In Thursday’s (7/12) Grand Rapids Press (Michigan), Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk writes, “Camille Saint-Saens, when he wrote ‘The Carnival of the Animals,’ knew a thing or two about musicians. Musicians are animal lovers. Members of The Professional Orchestral Musicians Association of Grand Rapids are organizing a July 15 concert at Wealthy Theatre to benefit the Humane Society of West Michigan. ‘I would say that 98 percent of the musicians are animal lovers or owners so I knew this would appeal to my friends,’ said Martha Bowman, Grand Rapids Symphony’s principal bassoonist. None more so than Bowman, a volunteer foster parent for the Humane Society of West Michigan. … In the last few months, the humane society has taken in 20 dogs of 352 rescued from a puppy mill in Allegan County, and more recently with some 50 cats and kittens from a hoarding situation in Lowell. … Organizers hope to sell 400 reservations to fill Wealthy Theatre. If they fill the auditorium, that would raise $10,000 for the humane society. Grand Rapids Symphony’s associate conductor John Varineau is conducting the program of music—all of which is animal-themed, including ‘The Swan’ from Saint-Saens’ ‘Carnival of the Animals’ and Sergei Prokofiev’s ‘Peter and the Wolf.’ ”
Posted July 16, 2012
