality and friendship. The event is a continuation and a compliment to the earlier celebration held in conjunction with the Fairbanks Symphony's final concert of the season.

The concert will feature violinist Paul Rosenthal and members of the Sitka Summer Music Festival performing chamber music by Mozart (his String Quintet G minor and Flute Quartet). Gordon's life long interest in chamber music, as well as his enthusiasm for the Sitka Summer Music Festival will be represented. Clarinetists Ted and Kay DeCorson and bassoonist Ron Klimko – two dear collaborators and friends, will perform other Mozart chamber music. In addition, John Luther Adams has written Three High Places for solo violin, which are for and about Gordon and will be played by Heidi Senungetuk. Gordon actively encouraged composers and was often on the forefront of developing the repertoire.

Also featured will be nationally known pianist Butch Thompson, for whom Gordon made arrangements of Scott Joplin’s music.

The concert will be a fair representation of his work with orchestras and students. Former conducting student Linn Weeda of Anchorage will conduct four works. The concert will open with the brilliant and cheerful Concerto for Two Trumpets by Antonio Vivaldi - performed by Gordon's long time friends Jim Kowalsky and Linn Weeda. Charles Ives' Unanswered Question (which was played by the Arctic Chamber Orchestra on tour) will feature Jim Kowalsky. Lynne Greenwood - a former colleague at UAF who most recently appeared with Gordon and the Keys Chamber Orchestra in Florida, will perform two movements from Paule Maurice’s Tableaux de Provence for Saxophone and orchestra. Finally, in January of this year Gordon arranged and orchestrated Louis Moreau Gottschalk's Bamboula - a work for solo piano. Piano soloist Peter Asimov - a young, gifted pianist who Gordon - like so many over the years - encouraged and supported, will premier it. The orchestra will consist of members of the Sitka Summer Music Festival as well as colleagues from both within and outside Alaska.

Monday, June 25th, 2007

A number of Gordon's friends and relatives will travel to Anchorage in a reserved dome car on the Alaska Railroad. A few seats are still available on the train. Contact Inga-Lisa Wright for details.

Tuesday, June 26th, 2007

Potluck for family and close friends at Indian, Alaska followed by a family burial of Gordon's ashes.