Brian Owens – Stories from Backstage

SLSO and Make-A Wish Missouri Team to Grant Faith’s Wish

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Make-A-Wish Missouri teamed to make a young girl’s wish come true in October.

Faith*, who is eight-years-old, wanted to experience an SLSO concert.

She was born with SOX2 anophthalmia syndrome. The genetic condition left Faith blind and with limited mobility.

Faith’s mom, Bridget*, said that life or her daughter can be a “struggle,” but music has been a “great motivator.”

On October 8, SLSO musicians Melissa Brooks, Celeste Golden Boyer, Beth Guterman Chu, and Eva Kozma performed three pieces of music for Faith at St. Francis Xavier College Church. St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Artist-in-Residence Brian Owens was the featured vocalist for the concert.

“To see the string quartet and vocalist so dedicated to making this happen for her was special to us,” Bridget said.

SLSO cellist Melissa Brooks called the experience “amazing.”

“It really was it was an honor to play for her,” Brooks said.

SLSO violist Beth Guterman Chu agreed.

“Anytime we can touch anyone it is special, but to know that this was Faith’s dream, was a real high point for me,” Guterman Chu said.

Faith’s Make-A-Wish also included a private concert in her home on October 4. The musicians performed two pieces of music, including a piece by Tony Bennett.

“This was just a great opportunity to see how much Faith is loved by so many people,” Bridget said. “It was the right wish request.”

*For privacy reasons, the SLSO is not releasing the family’s last name.

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.

The Orchestra Sings

The theme for this season’s Link Up program was The Orchestra Sings. Students throughout the region studied and learned a comprehensive curriculum–created by Carnegie Hall’s worldwide music education initiative–in their music classes all year long. Wednesday morning was the culmination of all that work–the annual Link Up concert at Powell Hall.

Two near-capacity shows featured guest vocalist Erin Bode, host Brian Owens, and Steven Jarvi conducting the St. Louis Symphony. Also on stage were music teacher Emilee Kellermann and two trios from Kellison Elementary leading the audience in singing and recorder playing.

Music teacher Emilee Kellermann and students from Kellison Elementary perform at Link Up concert. — Music teacher Emilee Kellermann and students from Kellison Elementary perform on stage at Powell Hall for Link Up concert.

Two-thousand recorders playing the “Going Home” theme from the “New World” Symphony–you don’t experience that every day. Nor the talent of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Hava Polinsky, who stepped out to play an excerpt from Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the orchestra. Any number of grade school students are going to sleep on Wednesday night thinking about the musician who played so beautifully on her 17th birthday, and how they want to be like her someday.

Special kudos to the Education Team of Jessica Ingraham, Michael Gandlmayr and Laura Case-Reinert, who worked so hard and so smart to make this one of the best Link Up experiences ever.

Morning, Noon, and Night

Although children shouted for joy when they saw the snow coming down and learned of the school closings throughout the region this morning, I’m willing to imagine that a few thousand schoolkids that were scheduled to bus to Powell Hall for the Tales of Shakespeare Education Concerts were somewhat disappointed. I know everyone at Powell Hall was.

But the St. Louis Symphony hardly ever stops. Musicians have been playing music and teaching music here, there and everywhere morning, noon and night over the last few days. Director of Community Programs Maureen Byrne, one of the busiest women in show business, has been with them every stop of the way and provided these photos.

Friday afternoon, Feb. 19. Principal Flute Mark Sparks conducts master class with students at McKendree University

Friday evening, Feb. 19 at the Hett on the McKendree campus. After a concert Principal Harp Allegra Lilly connects with her first teacher, Ruth Myers

At Washington Tabernacle, Brian Owens sings "Motherless Child" with accompaniment from the Heart Quartet for Women's Heart Health Awareness. — Sunday morning, Feb. 21. At Washington Tabernacle, an IN UNISON Church, Brian Owens sings “Motherless Child” with accompaniment from the Heart Quartet for Women’s Heart Health Awareness

Sunday morning, Feb. 21, IN UNISON Scholars (left to right) Valencia Branch, Malena Smith, Maria A. Ellis, Charlene Masona sing at IN UNISON Church partner Union Memorial — Sunday morning, Feb. 21, IN UNISON Scholars (left to right) Valencia Branch, Malena Smith, Maria A. Ellis and Charlene Masona sing at IN UNISON Church partner Union Memorial

Sunday afternoon, Feb. 21. Children from the International Institute make their way from their bus to Powell Hall for a Family Concert — Sunday afternoon, Feb. 21. Families from the International Institute make their way from their bus to Powell Hall for a Family Concert

After the concert audience members from the International Institute get their picture taken with Symphony violist Leonid Gotman, who came to the U.S. from the Soviet Union

New St. Louis Symphony fans from the International Institute

Monday afternoon, Feb. 22. The Symphony's Elizabeth Chung and Ann Choomack perform at the Siteman Cancer Center — Monday afternoon, Feb. 22. The Symphony’s Elizabeth Chung and Ann Choomack perform at the Siteman Cancer Center

Tuesday evening, Feb. 23, a Symphony In Your Neighborhood concert at Tower Grove Park. An SRO audience in Piper Palm House hears Jooyeon Kong, Eva Kozma, Morris Jacob and Anne Fagerburg perform.

People Get Ready

What if they gave an On Stage at Powell concert and the audience couldn’t fit on stage? That’s what happened Wednesday night when Brian Owens and company performed the music of Curtis Mayfield. The orchestra level of Powell Hall was full for a concert that usually offers performers and audience the opportunity to fit intimately together on stage. Where the Mayfield show may have expanded in scale it did not lose in intimacy. Owens, with members of the 442s, IN UNISON Scholars and Fellows on vocals and percussion, IN UNISON Church Partner musicians, YO cellist Julie Holzen and her Peer to Peer Initiative mentee cellist Tieryn Minor, and an outasight brass section had Powell Hall in a groove. People heard Owens channeling Mayfield on “Keep on Pushing,” “Super Fly,” “People Get Ready” and other hits from the ’60s and ’70s. “You don’t need no baggage/ You just get on board.”

Magic Show

Last Thursday morning, the 442s–Shawn Weil and Bjorn Ranheim from the Symphony and Adam Maness and Syd Rodway from the Erin Bode Group–and recording artist Brian Owens, who is also the Symphony’s IN UNISON Artist-in-Residence, played a concert at the Goldfarb School of Nursing. Goldfarb is one of our partners in the SymphonyCares program and provides an enthusiastic audience of nursing students whenever musicians from the Symphony perform there.

Brian Owens and the 442s at the Goldfarb School of Nursing

Along with the nursing students in attendance, orchestra students from Ferguson Middle School came to the show as well. Grace Fitter, Director of Orchestras at Ferguson Middle School, saw the concert as an opportunity for her students to realize that continuing education is accessible and possible for each one of them.

A visit to Goldfarb helps plant the seeds. Hearing Brian Owens introduce himself as a native of Ferguson adds sunlight to help the seeds grow. Maureen Byrne, Director of Community Programs, described the experience afterward: “It was a magic show.”

On and On, and On, and On

Friday night the Black History Month Concert: Lift Every Voice featured R&B/Gospel legend Patti Austin. She shared many stories with the audience and sang up a storm–but don’t blame her for the snow.

Patti Austin and St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus grab a photo op on the grand staircase.

At intermission of the BHM concert, following a performance of Adam Maness’ Divides That Bind, the composer and Brian Owens, who read text by Martin Luther King, Jr., during the piece, meet with IN UNISON Chorus members backstage.

Brian Owens and Adam Maness with IN UNISON Chorus

Saturday night I experienced one of the most surreal moments I’ve ever had at Powell Hall: a sold-out audience on its feet singing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” with a tribute band and the St. Louis Symphony. Nobody even asked them to, word for word from beginning to end: “Just a small-town girl/ Livin’ in a lonely world….”

Sunday the Heart Quartet, which is performing throughout February advocating for Women’s Heart Health, played at IN UNISON Church partner St. Philip’s Evangelical Lutheran.

Heart Quartet, aka "The Hearties": Anne Fagerburg, Shannon Farrell Williams, Dr. Dawn Hui, and Helen Kim — Heart Quartet, aka “The Hearties”: Anne Fagerburg, Shannon Farrell Williams, Dr. Dawn Hui, and Helen Kim

Also on Sunday, Symphony musicians played Dvorak’s Serenade for Winds, Cello, and Double Bass at Peace Lutheran Church.

Dvorak's Serenade at Peace Lutheran — Dvorak’s Serenade at Peace Lutheran

Monday morning, Angie Smart and Claire “The Clown” Wedemeyer entertained girls and boys at Mercy Children’s Hospital. All the kids they entertained were in isolation, so Angie and Claire made in-room performances.

Symphony first violinist Angie Smart and Claire "The Clown" Wedemeyer making their rounds at Mercy Children's Hospital. — Symphony first violinist Angie Smart and Claire “The Clown” Wedemeyer making their rounds at Mercy Children’s Hospital.

And on and on, and on, and on…throughout the St. Louis region…anywhere.

A Sunday Evening in Ferguson, Missouri

Music brings people together. With music people laugh, they sing, they dance, they sway. Woody Guthrie used to say that he didn’t sing songs to bring people down or to feel bad about themselves. He sang songs to lift people up. Woody would have felt right at home at the #HealFerguson concert Sunday night, which included St. Louis Symphony string players performing a work written specifically for the concert by the multi-talented Adam Maness. Maureen Byrne, Director of Community Programs, put together the string ensemble. Brian Owens, the hardest working man in show business, put together the show for his hometown, and for the world.

Here are some pics.

Ferguson strings wait to go on stage — Symphony strings wait to go on stage

Ensemble performs Adam Maness' "Divides That Bind" — Ensemble performs Adam Maness’ “Divides That Bind”

Brian Owens and Christine Brewer sing "The Prayer" — Brian Owens and Christine Brewer sing “The Prayer”

Engaging Our Hands

Brian Owens is not only an amazing vocalist, performer and recording artist, he serves as IN UNISON® Artist in Residence and Program Manager. I usually try to avoid titles, but I think Brian’s is pretty cool. Not only does he help make the In Unison program better each year, he works as a mentor to the In Unison scholars, music students who attend UM-St. Louis and McKendree University with support from In Unison. He gives them practical tools to go with their artistic vision.

Brian Owens Photo: Jerry Naunheim — Brian Owens
Photo: Jerry Naunheim

Brian lives in Ferguson, and as the events that made international news this summer transpired, he kept himself directly involved in helping his community any way he could.

Not that long ago he started calling up his friends with an idea. One of those friends (and colleagues) was Maureen Byrne, who directs the St. Louis Symphony Community Programs. A free concert, he told her, in Ferguson. He was going to make it happen. Let’s get the Symphony involved. Music, it’s what we do.

Brian has said, “Music has an amazing ability to bring people together in peace and at the same time enlighten our hearts to experience something even greater. This experience is about engaging our hands, lifting our spirits and looking forward to a new and even better Ferguson community and city.”

Maureen called on 12 very willing Symphony string players to perform a new work, “The Divides That Bind,” composed for the event by Adam Maness, a multi-talented musician who plays in the Erin Bode Band and the 442s.

Christine Brewer Photo: Christian Steiner — Christine Brewer
Photo: Christian Steiner

Brian recruited guest artists J.R. (a Grammy-winning producer from St. Louis), Mike Hicks (plays keyboards with Keb’ Mo’), vocalist Nao Yoshioka (Brian performed with her on tours of the U.S. and Japan), and soprano Christine Brewer (the world-renowned opera star from Lebanon, Illinois).

The responses to all the asks were immediate and enthusiastic. Let’s do this.

#HealFerguson

Sunday, September 7 at 5:30pm

Ferguson Church of Christ – in the parking lot

1239 N. Elizabeth Ave.