Pianist Greg Lief and the Cherry City Quartet will provide a Musical Journey through Chopin and Ravel on Sunday, November 12 at 2 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, (UUCS).

Greg Lief has been playing the piano since the age of four. His acoustic piano repertoire is split between ragtime (Scott Joplin) and classical (Beethoven, Chopin, Clementi, Debussy, Mozart). He has also written, performed, and recorded several hundred original pop/rock compositions.

The Cherry City Quartet is a group of four high school musicians on cello, viola and violins. They are performing Ravel’s Quartet in F Major.

Cost is $20/person (suggested donation). This is a benefit concert for UUCS.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem (UUCS) is at 5090 Center Street NE, Salem 97317.

The Cherry City Quartet was created in 2019 by Daniel Rouslin, retired Willamette University Professor of Music, to provide an intensive class in small ensemble playing for talented high school students of stringed instruments. Regrouping in late 2021 after the pandemic forced outdoor and Zoom concerts, as well as cancellations, they played live on the Camerata Music series at UUCS and at the Salem Public Library. The CCQ appears regularly on the Young Artists Series at Capitol Manor. The current makeup of the Cherry City Quartet represents three Salem high schools; South, West and McNary.

First violinist Maisy Fisher is a senior at South Salem High School, where she is concertmaster of the South High Chamber Orchestra and Symphony. Maisy is also concertmaster of the Salem Youth Symphony, and is one of the top-ranked sopranos in Oregon.

Second violinist, Noah Mayer is a junior at South Salem High School, a first violinist in the South High Chamber Orchestra and is concertmaster of the pit orchestra for the musical, The Sound of Music this fall. Noah is also a member of the Salem Youth Symphony.

Violist, Dougie Howard is a senior at McNary High School where he is principal violist. He is also principal violist of the Salem Youth Symphony.

Cellist, Ryan Radford is a senior at West Salem High School. He is principal cellist of the Salem Youth Symphony.