In Friday’s (5/15) San Francisco Chronicle, Joshua Kosman writes, “Cellist Peter Shelton, a musician of striking sensitivity and eloquence and a stalwart of the San Francisco Symphony’s cello section for more than 30 years, died Sunday at his Oakland home after a long battle with HIV and cancer. He was 54.Mr. Shelton spent most of his career as the orchestra’s second-chair cellist. His playing was marked by a warm, full-bodied string tone and a depth of expressiveness that could combine with the solidity of his technique to catch a listener unawares. … He appeared regularly on the Symphony’s Chamber Music Series and the Mostly Mozart Festival, and premiered chamber works by Nicolaus A. Huber and George Perle as part of the orchestra’s New and Unusual Music Series. He also co-founded the Chamber Music Sundaes series together with violinists Jorja Fleezanis and Lucy Stoltzman and violist Geraldine Walther, and appeared frequently on that series.” The orchestra and music director Michael Tilson Thomas “will dedicate their performances of Schubert’s Mass No. 6 on June 10-13 to Mr. Shelton’s memory.”
Posted May 15, 2009
