In Thursday’s (1/28) Baltimore Sun, Tim Smith writes about the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s new BSO Academy for adult amateur musicians to work with BSO players and Music Director Marin Alsop. “This is another way for us to try to reach out and connect with people,” Alsop says in the article. “I really believe we’re changing from a passive consumer society to a more active, participatory one, and people are looking for a real visceral participation.” The article continues, “When the BSO announced a few months ago a ‘Rusty Musicians’ venture at the orchestra’s second home, the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, more than 600 amateur players signed up for a chance, at a nominal fee, to work with Alsop and BSO members on two pieces of music. The response to the project has energized BSO players about prospects for the academy. ‘What we discovered is that there is a wealth of dedicated amateur musicians we were not aware of,’ said Jane Marvine, the orchestra’s English horn player… The first three years of the academy will be made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.” The orchestra has set up a microsite about the academy here.
Posted January 29, 2010
