“In a playful nod to the orchestral tradition of the oboist sounding an initial A note for other musicians to tune to, Milwaukee Symphony music director Ken-David Masur has programmed a solo by principal oboist Katherine Young Steele to open the new Allen-Bradley Hall,” in the former Warner Grand Theatre, writes Jim Higgins in Tuesday’s (1/26) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Standing alone on stage, Steele will play Telemann’s Fantasia No. 1 in A major…. Due to the pandemic and city health regulations, audiences will see the new hall through their computer and phone screens. Nonetheless, Steele is thrilled about being able to play for subscribers again…. As a musician, the pandemic has been ‘really hard’ for her…. Steele said she will never take playing in the orchestra for granted again. ‘I think I will have a renewed vigor for this job,’ she said. ‘To see a full audience again … I think there won’t be a dry eye in the orchestra …’ During the opening performance on Feb. 6, the MSO will have no more than six socially distanced musicians onstage at a time. The MSO plans a season of 12 Classical concerts, hosted by music director Masur, and four Pops concerts.”
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