An article posted Tuesday (2/19) on the Tampa Bay Times online states, “The dulcet tones of a harpist probably weren’t enough to get travelers’ attentions. But then along came a pilot and two flight attendants, riding up the escalator at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. As the attendants in their eye-catching retro uniforms looked on, the pilot whipped out a baton, took a step back—and an orchestra flash mob was born. The delightful result was all caught on a video that the orchestra released on YouTube on Tuesday morning. Thirty-two musicians, pops conductor Andrew Lane (the pilot) and several staff members worked with airport personnel for the impromptu performance on Jan. 21, according to a news release. As violinists, cello players and other musicians appeared spontaneously from all directions, the orchestra performed Bizet’s Danse Boheme, from Carmen Suite No. 2. And those flight attendants in the Pan Am uniforms? Isabelle Besançon, cello, and Jennifer Best Takeda, assistant concertmaster. … The idea for the orchestra flash mob was cellist Cheeko Matsusaka’s. He coordinated musician participation and led the overall effort to make the flash mob a reality.”
Posted February 21, 2013
