Topic: Community

What Happens When Football Great Marshawn Lynch Takes the Houston Symphony Podium

Posted on November 21, 2025 by - News Briefs

In the latest episode of the Amazon Prime series ’N Yo’ City, in which former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch visits different cities and checks out local favorites, Lynch tries his hand at conducting the Houston Symphony. At Jones Hall, the orchestra’s home, Lynch gets an on-the-fly lesson in conducting from Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke while learning about the instruments, interacting with the Houston Symphony musicians, and having a lot of fun. Reineke shows Lynch how to conduct the “Thursday Night Football Theme” and Lynch ”conducts” a selection from Swan Lake.

La Crosse Symphony Honors Veterans

Posted on November 18, 2025 by - News Briefs

In Saturday’s (11/15) WKBT (La Crosse, Wisconsin), Brooklyn Heyn reports, “Music and gratitude filled the air as the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra honored local veterans with a heartfelt performance at their annual ‘Salute to Service’ concert. This tradition, held every November, celebrates the community’s veterans through the power of music. The concert included a performance of a new orchestral version of Aaron Copland’s Violin Sonata, honoring the acclaimed composer often referred to as the ‘Dean of American Music.’ Eva Marie Restel, Executive Director of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, shared the significance of the event, saying, ‘We start this concert celebrating our veterans and we do that every November with the Armed Forces Salute. If you’ve never been to the symphony, with a live symphony playing, each of our veterans that are in the audience stand up and it is a very moving and beautiful way to celebrate and remember our veterans.’ The La Crosse Symphony Orchestra’s next performance is scheduled for December 20th.”

A Free Bronx “Messiah”

Posted on November 17, 2025 by - News Briefs

On December 7, the Orchestra of the Bronx in New York City will present its annual free presentation of Handel’s “Messiah” featuring the orchestra’s professional musicians, vocal soloists, and the Chorus of the Bronx Opera as well as more than 20 speakers from the community, who will read the “Messiah” text. Led by Orchestra of the Bronx founder and conductor Michael Spierman, the concert at Lovinger Theater at Lehman College will include guest speakers—all with connections to the borough—reading brief passages from the oratorio. Among the speakers are Valerie Capers, educator and jazz artist; Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs; Daisy Cocco de Filippis, President, Hostos Community College, CUNY; Hon. Jeffrey Dinowitz, Member, NY State Assembly; Vanessa I. Gibson, President, Borough of The Bronx; Ilyssa Gillman, Education Director, Amalgamated Park Reservoir Co-Op; Larry D. Johnson, Jr., President, Bronx Community College, CUNY; Jesus Lopez-Jensen, Executive Director, The Bronx Council on the Arts; Benjamin Mitchell, Manager, NYC Housing Authority; Ariana Prela, honors student; Jason Regalado, Bronx hip-hop artist; Maurice Richard, server, Black Whale Restaurant, City Island, Bronx, and Hon. Jose M. Serrano, Member, NY State Senate.

South Dakota Symphony and Native Musical Artists Tour the State with Lakota Music Project

Posted on October 30, 2025 by - News Briefs

In last Wednesday’s (10/22) Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), Angela George writes, “Emmanuel Black Bear is the drum keeper at the powwow, and Delta David Gier is the conductor at the concert hall. For decades, both have had a similar calling: to share their music, to guide an ensemble and to make tangible the tradition of a song. But their audience was never the same audience, and their songs were kept apart. Twenty years ago, [South Dakota Symphony Orchestra Music Director] Gier saw this division as a result of ‘racial disparities.’ Black Bear said it came from ‘ignorance’ in understanding different ways of life…. They erased the line …  and drew instead a circle big enough for reconciliation among cultures. … The Lakota Music Project, a group of Native American and non-Native musicians, has now performed for over 10,000 people nationwide and just completed their largest tour yet across the state…. Nine members of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO), six members of the Creekside Singers drum group and two Lakota dancers toured the state, beginning on Native American Day at Crazy Horse Memorial and including stops to perform for students in Pine Ridge, Chamberlain and Wagner…. ‘We have developed a brotherhood, a sisterhood from this program,’ says SDSO concertmaster Doosook Kim.”

Saginaw Bay Symphony Offers Donors the Chance to Take the Podium at Holiday Concert

Posted on October 28, 2025 by - News Briefs

In Monday’s (10/27) MLive.com (Saginaw, Michigan), Fuad Shalhout writes, “The Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 90th season with a holiday twist—one lucky supporter will step onto the podium to conduct the orchestra in Leroy Anderson’s festive favorite, ‘Sleigh Ride.’ Through Nov. 24, anyone who donates $90 or more to the SBSO’s 90th Anniversary Campaign will be entered into a drawing for this unique opportunity. Each $90 contribution earns one entry toward the chance to lead the orchestra during its Holiday Concert on Dec. 9 … The winner will receive a private conducting lesson from Music Director and Conductor Maestro Fouad Fakhouri before the concert, then take the stage to guide the orchestra through one of the season’s most recognizable tunes. ‘This is a fun way to celebrate our 90th Season and invite the community to take part in the music,’ said Cameron Massey in a statement, Executive Director of the SBSO…. The Holiday Concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at The Temple Theatre in downtown Saginaw.”

New York’s Queer Urban Orchestra Heads into 16th Season

Posted on August 25, 2025 by - News Briefs

In Thursday’s (8/21) Gay City News (New York City), Matt Tracy writes, “Nearly 16 years ago, a scrappy group of mostly queer musicians banded together on a stage with whatever instruments they could muster and delivered a debut performance—one that would ultimately mark the arrival of the Queer Urban Orchestra in New York City…. Today, the Queer Urban Orchestra is preparing to embark on its 16th season, having blossomed into a steady musical group with a unique place in the region’s musical landscape: According to its leadership, the group stands as the northeast’s first and only dedicated queer orchestra, and one of the few of its kind in the nation. This season’s theme, ‘A Place for Us,’ is as timely as it is relevant: The phrase derives from a song in ‘West Side Story’ by [Leonard Bernstein] and Stephen Sondheim and aims to capture the essence of queerness and the need for community in the face of a hostile political climate … The orchestra … is predominantly made up of people in the LGBTQ community, but its membership also extends to allies … The Queer Urban Orchestra is entering its 16th season with an intentional focus on community resilience and refuge—including by incorporating even more music created by queer people in history.”

Wheeling Symphony Raises Funds for Flood Relief

Posted on August 4, 2025 by - News Briefs

In last Monday’s (7/28) Intelligencer (Wheeling, West Virginia), Eric Ayres writes, “A benefit concert this month by the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra was deemed a great success, and proceeds from the performance are expected to go a long way in the ongoing effort to help victims of the June floods with ongoing relief and recovery efforts. On Tuesday, officials from the WSO presented a check in the amount of $8,480 to the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley. The donation represented proceeds from the July 10 concert and will go toward the United Way’s Flood Relief Fund. Sadie Varlas, marketing and communications manager for the WSO, said the community truly came out and showed its support during the concert at Vance Memorial Presbyterian Church. The event included performances by members of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, the Wheeling Symphony Youth Orchestra, the WSO Community Choir, local string teachers and local rock band Company Caravan…. Varlas noted that the WSO’s tagline is ‘Your Community in Concert,’ a mantra which certainly rang true during the benefit show that was orchestrated following the disastrous floods…. Staci Stephen, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley, said … ‘We’re so grateful to the Wheeling Symphony.’ ”

Every Summer, a Community Orchestra Grows in Minnesota

Posted on July 18, 2025 by - News Briefs

In Wednesday’s (7/16) Sentinel (Fairmont, Minnesota), Vanessa Schultze writes, “The Summer Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 17, at the Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont. The Summer Symphony Orchestra began in 2019 and is marking its sixth season … In 2019, the Schmeeckle Foundation offered a grant towards new instruments for Fairmont Area Schools students and the community. After pondering the use of the new instruments, Director Katie Hoaglund brought the Summer Symphony to Martin County…. The orchestra consists of approximately 35 local musicians from ages seventh grade to adult…. Hoaglund has seen the number of musicians climb considerably year after year, welcoming students who have returned to the area for the summer, Fairmont Area Schools alumni, siblings, parents, children and all other demographics…. The Summer Symphony is eagerly anticipating the performance on Thursday. The orchestra will perform a repertoire of classical pieces, jazz, movie scores and more. Pieces are selected based on requests …  Hoaglund hopes that she can help the orchestra thrive, exhibit the musicians’ talents to the community, offer a memorable experience for the present and incoming musicians, and allow the orchestra members to express themselves.”

West Michigan Symphony Invites Amateur Musicians to Perform with the Pros

Posted on July 16, 2025 by - News Briefs

In Thursday’s (7/10) MLive.com (Michigan), Skyla Jewell-Hammie writes, “The West Michigan Symphony will host its inaugural Symphony Side-by-Side event this weekend, inviting fans and community members to dust off their instruments and play alongside professional musicians. The inaugural Symphony Side-by-Side kicks off on Saturday, July 12, featuring Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ and ‘1812’ Overture, Georges Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ Suite and more. The musicians—amateur and professional—will gather at the Frauenthal Center in downtown Muskegon for a full day of rehearsing, culminating in a free public concert at 6:30 p.m…. Symphony CEO Andy Buelow said, ‘For years, I have encountered adults who participated in band or orchestra in school but didn’t continue playing. There’s always a wistfulness about how they talk about it. So, we decided to do something about it.’ That … turned out to be plans for the new Symphony Side-by-Side: a full day of practicing, coaching and rehearsing alongside WMS musicians, led by Music Director Scott Speck…. The amateur players can be assured that a WMS musician will be nearby to provide support. WMS announced the opportunity last winter … ‘It’s self-selecting. If [amateur musicians] looked at the music and decided to tackle it, they were in,’ Speck said.”