In brief: Opera instructor Marjory Halvorson dies

Marjory Halvorson, a longtime fixture in Spokane’s musical world, died Christmas Day after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 73 years old.

Halvorson shared her passion for music with local students since 1972, working as a vocal instructor at North Idaho College, Whitworth University and most recently at Gonzaga University. She estimated in April she had taught thousands of students.

To improve opportunities for Spokane singers, Halvorson and her husband, Bill Graham, launched Uptown Opera in 1986. That company grew into Spokane Opera, which went defunct in 2010 due to lack of funding.

Halvorson’s own opera career spread across continents. She was educated in the United States and Germany before settling in Spokane.

She was the YWCA Woman of Achievement in Arts and Culture in 1996, the same year she received the Westminster Church Music Leadership Award. She was also honored with the city of Spokane Arts Commission Leadership Award in 2003.

S-R’s online forum temporarily closed

This is a reminder that The Spokesman-Review has temporarily suspended online commenting on news articles during the holiday season.

It’s being done through Jan. 1 both as an experiment and to help preserve the spirit of the season. Blogs remain open for commenting.

Additionally, the newspaper still welcomes letters to the editor from readers wishing to express their thoughts on current events and issues of regional interest. Guidelines and instructions for submitting letters to the editor can be found on the Opinion page each day or online at http:// www.spokesman .com/letters/ .