Musician Abroad!
Please enjoy this post by All Classical Portland’s 2022 International Arts Correspondent Sophie Lippert! Sophie is a multi-talented Portland musician and artist who has been given the opportunity to live in Tel Aviv, Israel for the next 12 months. She’ll be sharing her journey with us online and on the air with a series of blogs and performances. Stay tuned as we learn more about Sophie as well as the rich music, food, and culture of this region Sophie will call home for the year.
Part 1: Venturing into the Unknown
Music has always been an anchor for me.
Whether I’m tickling the keys of the piano, bowing or plucking my cello, or listening to recorded tracks or live performances, music serves as a constant; a place of refuge, comfort, joy, emotion, and trusted companionship.
My connection to music is especially important when life takes turns toward the unexpected—and it certainly did when I took a monumental leap into the unknown, and relocated to Tel Aviv, Israel in December 2021!
This transition was a big surprise to everyone in my life—including me. For the previous 10 years, I’d established a life in Portland as a performing pianist, teacher, and entrepreneur. I’d played as a concerto soloist with the Seattle Philharmonic and Olympia Symphony, performed at venues such as the Keller Auditorium and the Portland Art Museum, and collaborated with many of the Pacific Northwest’s finest multi-genre musicians as founder of Connections Concert Series. I’d recorded my first full-length solo piano CD, worked as resident recording artist with Classic Pianos, and played several thrilling Thursdays @ Three programs right here on All Classical Portland.
