October 7, 2005
Philharmonia
The New Orleans based Louisiana Philharmonic — the only full-time orchestra in the country that’s owned and operated by its musicians — gathered itself from all over and came to town the other night to make music.
The Nashville Symphony invited them, lent them an auditorium, some instruments, filled a few vacant chairs, and gathered us all into a whale of a standing-ovation audience supporting this benefit performance. Beethoven, Shastokovich, and a striking fantasy on “When the Saints Go Marching In” maybe never had it so good. New Orleans native son Mark O’Connor helped thread it all together.
As well, airlines, hotels, restaurants, rental car agencies, music publishers, gave entirely of themselves to make all this possible. It was the LPO’s first go since Katrina and the beginning of an altogether new series with other major orchestras across the country.
What better way could be found for a considerable enlargement of the whole idea of Music City, USA? Like old Paul might have said, in Christ there’s neither jazz nor country western. Though as a jazz cornet player, I would have gravely regretted even the suggestion.
[Visit Episcopal Relief and Development at http://www.er-d.org/ to make a donation to Katrina or Rita Relief or Episcopal Migration Ministries at emm@episcopalchurch.org to volunteer to assist displaced people with housing.]