On Thursday (9/22) at Baton Rouge television station WAFB, Kevin Frey previews the Baton Rouge Symphony’s season-opening concert on September 23, “a month after floodwaters ravaged much of the Capital area…. Some orchestra members are struggling after losing their instruments in the flood—some damaged, others destroyed. ‘Without my instrument, I don’t feel like much at all,’ said Jill Swetnam, who plays the flute.… A colleague … loaned her a flute while her personal instrument waits for repairs. Fixing it could cost upwards of $4,000 and take several weeks…. Conductor Timothy Muffitt said getting the orchestra back up and running is key…. ‘We know inherently as musicians and artists that we are the glue that brings a community back together after a tragic event,’ Muffitt said…. The orchestra has set up a GoFundMe account for orchestra members impacted by the flood…. A concert [on October] featuring Broadway stars … [benefit] schools and music programs impacted by the flooding.” On September 8 in New Orleans, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and New Orleans Opera gave a benefit concert for public schools, arts organizations, and artists hit by recent floods, with musicians donating their services.
Posted September 26, 2016
