The Eastside Jewish Commons proudly presents its Noontime Concert Series.

This Fall and Winter the Eastside Jewish Commons will host top Portland musicians for Friday noontime concerts that are free and open to the public! Pack a lunch or stop by one of the many pods at 24th and Glisan, bring your food in (no pork or shellfish please) and come and hear the music! Small ensemble concerts that are semi-acoustic and always enlivening. The Eastside Jewish Commons welcomes seniors, parents and kids, students, and all others. What better thing is there to do on a Friday afternoon?!

First concert - Join us Friday, Oct 21 at 12 pm for Cellist Skip Von Kuske with guitarist Brett Malmquist

Skip Von Kuske is a founding member of Portland Cello Project. He has performed with The Portland Cello Project, Vagabond Opera, Groovy Wallpaper, and his solo project, Cellotronik, as well as providing music for countless films. Skip von Kuske believes musicianship is a journey and his journey has taken him around the world over the last 40 years with orchestras and eclectic ensembles. While classical music comprised the first ten years of his musical life, his love for learning led him to the bass, guitar,and mandolin for new forms of expression, though his first love remains the cello. When he moved to Portland in 1994, Skip became fascinated with jazz and playing it on the cello. He has continued to do so to this day and is the rare cellist who is as at ease improvising as reading classical repertoire.

Joining him on the program is long-time collaborator guitarist Bret Maumquist. They'll present a program jazz of standards as well as jazz takes on classical themes.

“His open-mindedness, musical sensibility, technical ability, piercing emotion, and improvisational skills have made him one of the most sought after cellists in the Northwest.”

--Oregon Arts Watch

“Bridging Portland's classical and pop music worlds, and a key member of celebrated combos Vagabond Opera and Portland Cello Project, von Kuske has made variety a musical watchword”

--Jeff Rosenberg Willamette Week