Player Portrait

Steve Lawrence

Percussion

First season with the Oregon Symphony:

1967-1968

Most influential teacher(s):

Leo Browne, my percussion teacher, was very giving, patient and informative. He helped me develop an attitude and feeling for percussion and caring about sound.

Earliest musical memory:

My father played piano (mostly when company came), my sister Jean played violin, my brother Harold played cello, my brother John played the oboe and my brother Stewart played trumpet. I also remember when I was very young that I would leave the radio tuned to a classical station out of California. It had lots of static and faded in and out. I left it on all night long and would find myself filling in the blank spaces as it faded in and out.

"I first knew I would make music my career when ... "

Music and percussion were always in my life. I never really "picked" my career. It was just a natural progression from doing and accomplishing. One performance led to another. Someone liked what I was doing and would ask me to do more. Actually, it started with my sister, Jean. When she was first married, she went around the house looking for things she and her husband, Bruce, who played drums, could give as Christmas presents. They gave me a drum; I've been thankful ever since.

"Other than performing music, I've always thought it might be fun to be a ... "

I love teaching and writing music. It is exciting to figure out how to get an idea across, how to make sure it's learned or accepted.

Favorite composer and/or period?

This question is a little like asking which ice cream flavor do you like. I would hate to think I always had to pick the same flavor. However, I do love Duke Ellington, Ann Henry, Bach, Mozart, Mahler, Svoboda, etc.

What does this photograph say about your life?

Having a great wife and family consisting of over 80 children; life feels like a colorful bouquet. In addition to Landon and Jeff, our biological children (strange term considering all children are biological — aren't they?) and Amy, our adopted daughter, the others have primarily been "special needs" foster children. My wife and I were named "Foster Parents of the Year" in 1986, when we were honored with a handshake and a plaque from then Governor Vic Atiyeh. We have chosen to specialize with children that are developmentally delayed and have other physical and mental handicaps because they give you an "internal clock" to know how long something can take to learn. They give you an "internal light switch" to know when something is working or not. They help sort out priorities in life.

What do you enjoy most about performing?

Performing actually feels like a doorway to what the composer was thinking and feeling. I love hearing my colleagues sharing the composer with me. I wish everyone could hear and even feel the sound from within the orchestra — it's better than the best hi-fi equipment around!

Other than playing great music, what do you see as the Symphony's most important role?

Being a resource for young people is the second most important role for the Symphony. Music creates such a high quality of life whether it is listening, feeling or performing, that it is important that young people are exposed to it at every opportunity. A few years ago, I formed the Steve Lawrence Phone Company, a percussion quartet that plays concerts mostly in schools. When the quartet first started there was very little music written or in print so I started writing compositions specifically for my quartet. I was able to compose pieces that were specifically written to teach concepts I wanted the students to learn. Some of the titles are: Clap Happy, Happy Talk, Kitchen Talk, etc.

What is your favorite part of being a member of the Oregon Symphony?

When the music is soaring, feeling great, I'm proud to be a part! And I was fortunate to play many years in the Oregon Symphony with both my sister Jean on violin and my brother Harold on cello until they retired.

Player Portrait