Musicians – Stories from Backstage

Guest artist plays the right notes onstage and in the community

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s 2017-2018 season opened with a two-week celebration of Mozart.

Pianist Emanuel Ax was the featured guest artist.

Ax played the piano with precision, poise, and passion for during the performances.

Ax split his time between playing piano concertos and meeting music students.

8-year-old Oscar Ramirez, who is a blind, spent time with Ax backstage and onstage before a performance.

“It was really cool and fun,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez dreams of becoming a concert pianist.

“We had a nice exchange,” Ax said. “He played a few notes for me, and I played a little for him.”

Ax also visited Jennings High School. He performed for the students and held a question and answer session.

James McKay, the Jennings School District orchestra teacher, helped lead the question and answer session.

“It was a really phenomenal experience to have someone who has won seven Grammys right here in our school district,” McKay said.

Ax also invited the Jennings students to Powell Hall for one of his performances.

“It’s just a pleasure to meet people that love music,” Ax said.

For a finale to remember, Ax went to a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game with SLSO staff members.

“I got to see the St. Louis Cardinals ballpark, which was very exciting,” Ax said. “It was a great stay.”

It’s a party at Powell Hall when the SLSO and music students Link Up

Each spring, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders take over Powell Hall for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s Link Up concerts.

The students participate in the concerts. They play recorders and violins along with the orchestra. The students also sing and dance.

The concerts are the pay off for months of hard work that starts each fall in greater St. Louis area elementary schools.

According to 5th grade Hazelwood student Jaylah Burton, the program offers her a way to connect with her parents.

“My mom and my dad played instruments,” she said. “I wanted to play an instrument too.”

Link Up provides music educators with specialized curriculum that prepares students for the concerts.

“Studies have shown that kids that play instruments do better on tests and succeed in life,” Hazelwood Orchestra Teacher Kimberley Jackson said. “This program is very beneficial for their development.”

The curriculum comes from the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall.

The help from the SLSO and the curriculum is free.

The SLSO is searching for more schools in the region to Link Up with this school year.

For more information click here.

SLSO Joins Forces with Military Bands for Extraordinary Concert

Patriotism, pride, and percussion filled Powell Hall for the 2017 Joining Forces concert.

Musicians of the St. Louis Symphony, the 399th Army Band, and the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America joined forces to honor veterans and active duty military service members.

The musicians performed powerful pieces of music, including Lincoln Portrait and Stars and Stripes Forever

More than 2,000 people attended the free concert. Neil Cantwell, an Army veteran, attended the concert with a group of veterans.

“I was astounded by it,” Cantwell said. “They played this well.”

While the St. Louis Symphony has a history of working with both military bands, the concert marked the first joint performance at Powell Hall.

“It was quite an honor and amazing experience,” said USAF Band of Mid-America musician Quincy Garner. I think the audience appreciated the music, and I think if we had five more tunes they would’ve stayed for that.”

The concert’s conductors were Kevin McBeth of the St. Louis Symphony, Lt. Col. Michael Willen of the USAF Band of Mid-America, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin McMillan of the 399^th ArmyBand, and Lt. Wilson Wiseof the USAF Band of Mid-America.

The concert was presented by Commerce Bank.