According to Farris, "five or six members of the violin section have studied with me" -- he underestimates, it's actually seven -- including, once upon a time, a fourth-grader named Michael Price, now the SSO's assistant concertmaster.
Farris is taking just a one-year leave from the Spokane String Quartet -- and he has promised to return for the Fox opening in fall 2007 -- but any way you look at it, his retirement at the end of this season will mark the end of an era for the Spokane Symphony.
Christmas Cheer & r & Saturday afternoon, Northpointe Target, toy section. Middle-class shoppers, rats in a maze, bumping their red plastic shopping carts into one another. A mother discusses possible purchases with her son and daughter, then suddenly hisses an accusation at her little boy: "She wants to get him a car, but you want to get him a tractor that does nothing."
As Mom turns to do more shopping, the daughter, triumphant, shoves her brother; he shoves her right back. Mom interrupts the fracas with a stern edict: "If you do that one more time, you will lose The Privilege."
Instant compliance by both kids. Horseplay during Christmas shopping may be fun, but nothing -- nothing -- should cut off access to ... The Privilege.
Pac-10 Hoop Opener & r & Dick Bennett and Lute Olson, two of the most respected coaches in college basketball, bring clashing styles of play to the Spokane Arena next Thursday night, Dec. 29.
Bennett's Cougs, 6-2 going into a game in Seattle tonight against former EWU coach Ray Giacoletti's Utah Utes, open Pac-10 play here against Olson's Arizona Wildcats (6-3 before their Dec. 21 game at home against the Univ. of San Francisco).
For defensive-minded, low-scoring WSU, sophomore Derrick Low is shooting 42 percent from beyond the 3-point arc while leading the team with an average of just 10 points a game. The Cats are led by 6-foot-4 senior guard Hassan Adams (19 points and 7 rebounds per game).
Game time is 7 pm. Tickets: $14-$36. Call 325-SEAT.
