“On yet another frigid January day outside, residents of Ecumen Brooks were able to enjoy … classical music … while learning more about the inner workings of a symphony orchestra from ‘OboeBass!’, ” writes Ryan Anderson in Wednesday’s (1/3) Southernminn.com (Faribault, MN; subscription required). Ecumen Brooks is a retirement community in Owatonna, Minnesota. “The ‘OboeBass!’ duo is comprised of Carrie Vecchione, oboe, and Rolf Erdahl, double bass, and Wednesday’s music appreciation class was titled ‘The Remarkable Music Machine.’ … The remarkable music machine is, of course, a symphony orchestra, said Erdahl, who … is principal bass of the Mankato Symphony…. Vecchione … is the principal oboe of the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra.… The husband-and-wife duo have partnered together since 1999…. They moved to Minnesota roughly a decade ago…. The public is welcome at these musical performances [on] the first Wednesday of each month…. Because it’s so rare to pair an oboe with a double bass, ‘we have created our own repertoire,’ Vecchione said.” Sara Flack, life enrichment director at Ecumen Brooks, said the goal of this series is to “bring classical music to rural areas.… The first program was Dec. 6, and ‘everything I heard was really, really positive.’ ”
Posted January 5, 2018
