Yesterday we had busloads of schoolchildren for Young People’s Concerts (grades 4-6). Scott Parkman entertained and educated (the two aren’t mutually exclusive) the 9:30 group; David Robertson had the 11am shift. They both managed to get a whole lot of kids to stamp their feet in time to Prokofiev.
Later in the day David, SLSO violinist Deborah Bloom and SLSO Board Chairman Cynthia Brinkley visited kindergarteners at Dunbar Elementary, which is part of the SLSO Adopt-a-School program. The relationship between the orchestra and the school has developed in such a way that Dunbar has designated one classroom as the “Symphony Room.” How cool is that? Add to that the Music Director reading Mole Music, SBC President-Missouri (Cyndy) turning the pages, and Debbie Bloom playing fiddle – and you have a pretty unique educational experience for the children who live just up the street from Powell (view photos).
This morning, back at the hall, the stage hands were in early preparing for “the monstrosity known as Mahler” as Stage Manager Mike Lynch described it. Monstrous in terms of scale and logistics: lots of musicians, vocalists -- so much sound to make; so little room.
And then pack it all up and take it to New York.
My colleague, new marketing director Kristi Kovalak, and I ran into each other during the rehearsal for Coptic Light. We both stopped in our tracks in the midst of errands because of the music we heard coming out of the auditorium. “It’s like the sound of church bells after they’ve rung,” Kristi said, “that after-tone that lingers. It’s pretty.”
