Page 10 The Portland Observer Black History Month February 13, 2013 Maestro DePriest Larger than Life Beloved conductor dies at 76 p h ia C o n s e rv a to ry o f M u s ic a n d e a r n e d a b a c h e l o r ’s a n d a m a s t e r ’s d e g r e e f r o m th e U n iv e r s ity o f P e n n s y l v a n ia . In 1962, he c o n tra c te d p o lio w h ile o n a to u r in T h a ila n d , le a v in g h im w ith a frail w a lk th at M a e s tro Ja m e s D e P rie st, a b e lo v e d c o n d u c to r a n d lo n g tim e O r P o rtla n d a u d ie n c e s c o u ld n ’t h e lp b u t n o tic e . W h ile a c e le b rity o f e g o n S y m p h o n y d ire c to r, d ie d on F rid a y at h is h o m e in S c o ttsd a le, c la ssic a l m u sic , D e P rie st w as a lso fa m o u s fo r h is c o m p o sitio n o f A riz. H e w as 7 6 -y e a rs-o ld . “T h e C o sb y S h o w ” th e m e song, A t th e tim e o f h is d e a th , D e P rie s t w as d ire c to r e m e ritu s o f c o n d u c tin g an d o rc h e stra l s tu d James DePriest m a d e in c o lla b o ra tio n w ith g o o d frie n d , B ill C o sb y . ies at th e Ju llia rd S c h o o l and la u h is l e a d e r s h ip , th e o r c h e s tr a In 2 0 0 5 , P re sid e n t G e o rg e W . B u sh p re se n te d D e P rie st w ith the re a te m u sic d ire c to r o f th e O r egon Sym phony. m o v e d fro m a sm all p a rt tim e N a tio n a l M e d a l o f A r ts , th e n a tio n ’s h ig h e st h o n o r fo r a rtistic A c c o rd in g his m a n a g e r an d the v ice p re s id e n t o f O p u s 3 A rtists, g ro u p to a fu ll tim e , n a tio n a lly re c o g n iz e d o rc h e stra w ith 17 r e c o rd in g s . e x c e lle n c e . D e P rie s t p a sse d a w ay fro m c o m p lic a tio n s ste m m in g fro m a h e art O re g o n w as n o t th e o n ly s y m p h o n y to b e n e fit h is ta le n ts. In h is m e n t said h e “p o sse sse d an a m a z in g a b ility to e v o k e the e m o tio n a l a tta c k h e s u ffe re d la st year. J u llia rd b io g ra p h y , it say s th a t T h e O re g o n S y m p h o n y r e le a s e d a s ta te m e n t F rid a y th a t D e P rie s t a p p e a re d w ith e v e ry c o n te n t o f th e c la s s ic a l re p e r to ire , e sp e c ia lly w o rk fro m the re a d in p a rt: “ A p a ss io n a te a n d e lo q u e n t m an , Jim m y w as la rg e r th a n life, a p o w e rfu l fo rce fo r m a jo r N o rth A m e ric a n o rc h e stra , a n d in te rn a tio n a lly , h e h a d c o n d u c te d in c itie s like A m ste rd a m , V ie n n a , B u d a p e s t, P rag u e, m u s ic an d th e arts in th e c o m m u S y d n e y , T e l A v iv a n d T o k y o . n ity if P o rtla n d a n d b e y o n d .” H e D e P r i e s t w a s b o r n in P h i l a d e l p h i a in 1 9 3 6 . He se rv e d as o u r d ire c to r an d c o n d u c to r fro m 1980 to 2 0 0 3 . H is w o rk w ith th e o rc h e stra lite ra lly p u t it on th e m ap. U n d e r w a s th e n e p h e w o f c o n tra lto M a ria n A n d e rso n . H e s tu d ie d a t th e P h ila d e l T h e O re g o n S y m p h o n y ’s sta te R o m a n tic P e rio d . N o o n e w ill e v e r fo rg e t his ic o n ic lo v e an d p a ss io n fo r R a c h m a n in o ff.” “ H e w ill b e m isse d b y th e S y m p h o n y , its m u sic ia n s an d staff. W e all re c o g n iz e th a t w e stan d h e re to d a y b e c a u se o f h im . O u r h e a rts an d b e st w ish e s g o o u t to h is w ife, G in e tte , a n d h is e n tire fa m ily ,” th e s y m p h o n y said. ALL ABOARD! RAILROADING AND PORTLAND'S BLACK COMMUNITY On display January 15—April 21, 2013 His Legacy Will Live On Charles H. Washington ’ 7 $ . I • Ta In this o rig in a l Oregon H isto ry M useum e xh ib it, le a rn about the block co m m u n ity Hint grew up m id w orked Ground Union S tation in the lu te 19th to m id 20th OREGON BIAS K century, m id the churches new spapers, and businesses they b u ilt which forever changed the city of P ortland. P ublisher and E ditor - in -C hief of the P ortland O bserver Dec. 18 1951 -Dec. 8 2012 OREGON I I ls l< >RY M U s i UM 1200 SW Park Avenue | D ow ntow n P ortland WWW OHS.ORG I 503 222 1741 THE OREGON COMM UNITY FOUNDATION Mw far Oaan «»»• 4»» Gearf QHm. O re go n H u m a n itie s Trust Management Services LLC