“The Richmond Symphony had modest expectations when it held the first Come & Play community concert in 2007,” writes Bill Lohmann in Sunday’s (11/22) Richmond Times-Dispatch (Va.). “ ‘We thought if we could get 40 or 50 people that would be awesome,’ said Aimee Halbruner, the symphony’s director of education and community engagement…. That first Come & Play drew more than 400 [avocational] musicians, and the event took on a life of its own…. An orchestra of more than 700 musicians—ages 6 to 79 … performed Sunday at the ninth Come & Play at VCU’s Siegel Center…. Come & Play has taken its place among the best Richmond traditions. … This year, as last, symphony associate conductor Keitaro Harada conducted… For the first seven, Harada’s predecessor, [associate conductor Erin R.] Freeman, conducted…. This year, as last, she sat in the orchestra and played viola…. A sampling of this year’s [musicians]: more than 200 violins, almost 100 flutes, 71 clarinets, 59 trumpets, 57 cellos, 41 violas, 24 trombones and 14 tubas…. The event raises money for music education in Richmond-area schools.” Read Symphony magazine’s cover story about side-by-side concerts at the Richmond Symphony and other orchestras here.
Posted November 23, 2015
Richmond Symphony “Come and Play” community concert photo by Mark Gormus
