The Lansing Symphony Orchestra.
“Within a 90-minute drive of Lansing, there are 15 professional symphony orchestras: Jackson, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Adrian, Flint, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Bay City, Midland, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Dearborn, Rochester, Warren and Plymouth,” writes Ken Glickman in Thursday’s (4/13) Lansing State Journal (subscription required). “There are several more in other parts of Michigan…. Wouldn’t it be easier and cheaper to have a couple of regional orchestras that travel from town to town? At first blush, that would seem a logical and economic alternative to multiple conductors, boards of directors, executive directors, and other administrators. ‘Intellectually it makes sense to have orchestras service other communities to give concerts,’ said David Hyslop, who has a career consulting with symphony orchestras … ‘But it’s all about local pride. Local musicians have a great impact on the community and the citizens want to hear them play and support them.’… The U. S. is a land rich with symphony orchestras. The League for American Orchestras says there are about 1,600 orchestras. ‘It is true that Michigan has a lot of orchestras, but it is that way across the country, and each one is different,’ said Rachelle Schlosser, director of communications for the League. ‘They don’t play the same repertoire, each organization is unique to its own community. And they are made up of musicians that are embedded in the community who give music lessons, serve on boards and go out into the community.’ ”
