Not all classical, all the time…

At the end of September I introduced our first classical subscription concerts and thanked our Sunday evening sponsor, radio station KBPS—“allclassical.org”. I was impressed by the huge round of applause that followed—impressed and pleased, because audiences who listen to a classical radio station are especially well informed and knowledgeable about conductors, guest artists and the repertoire.

I then brought Pink Martini’s Thomas Lauderdale out onto the platform, and again there was a huge round of applause. Thomas announced a couple of special performances for this season: Norman Leyden’s 90th birthday Big Band concert, and a program in February with the legendary Eartha Kitt. Once again, there was a big response from the audience for these major artists.

Now remember, this was a classical audience, waiting for Carlos to lead a program of Dvořák, Rachmaninoff and Richard Strauss. But I think there are lots of us with eclectic tastes who will happily listen to many kinds of music so long as the performances and programs are superb (or as the orchestra members might say, “so long as the charts are terrific”).

Our musicians skillfully shift gears from week to week and even within a concert, moving from baroque and classical masterpieces to the big romantic repertoire, from works by living composers to pops standards, blues, gospel and jazz. 

At a party last June one of our donors asked Aaron LaVere, our principal trombone, to name the world’s greatest master of his instrument. The answer of course was Tommy Dorsey—and when the brass quintet launched into “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” the entire room settled back in happy silence. In its way, that silence was not unlike the hush that fell each time Valentina Lisitsa struck the magnificent opening chords of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto. Great music, superbly performed, can move us in many ways and at many levels—just so long as the charts are terrific.

Thank you for joining us!

Elaine Calder
President