13th of May 2008 /

Louis Olenick taking his horn to Japan

By Jewish Review

Louis Olenick of Portland has been selected as a member of the Pacific Music Festival 2008 Academy. The Festival takes place July 5-31 in Sapporo, Osaka, and Tokyo, Japan.

Olenick recently performed in Portland during spring break when he joined his parents Amy Shapiro and Jeffrey Olenick at Rose Schnitzer Manor March 20 for a Purim presentation.

Olenick is a graduate student in music performance and literature at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

The Pacific Music Festival is an international educational music festival established in 1990 by the late Leonard Bernstein who served as its first conductor.

Members of the Academy are selected through a competitive audition process. Those selected, says the PMF Web site,  “bring fresh interpretations to traditional repertoire, transcending national boundaries and languages.”

Olenick is one of three tenor trombonists selected this year.

This year’s PMF repertoire includes a wide variety of music and features a special concert of compositions by Bernstein. Members also will study individually with renowned performers on their specific instrument.

One of Olenick’s instructors will be Nitzan Haroz, principal trombonist in the Philadelphia Orchestra. Haroz previously played in the Israeli Defense Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and The New York Philharmonic.

Olenick has studied with Haroz in the past. He said he is looking forward to this exciting opportunity to travel, study and perform with musicians from all over the world.

All expenses will be paid by Japanese corporate sponsors of the festival, including Nomura Group, Matsushita Electric, Japan Airlines and Toyota Motor Corporation.