Noreen Murdock's Page

Spend a cozy evening with Silk Mountain Project


The Silk Mountain Project was created in 2009 to advance the cause of chamber jazz/pop/rock improvisational crossover styles played by strings, and in particular to celebrate the unique voice of the viola. There’s a style for everyone; it’s a fun and eclectic mix, and all inspired by the beautiful mountains of Oregon!


The ensemble features long-time violist of the Turtle Island String Quartet Danny Seidenberg and his wife Daryl (Silk Mountain i… Continue

Twenty-five years! I remember the clarity of my vision: to better attract and educate the best students we would need a better, more stable orchestra than the small flow of orchestral students we then were attracting to Willamette. A few years earlier there had been such an orchestra, the Salem Symphony. Butthat orchestra, a full symphonic orchestra, nearly entirely professional orchestra, had collapsed under the weight of its payroll during the recession of the early '80s.

Ah, the audacity of… Continue

On Sunday November 1, 2009, three finalists competed in live performance at the fourth annual Connie Fritz Memorial Concerto Competition for the opportunity to perform with Salem Chamber Orchestra. After excellent and impressive performances by Brady Schmidt, marimba, Emily Potter, flute, and Jenna Ahn, violin, the judges awarded Brady Schmidt with the grand prize. Brady will perform his piece, Tambourin Chinois by Fritz Kreisler with Salem Chamber Orchestra at the "Gift of Music" Family Concert… Continue

Salem Chamber Orchestra is proud to announce the finalists in the fourth annual Connie Fritz Memorial Concerto Competition. The four finalists are Jenna Ahn (violin), Lila Neahring (harp), Emily Potter (flute), and Brady Schmidt (marimba).

These talented young musicians will perform live on Sunday, November 1 at 3pm in Hudson Hall at Willamette University. The grand prize winner will win the opportunity to perform his or her solo with the Salem Chamber Orchestra at the “Gift of Mu… Continue

When most people think of orchestras, they think of symphony orchestras... so, what's a chamber orchestra anyway?

"Chamber orchestra" is a modern term for a musical ensemble reflecting the origins and development of the first orchestras during the Baroque (ca. 1600-1750) and Classical (ca. 1730-1810) eras. During these time periods, Western Art Music was typically supported by one of three institutions: the church, the courts, or the opera house. The word "chamber" signifies that the orc… Continue