Sad note about Rivers

I was saddened to learn recently of the retirement of Travis Rivers as music critic of The Spokesman-Review. This is a huge loss to the music community of Spokane. Travis was first and foremost a scholar and brought the wealth of his vast knowledge to every review and preview.

He was also a very conscientious critic and understood that the principal role of a critic is to excite the public about the live performance of music, especially if the performers and conductors are already striving to raise their standards. Flaws in performances were noted in his reviews, but rarely dwelt upon.

For 30 years, Travis has been educating the readers of this paper about musical matters and simultaneously has acted as a booster for classical music and musicians in this community.

Jon Kimura Parker, recent guest piano soloist with the symphony, remarked that the caliber of the musicians in Spokane was entirely unexpected in a city of this size. Travis understood that and supported all the major musical institutions here: the symphony, String Quarter, Allegro, Bach Festival, Mozart in the Park and Spokane Opera.

As a musician myself, I thank him for his dedication and generosity.

Greg Presley

Spokane