Gershkovitch married in Irkutsk in 1918 . There , he established a fine arts conservatory and symphony orchestra which continued under the Bolshevik regime . In 1921 , he and his wife crossed the border in China to escape from Russia . Ballerina Anna Pavlova offered Gershkovitch the assistant conductor position with her orchestra , which was touring throughout Asia . Gershkovitch remained in Japan to lead the newly organized Tokyo Symphony Orchestra . However , the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake disrupted the organization and caused Gershkovitch and his wife to emigrate to the United States . The couple arrived in San Francisco in November 1923 and made their way to Portland in 1924 . There , Gershovitch was approached to lead the Portland Junior Symphony . Known for his discipline and high performance standards , Gershkovitch conducted the orchestra for twenty-nine years , gaining national attention for the ensemble and pioneering the youth orchestra movement until his death in 1953
1923 Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kantō earthquake
Jacques Gershkovitch