“Plenty—probably thousands—of bands have played Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Purple Haze’ in a bar since its release in 1967,” writes Andrew Hughes in Sunday’s (11/11) South Bend Tribune (IN). “The South Bend Symphony Orchestra’s String Quintet joined those ranks … Oct. 4 at Ironhand Wine Bar [when] the song finished off the SBSO’s first ‘Happy Hour With the Symphony,’ a new initiative with its next event Thursday at The Exchange Whiskey Bar… the String Quintet performed … the tango ‘Por una Cabeza’ by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera, the second movement of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 and [an] arrangement of Silk Road Ensemble’s ‘Ascending Bird.’ … SBSO executive director Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev says … ‘We … encourage people to be social and interact and mingle, but we do want to make sure the performance is at the center of this event and it’s not background music.’ … The fourth ‘Happy Hour’ follows the SBSO’s April 13 concert, which features Mason Bates’ ‘Mothership’ and Cello Concerto…. For the after-party, Bates, who also is a DJ, will create a playlist. ‘Part of the reason behind this is to get up close and personal with the amazing musicians of the symphony,’ ” Music Director Alastair Willis said.
Posted November 13, 2018
