Letters To The Editor

Review off the mark

Regarding Joe Ehrbar’s concert review in the Tuesday SpokesmanReview of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra with Judy Collins, held Saturday, April 1 at the Opera House:

While I agree Mr. Ehrbar is entitled to his opinion, he must have been having as bad a day as he claims Judy Collins was, because I thoroughly disagree with his extremely negative portrayal of her in concert. I’ve been a Judy Collins fan for over 30 years. I own every one of her recordings and I think I have a pretty good ear for music.

While her voice cracked a couple of times, I do not believe she was offpitch to the extent he indicated. I think, also, he could have made his point and gotten off of it. The other thing that I feel was missing from his review, was a much more complete portrayal of the wonderful work that the symphony did under Stefan Kozinski’s leadership that evening. It was a superb concert and was the farewell concert for Mr. Kozinski after 10 years of meritorious and wonderful music-making with the symphony and wonderful service to the community of Spokane. He certainly deserved much greater coverage in that review. Suzanne Capstick Spokane

Ehrbar was ‘lackluster’

What does it take in this town for performers to get a good review? If Judy Collins’ singing was so bad, then why did she continue to get applause not only at the end of her performance, but during? For those of us that listened to her songs in the ‘60s, this was a wonderful evening full of memories from the past. Not everyone enjoys hearing vibrato in “folk/rock music”!

Working for a social service agency as I do, it was heartwarming to hear of Judy’s work with UNICEF. Not enough people in this world care about children in need. In my opinion your article on Ms. Collins was “lackluster.” Ann M. Bennett Spokane

Performance stellar

As one who has been a subscriber to the Spokane Symphony Pops concert for over 25 years I had to wonder whether your correspondent, Joe Ehrbar, and I had attended the same Judy Collins concert last Saturday evening.

I have to admit that my ear does not pick up “perfect pitch” and that my ability in this area is limited to whether music is “loud” or “soft” - but I personally thought that Judy Collins’ performance was stellar. In fact, it was probably one of the five best pops concerts that I have attended in the time that my wife and I have been subscribers.

On the other hand, maybe, as someone who remembers the ‘60s and ‘70s, it was just wonderful nostalgia ringing through - and I didn’t hear what I thought I had heard after all. Michael A. Donlan Spokane