Hello, and welcome to the first newsletter written by the Musicians of your Alabama Symphony Orchestra! We have been an integral part of the community for the past 100 years, and are looking forward to 100 more. Thank you for joining us on the journey!
Music In the Time of Covid
Exactly one year ago, COVID-19 arrived in our community. It crept quietly into our schools and churches, and, inevitably, into the concert hall. While collaborating with the Alabama Ballet on Sergei Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet,” one of literature’s greatest tragedies, we found ourselves in the midst of our own tragedy. The music ground to a halt. The Alabama Symphony was silenced. So many questions were being asked around the globe by organizations just like ours, most importantly – how do we connect to our community when our voice is taken away from us?
But no art form can be silenced forever, and that is especially true with music. In the absence of our beloved in-person concerts, it was up to music and musicians to change and evolve and emerge – different, but unbending in our desire to reach our audience and our community. Over the summer and into the fall, we began to make videos to provide “live” music in any way we could, anxiously keeping our eye on the horizon, maintaining hope for good news to come. We became more ambitious and even more dedicated to the arduous task of reinventing the centuries long tradition of live music. Here at the Alabama Symphony that meant starting series like “Tuneful Tuesday.” Sponsored by PNC Bank, this series brought technology to the forefront and allowed our musicians to play in their homes, alone and safe, but still connected through music. We taught lessons and coached the members of the Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra over Zoom. We’ve also been able to connect with our community in more personal ways by performing one-on-one virtual concerts for critically ill COVID patients. These performances allow us the chance to use music in an intimate setting of healing and comfort.
The determination to remain a vital part of our community has never wavered. In December, we finally returned to our home at the Alys Stephens Center. We cannot fit all of our musicians on the stage while still keeping the now ubiquitous ‘6 feet of separation’, but we are there, smaller in number, and proud to be the Alabama Symphony Orchestra – no longer silent. Rehearsals and performances are different – we are COVID-tested and masked, our equipment sprayed and sanitized – and we are exploring music not often played by a full symphony orchestra.
In fact, since December we’ve recorded over 40 pieces of music for our patrons and supporters – string ensembles, brass quintets, clarinet duets – music that will reach our audience, all in their individual homes, separate, but joined together in the singular experience music can provide.
Now, more than ever, we need to remember that music is so much more than how many people are on stage or in the hall. Music has the ability to dismantle barriers and cross boundaries, to heal in times of grief and mourning, and to inspire in times of hardship. The musicians of the Alabama Symphony are committed to supporting our community with music, either it be in the concert hall or your living room. We look forward to the time we can meet with all of you in-person, to raise our voices in celebration together, having learned that while music may be temporarily muted, it can never be truly silenced.
ASO
History
This year, the Alabama Symphony celebrates its 100th anniversary. As the only full-time professional orchestra in the state, it maintains deep roots in the community, and possesses a colorful history that spans an entire century. The Orchestra, the second oldest in the Southeast, has gone through monumental changes and weathered numerous ups and downs since its inception in 1921, but its dedication to bringing the highest standard of music making to Alabama has never waned. On Friday, April 29, 1921, fifty-two volunteer musicians gathered to perform at the Old Jefferson Theater as a part of the Birmingham Music Festival, and from this humble beginning the orchestra was born. However, it wasn’t until 1933 that the Birmingham Symphony Association was formed and regularly scheduled concerts were planned. The budget for the first season was a mere $7,000, and only four concerts were held.
Over the next decade, the orchestra quickly expanded its season and public presence. The Symphony’s Sunday afternoon performances in Avondale Park were tremendously popular with the public throughout the 1930’s. World War II brought a seven-year hiatus to the Symphony, but in 1948, the Civic Symphony Association regrouped and began performing again in 1949. In 1956, the orchestra changed its name from the Birmingham Symphony Association to the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and became fully professional. Up until this point, it had been a mix of professionals and amateurs. It was also around this time that the Youth Orchestra was founded, along with beginning level ensemble programs for younger students. In 1966, the Symphony became one of only thirty-three professional orchestras to receive a $600,000 grant from the Ford Foundation. The grant required the orchestra to raise a matching amount, and this was quickly accomplished by a group of dedicated volunteers. The same year, the Birmingham Symphony absorbed the Alabama Pops Orchestra.
In order to reflect the enthusiastic support that the Symphony enjoyed across the whole state, the Birmingham Symphony was renamed the Alabama Symphony in 1979. By 1983, the ASO was performing eight regular series, eight Pops and fourteen statewide concerts each season. World-renowned violinist Isaac Stern took part in an annual fundraising concert each season as well. When the 1984-85 season was under threat of being cancelled due to budget short falls, the Birmingham Philanthropic community stepped up and raised over $120,000 to make the season happen as planned. After Paul Polivnick was named music director in 1985, the Alabama Symphony’s season grew from 40 to 46 weeks. The orchestra also established national prominence with commercial recordings and a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
One of the most tragic phases in the history of the Alabama Symphony began in 1993, when the orchestra declared bankruptcy. While this was a difficult time for everyone in the ASO, plans were quickly made to resurrect the organization. One of the musicians, Michael McGillivray, approached volunteers Rae Trimmier and Joan Parker with a plan to purchase the orchestra’s tangible assets (which included instruments and the entire music library) and create the Alabama Symphonic Association (ASA). Losing these assets would have been a devastating loss, and would have made restarting the organization an even more daunting task. Birmingham’s most important philanthropist, Mr. Elton B. Stephens, joined the revival efforts and became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ASA in 1994. Under his leadership, a group of volunteers set out to raise a $10 million endowment and a $5 million Operation Fund. After extensive planning and fundraising on the part of Mr. Stephens, Board President Dr. Charles McCallum and the Board of Directors, a new contract was negotiated and ratified with the Musicians Union. In September of 1997, after four years of silence, the Symphony played its first notes since bankruptcy. Richard Westerfield was appointed music director and served for six years. Chris Confessore joined the orchestra as associate conductor in 2000 and now serves as the ASO’s Principal Pops Conductor.
In 2006, Justin Brown was named Music Director and the ASO’s national prominence continued to grow. 2010 saw the reestablishment of the Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra. Under Brown’s direction, the orchestra developed a reputation for adventurous and cutting-edge programming, with the Classical Edge series bringing in artists such as Chris Thile and Béla Fleck, and even premiering a piece composed by Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood. In 2011, The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) awarded the ASO with its highest honor: the John S. Edwards Award for Strongest Commitment to New American Music. Later that year, the Alabama Symphony was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York, drawing praise from one critic for the orchestra’s “versatility and adaptability,” and the “quickness and spontaneity” with which the audience jumped to a standing ovation. Current music director Carlos Izcaray was appointed to his position 2015, following a four year long international search, and the orchestra continued to excel and flourish.
The COVID pandemic, unprecedented in its impact and scale, has presented yet another broad challenge for the Alabama Symphony. Although unlike any other challenge faced in the past, the orchestra’s success will continue to rely on the generous patronage of music lovers and philanthropists. The musicians of the Alabama Symphony are as committed as ever to bringing the highest caliber of artistry to the people of Alabama, and it can’t be done without the kind of committed patrons that have kept the orchestra around for the last 100 years. That spirit of passionate support from the community is the reason the orchestra has been successful for the last 100 years, and it will continue to be the reason the orchestra is successful for the next 100.
Hellen Weberpal, cello
CENTER STAGE
In February of 2020, cellist Hellen Weberpal became the newest tenured member of our ASO family. Understandably, she feels right at home in Birmingham. “I’m thrilled to play in a world-class orchestra in a beautiful city,” says Hellen. “The most special thing for me has been the people. Birmingham has a neighborly feel, and I love that I run into people I know while I’m around the city.” She had spent the previous three years as a ‘Community Embedded Musician’ with the Houston Symphony after completing degrees at Rice and DePaul universities. But Birmingham is something special to her; “I love the hills, forests, birds, and trails, and how the city is so intertwined with the shape of the land.”
Hellen’s admiration for the Birmingham landscape is noticeably intertwined with her hobbies: rock climbing (with ropes) and bouldering (rock climbing, but closer to the ground with pads). Since joining the Alabama Symphony in 2018 she has discovered Alabama’s treasure trove of climbing locations, with Horse Pens 40, Sand Rock, Palisades Park, and Moss Rock being some of her favorites. “I love finding the parallels between learning to balance with your body in a climb and using your fingers to play cello. The way a person chooses to climb a rock (called ‘beta’) is very similar to learning and playing a piece of music. You can sometimes do different fingerings or bowings than someone else, and each person will come out with an individual sound. Climbing has helped me realize and respect my differences, and try to use my own body and hands to the best of their abilities.”
Playing cello and climbing rocks are the two things that Hellen says “consume my mind entirely while I’m doing them… the mindset for both of them is extremely similar.” This curious overlap inspired her to apply for and receive a grant to compose “Suite for Solo Cello – Alabama Climbs,” a five-movement piece for cello accompanied by footage of Hellen overcoming various technical challenges on some of her favorite rock-climbing routes. “Some of the movements were lining up notes extremely specific to the features of the rocks, and others were more about creating the feeling inside that the climber gets when in a challenging spot. I had so much fun doing it!
And yet, climbing and bouldering could be considered unlikely hobbies for a self-described “flat-lander.” Hellen grew up on a farm in Sycamore, Illinois. When she was given the opportunity to play an instrument in the school orchestra, she picked the cello. “I had a friend that was already playing the violin, viola, or bass, and I felt bad that no one was playing the cello, so I decided that was the one for me!” After a short break while she tried the clarinet, Hellen says, “I knew I wanted to go back to it. Playing cello always felt like exactly what I needed and wanted to be doing all the time.” Hellen studied cello with Linc Smelser, who she credits with taking her from “a farm kid with a cello” to “a high school senior who was ready to audition for music school.” In addition to having an “endlessly encouraging” teacher, Hellen recalls her experience at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan as one that forever changed her relationship with the cello. “Coming from my rural area, I hadn’t really met other younger people who were as dedicated to making music as I was, and at IAC, I got a chance to meet hundreds of them.”
After completing her collegiate degrees, Hellen played a series of one-year contracts with the Houston Symphony, eventually landing the position of Community Embedded Musician. “I got to play with the orchestra still sometimes, but my main job was education work around the city, therapeutic music in hospital settings, and presentations in social service centers. During all this time, I was taking auditions and wondering which orchestra was going to be the one that I would get to call my own, permanently. Arriving in Birmingham in 2018, I was blown away by the high caliber of the orchestra. Getting tenure here in the ASO has been one of the proudest accomplishments of my life, and I’m thrilled to be here.”
In addition to her work at the ASO, Hellen teaches cello at the Suzuki Talent Education Program in Hoover. She lives in Crestwood with her boyfriend Blake and her “charmingly neurotic” cat Don Quixote.
ASOM'S
SPOTLIGHT 180º
Our series “Spotlight 180º” is dedicated to the many donors, sponsors, and volunteers necessary to make an organization like the Alabama Symphony Orchestra successful. This edition of Spotlight 180º is devoted to the Stephens Family, whose name has been closely associated with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and its success for three generations. The family’s association with the ASO began with Elton B. Stephens and his wife, Alys, who together formed a small company selling magazines to military bases in 1944. That company has grown to become EBSCO Industries, a global organization of nearly 50 companies operating in 23 countries. Mr. and Mrs. Stephens were great supporters of many of the arts and cultural organizations around town. They were also incredibly generous with their time and talents, with Mrs. Stephens serving as a Symphony Volunteer and introducing her children to the ASO at an early age.
After suffering a bankruptcy in 1993, the ASO was reborn in 1997. This was the result of the efforts of many wonderful people, but it could not have happened without the generosity and hard work of the Mr. and Mrs. Stephens, whose tireless leadership guided us back to the stage after five long years. And, speaking of our stage, Mrs. Stephens was instrumental in the push for building the wonderful Performing Arts Center at UAB that bears her name and that we have called home for over two decades. The Stephens’ children, Jim, Elton Jr., Dell, and Jane, have continued their parent’s legacy of love and support for the ASO, serving on the ASO Board of Directors and the Endowment Board many times over the years. This tradition has also been passed down to the newer generations and extended family, with Bart Stephens, Jim’s son, having served on the Board and Dell’s husband, Dixon Brooke, currently serving as our Board Chairman.
The Musicians of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra would like to thank the Stephens family for their many decades of generosity and unflagging support and are looking forward to exploring new opportunities together as we embark upon the next 100 years of the ASO.
ASO
PROGRAM NOTES
Serenade for Strings in Eb Major, By Josef Suk
Czech composer Josef Suk completed his Serenade for Strings in Eb Major in 1892, as a student of Antonin Dvorak at the Prague Conservatory. Only 18 at the time, Suk’s talent was recognized and encouraged by Dvorak. His esteemed teacher assigned him this particular challenge with an exhortation to write something in a more cheerful mood, as his previous works had tended towards the darker emotions. The Serenade ended up launching his career as a composer, and he enjoyed a fruitful working life combining his composing with performances as a member of the Bohemian String Quartet, and eventual post as the Director of the Prague Conservatory. His association with Dvorak was long lasting, both professionally and personally, as he ended up marrying Dvorak’s daughter, Otilie.
Lush melodies abound from the first tones of the Andante con moto. The strong influence of Dvorak can be heard throughout, but Suk finds a distinct original voice in this charming work for string orchestra. The following Allegro ma non troppo e grazioso is light and waltz-like in character, and delivers on Dvorak’s request for cheering sentiment. The Adagio movement is somewhat more melancholy, and features a gorgeous lamenting cello solo, along with rich and passionate harmonies in the supporting string lines. The final Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo presto is articulate and energetic, with active and challenging parts for all involved. This lesser known gem of a piece fully deserves a warm welcome back to the stage as programming around the world reflects the current climate of featuring smaller, string dominated orchestrations.
Serenade for Strings Op. 1, by Samuel Barber
This short, three movement work was composed in 1928 by a young Samuel Barber during his conservatory days studying with Rosario Scalero at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. Despite his youth, the piece forecasts the metric complexity and pension for melody that Barber would excel at for the rest of his career. The work was initially written for string quartet, and later expanded for string orchestra by the composer with the addition of a bass part in 1942. Perhaps all his works are overshadowed by the profound and ubiquitous Adagio for Strings, which was notably also originally composed as a movement of one of Barber’s string quartets.
The work begins with a pensive movement marked Un poco adagio, full of harmonic tension resolving somewhat unpredictably throughout. A particularly plaintive melody arrives a few minutes in, and gets artfully passed from section to section, taking the movement to a close that lacks a definitive sense of finality. The second movement, Andante con moto, is brief and understated in mood. The theme gets cleverly and contrapuntally distributed around the group, and the movement ends almost abruptly, with an unsettling harmonic ambiguity. The last movement however, is a dance (marked Allegro giocoso) — lively and optimistic in nature, bringing the whole work to a spirited close.
A Night Piece for Flute and Strings, and Serenade in E Major
American composer and organist Arthur Foote was born in 1853 in Salem, Massachusetts. While regionally highly regarded in his day, his compositions have gotten little attention in modern times. Today he is usually mentioned as one of the ‘Boston Six’, along with composers George Whitefield Chadwick, Edward MacDowell, John Knowles Paine, Horatio Parker, and Amy Beach. Although he was born and educated in the United States, his music has a distinctly romantic and European bent to it, in contrast to the influence that would come later in the works of Aaron Copland, William Schuman, and the like.
A Night Piece for Flute and Strings was written in 1918, originally as Nocturne and Scherzo for Flute and String Quartet. This chamber orchestra version came a few years later and was published in 1922. The romanticism Foote was so fond of shines through here, with some distinct moments influenced by French impressionism. The piece is similar in style to a fantasy, with lovely soaring flute lines, and plenty of opportunity for the strings to shine as well, particularly in the first violin part.
The Serenade in E Major also contains music from Foote’s previous compositions that he chose to rework for this relatively substantial serenade. The piece is in 5 movements: Praeludium, Air, Intermezzo, Romanze, and Gavotte. In the second movement listen for Foote’s homage to Bach’s Air from his Third Orchestral Suite, expressively led by solo cello in constant conversation with the violins. More solo features occur in later movements for both cello and violin, as well as some tutti pizzicato sections, both demonstrating Foote’s exploration of tonal color possibilities within the string ensemble configuration. The final Gavotte is energetic and rousing in character, heralding its origin as a French peasant dance style.
Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op. 20 (1892) Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Elgar started his composing career later in life, and in time, he became one of Britain’s leading composers. By 1900, his Enigma Variations and The Dream of Gerontius put an English composer back on the classical world stage, a feat not accomplished since Henry Purcell’s success during the 17th century. Only eight years earlier, Elgar completed the Serenade, possibly using musical ideas from another work written in 1888. The premiere took place in front of a private audience with the Worcester Ladies’ Orchestral Class in 1892 and had its public debut in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1896. The Serenade’s dedication went to Edward W. Whinfield, an organ builder and friend. Elgar also credited his dear wife, Alice, in the margins of the manuscript, for she “helped a great deal to make these little tunes.” Rumored to be the favorite among his compositions, the Serenade was one of the first pieces which Elgar approved.
As an active violinist, Elgar’s understanding of string writing shone. Opening with a bold viola line, we get a sense of having stepped into a horse-drawn carriage and are off on a purposeful journey in the Allegro piacevole. While sweeping melodies carry us into moments of nostalgia, the energetic and restless undercurrent keeps us alert until the end, where we hear a somewhat questioning musical fade-out. In stark contrast to the first movement, Larghetto opens with a sighing motif in this overtly romantic second movement. Here, we are taken on a journey of the heart, with lyircal lines oscillating between intimate moments of varying intensity, ending in a peaceful resolution. The final movement, Allegretto, reminisces on the first two movements, bringing us full circle by repeating the distinctive opening rhythm towards the end. The music ultimately floats away during the last few moments, leaving us with a sense of calm and hope.
ASOM
MUSIC EDUCATION
In a time when the world is dominated by global crises, it can be difficult to appreciate the importance of music education. What good is learning to play an instrument in the face of a global
pandemic, massive cultural division, and the existential threat of climate change? When the world’s problems are so big, how can the small act of artistic pursuit be considered important, or even essential?
The cognitive benefits of music education are vast, from improved coordination and the mastery of memorization, to the development of discipline and empathy. These skills carry over to every aspect of life, enriching perspective and enhancing capability. It makes sense – when you spend hours a day thinking critically about the sound your instrument produces, and adapting your body and mind to alter and improve those sounds, you are developing keen problem solving and fine motor skills. When you begin to associate meaning to those sounds, you are expanding your emotional range and empathetic reasoning. And finally, when you perform in front of an audience, you are developing the ability to thrive in a high pressure environment. The personal benefits of music education are extraordinary, but the magic of it is that these benefits are not exclusive to the student. They permeate during shared moments of musical expression to transport and elevate the listener – the benefits of music education are contagious.
When we listen to music our brains respond in amazing ways. Music can take us back in time, helping us to relive our most cherished memories. It can calm us in times of incredible stress, or give us the energy to get through the final stretch of a grueling work-out. Music engages the mind in a way that inspires and heals. Music therapies have been shown to reduce seizures, help with Parkinson’s disease, and assist in repairing brain damage. Music also brings us together in a way very few things can. Two people with deep ideological differences can enjoy the same musical performance and perhaps even bond over the experience. Music is a celebration of what it means to be human; it is a testament to our shared experience that speaks to us in ways that are universal.
Strength, focus, discipline, inspiration, hope, and unity – these are the attributes required to face the world’s greatest challenges, and they are the attributes acquired by music students and the communities that support them. The Musicians of the ASO believe music has the power to change lives, and we are committed to bringing music and music education to all communities in Alabama. In 2015 the Musicians of the ASO started a project called “Inspire”. Designed to reach more students by sending small chamber music groups directly into classrooms, Inspire has allowed us to reach hundreds of students in diverse communities all throughout Birmingham. Even in the face of COVID-19, we continue to connect and educate by way of digital classroom visits. As musicians, the gift of music was shared with each of us. Through projects like Inspire our goal is to pay it forward, introducing the next generation to the life-changing power of music, thereby enriching our communities with music education and all it has to offer.
XI YANG, CELLO
MUSICIAN'S PLAYLIST
Robert Schumann
Dichterliebe Op. 48
–
Ian Bostridge (1998)
Spotify Link
Dichterliebe is one of the best-known vocal compositions of Robert Schumann. Dichterliebe translates in English as “A poet’s love.” There are 16 songs in this song cycle, and the lyrics were written by German poet Heinrich Heine. These songs are very short, each about two to three minutes long, but they are extremely beautiful. The lyrics and the melodies are tightly locked together.
The recommended album was sung by British Singer Ian Bostridge. It was released in 1998. I have listened to many different versions of this work in live recital or CD, but this album is always on the top of my playlist. Ian Bostridge has very elegant and fine musical interpretation, with solid singing technique. I love how he treated the rhythm and articulations of the words. Also, he has the lightest, most tender and airy voice I have ever heard for Dichterliebe.
I could feel the deep melancholy, longing for love, and extreme emotional expression in this album. That’s why this song cycle is also called “Love Poison”. I tear up every time I listen to this song cycle; it’s the most natural human reaction when I hear the magical and dreamy piano lines mix with the sentimental and pure voice, especially when I understand the lyrics of the songs.
Peter Garrett, cello
Beer & Music Pairing
Schumann often wrote sudden shifts of mood in his compositions, and the song cycle “Dichterliebe, Op. 48” is no exception. The depth of sadness, despair, and failed romance is starkly contrasted with joyful excitement in both lyric and sonic form. The dark, brooding, bitter layers of the “Tropical Stout” enhance the aural perception of passionate longing in the more desperate songs, yet there is also a bright hop complexity to contrast the weighty roasted flavors and intensify the bright expression of more loving lyrics.
Sometimes there is irony in Schumann’s pairing of his music with poetry, such as in “Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen,” where the music is merry and spirited despite a story of heartbreak and spitefulness. “Tropical Stout” is analogous with this irony; it is an uncommon combination of roasted malt, tropical hops, and Norwegian yeast called “Kveik.” For the third song in the cycle (“Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne”), Cahaba’s Berliner Weiss complements the sparkle and agility of Schumann’s musical setting. Get your growlers filled, put on a good pair of headphones, and enjoy this pairing of beer with music!
Encore Chocolate Chips Cookies
SYMPHONIC SWEETS
The members of the ASO have enjoyed these cookies during many rehearsal breaks through the years. They are a particular favorite of Kevin Kozak, long-time member of our horn section and cookie connoisseur.
At first glance, these simple treats look like your average toll house cookie recipe. One minor adjustment elevates this childhood favorite to the next level.
Toffee is the star of this recipe and the reason your audience will be asking for more.
Encore Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 oz Heath Bits o’ Brickle® (in baking aisle next to chips)
Combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated.
Gradually blend flour mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits. Refrigerate dough for at least one hour.
Place tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto lined cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. Parchment paper or non-stick foil works well for this recipe to prevent toffee from sticking to the pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 12 minutes (more or less, depending on your oven and temperature of the dough) until barely golden. The cookies will continue to cook slightly after removing from oven. Allow to fully cool on cookie sheet before transferring to airtight container.
Roxie Horton
PET OF THE MONTH
Please say “Hello!” to our first Pet of the Month, Roxie Horton. Roxie’s parents are Alex Horton (Principal Bass) and Hillary Tidman (Asst. Principal Flute). Welcomed into their family in 2019, this two-and-half year old darling is 40 pounds of solid dynamite on 3 inch legs and manages to keep her parents hopping (literally – she hops instead of walks – for miles). A consummate blend of 8 different dog breeds, she is especially loved for her overly expressive ears, which she uses to great effect to make sure her opinions are always known – especially when it comes to tolerating the piccolo. She prefers toys that resemble fast food (me too, girl, me too) and is always in search of the perfect pinecone to chomp on during her walks. Even though she’s anxious to return to her favorite breweries and her beloved ASO concerts at Railroad Park, she always finds plenty of fun things to occupy her time and has become a professional snoozer (blankie required). You can follow her on Instagram @goodgirlroxie.
JOKE
“Accordion to one study, people do not always notice when you replace any given word with the name of a musical instrument, but I don’t believe that tuba true.”
Do you have any special memories of the ASO and its musicians to share?
Please email your stories and/or pictures to contact@ALSymphonyMusicians.org!