In Saturday’s (5/2) Arizona Republic (Phoenix), Mark Norhaft writes about the Chandler Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra led by Music Director Jack Herriman. For its recent “War & Peace: Homage to Great Wars” program marking the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I and the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the orchestra performed Victory at Sea. Herriman, 85, “was in the music program of the (United States) Navy during the Korean War and finds (the music) interesting, beautiful and exciting…. Herriman … first came to Arizona in 1989 to lead the Arizona Chamber Symphony and the Mesa Community College Symphony…. Herriman put down roots and never left. Within a few years of his arrival, he formed the San Marcos Symphony…. They officially became the Chandler Symphony Orchestra in 2006…. Pam Hahn, the orchestra president … says, ‘Our main claim to fame is great classical music, free of charge.’ … Herriman spends a lot of his time recruiting and retaining the 80- to 100-member ensemble. ‘Everyone is professionally trained, but have outside jobs,’ she says. … Herriman says … the orchestra has ‘gone up in stature…. There’s a great satisfaction in seeing a community orchestra develop and come along.’ ”
Posted May 8, 2015
