Downtown Indiana Theater

Intern Ben Luttrull is feeling the momentum now, as we near the home stretch for the planning of the Circle the City for the Symphony event on Aug. 7. 

If my internship was with the Indianapolis 500, we would be at about lap 350 right now: over halfway through and time to start really focusing on pushing as hard as possible down the stretch.

Some exciting things are happening with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Circle the City event presented by Finish Line on Aug. 7.  For example, our course through downtown Indianapolis is all set! We will begin and end the race(s) on Monument Circle, and the course will take you through some of the prettiest scenery and neighborhoods in Indy.  And don't forget, ISO musicians will be scattered along the way and serenading you!

But that's not all! Remember the big surprise I talked about last time? Well – here it is:

The first 1,000 registrants for Circle the City for the Symphony will receive a FREE Combo Pass to Indiana Beach Amusement Resort in Monticello, Indiana. Unlimited theme park and water park ride access for one whole day is now included alongside your free ticket to a Marsh Symphony on the Prairie concert. This is across the board –  if you want to walk or run in the Symphony's 10K, 5K, Stroll or Junior Jog, you will receive the free pass while supplies last!  

Time is running out though!  Click here to register and claim your free tickets!

Are you interested in participating in the Circle the City for the Symphony activities, but don’t feel like running or walking? We’re looking for volunteers to help us out in making sure the events all go as smooth as possible. We need volunteer help for water stations, court marshals, and general race and participant support. If you volunteer, we will give you a free volunteer-exclusive Circle the City t-shirt and a ticket to a Marsh Symphony on the Prairie concert. Click here to sign up for a volunteer post.

Speaking of Symphony on the Prairie:  I will be at Sci-Fi Spectacular this weekend giving out information and taking registrations for Circle the City. I am infinitely more of a Star Wars fan than Trekkie, but I’m still super-excited to see George Takei. If you’re coming out to Conner Prairie this weekend, look for me at the top of the hill with the mountains of Circle the City brochures!

ISO Development intern Ben Luttrell gives us another glimpse into planning for the ISO's Circle the City for the Symphony event Aug. 7.

Between Conner Prairie trips, Circle the City for the Symphony duties, internship adventures and the dreaded “professional development," I’d say I’m having quite the summer so far at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The honeymoon of “Wow, I have my own phone line!” has faded into the “I’m expected to do real work” feeling, but I’m quite excited to report that my internship has been everything but the coffee-fetching, errand-running busywork life that some had expected me to lead.

One part of my job that bucks the “intern does the busywork” stereotype is participating in Circle the City for the Symphony committee meetings. I love planning and coming together to talk strategy, and this road race is certainly the biggest event I’ve ever been on a steering committee for.  The full committee has met a few times now, and it’s been quite an adventure each time. Updates, brainstorming, planning, logistics, marketing, sponsorships all make regular stops on our agendas, as well as everything down to the minutest of details to be planned.

We’re working hard to not only put together the best event possible, but also get as many people as can to learn about Circle the City for the Symphony and register to participate in it. We set a goal to have 2010 people participate in Circle the City this year in downtown Indianapolis (with “2010 in 2010” being the appropriate slogan). We really want this event to be fun for the whole family, from the most competitive of runners to anyone looking for a safe walk around the city. To do that, we’ve expanded on two of our events aimed at those who aren’t looking to earn a time or a medal but rather a safe and fun way to support the Orchestra while enjoying a beautiful day.



First: the Symphony Stroll is back and better than ever. The Stroll is a one-mile walk through downtown Indianapolis aimed at all ages, abilities and activity levels. Unlike the competitive 5K/10K courses, the Stroll course is open to baby strollers and the family pet. The course will feature several of our wonderful Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra musicians playing for you as you walk by, and the end of the course will land right in the middle of our Post Race Party. All Stroll participants also get a free ticket to a Marsh Symphony on the Prairie concert!

Second: we’ve expanded on the Junior Jog from last year. The event is only open to children under the age of 10 and is a one-lap run around Monument Circle. Each of the runners will receive a bib, shirt and medal for taking part in the event, as well as their own Symphony on the Prairie ticket. Note that, unlike in years past, there is a fee for the Jog this year.

Right now, we’re bringing something together that is going to be big-time news for families regarding Circle the City for the Symphony. I can’t divulge anything until we have the answers to every possible question (something my supervisor is very keen on reminding me!), but I can say that it is a fantastic opportunity regarding the Symphony Stroll and Junior Jog. Keep posted to the ISO Blog, and I’ll be sure to let the cat out of the appropriate bag when the time is right.

Ben Luttrell gives us his third installment of his thoughts about the ISO's Circle the City for the Symphony event. Perhaps I need to give him his own blogroll?

I was a team captain for Ball State University's Relay for Life this past April. The opportunity I had to work with the BSU chapter of PRSSA (the public relations group for students) was good, but the real pleasure for me came from the opportunity to tell people all about this wonderful event and the cause it supports. It wasn’t about me and it wasn’t about the activities or the food or the free entertainment; it was all about getting as many people as I could to come out and spend some time supporting a worthy endeavor.

Take all of that, and fast forward to this summer with the ISO. Walking in to the position, I had a vague sense of what the orchestra did to better the community beyond concerts and clinics. The sheer magnitude of it all amazes me at times. The Guitar Center donation of instruments to our Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, for example: it caught me completely off guard and made my day. The fact that I have the opportunity to learn from this kind of organization still amazes me to this day. I know this sounds a little sappy, but I mean it. Enriching the lives of people through music is extremely important to me; it’s a trait I inherited from family and reinforced through education and fraternity.

If you’ve never captained a team for a charity race before, or if you want an opportunity to rally together and support a very worthy cause, Circle the City for the Symphony is providing a great opportunity to do just that. We’re pleased to roll out the brand new Biggest Team Competition this year. People from organizations across the board, from the most competitive of runners aiming to take top prize in the 10K, to someone just looking for a stroll through downtown and a morning of music and family fun, will be able to join forces as a team. Team members will receive a $2 discount on registration for linking together.

The most exciting part about this is the prize. Samaritan’s Feet, who will be at the race collecting shoes for needy children, is offering to partner with the largest team and offer a shoe distribution for needy children at the charity or community organization of the team’s choice. If you or your team doesn’t have a specific location in mind, Samaritan’s Feet will provide several choices for the team to pick from.

The more people we have coming out and supporting us, the merrier it will be for all parties involved. Circle the City for the Symphony is a great opportunity for your organization to rally together for a great cause, and have a safe and fun family adventure, too.

Online registration is live! Team captains should click here to register the team, and then the other members can click here to register after that. The deadline for team registration is July 23, so hurry up and start recruiting!
 

Ben Luttrull is an intern with the ISO this summer and is working on the Symphony's Circle the City for the Symphony event in August. I've turned my blog over to him to talk about this important fundraising event for the ISO.

When I first found out I was going to be an intern with the ISO this summer, I started mentally racing through what my first assignment was going to be. I’d like to say I was prepared for the 35,000-plus people at the Mini-Marathon Expo, but I had sadly focused on more impersonal, computer-centric tasks. I’m a PR student, so it should be expected of me to relate to the public, but I will admit that the Expo served as the largest public I’ve ever had to relate to.

My main charge at the Orchestra booth was to begin the push for the 2010 Circle the City, presented this year by Finish Line. It fit perfectly – many local runners stopped by the booth wondering about that night’s Happy Hour or what the Symphony on the Prairie schedule was (and I am definitely glad I did my homework beforehand). But they also lit up when they learned about a race for the Orchestra!

I’ll be using these posts to show what it takes to orchestrate (Ha!) an event like Circle the City for the Symphony, as well as pass along details and updates as the day closes in. We are precisely two months away from the starting line!
 
Registration is available at the Hilbert Circle Theater Box Office or online here.
 

Here’s the beginning of a fine performance of the symphony by Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic (this particular clip contains the first part of the first movement).

Hi All:

Just returned home from a sold out Pink Floyd Tribute Band concert with the ISO.  The light show was dazzling.  And I believe the ISO received at least three standing ovations from the appreciative (of ALL) ages audience. Possibly you were there and will comment.

I loved the outfits worn by our audience.  Walking in from the convenient parking garage I saw a couple that looked like they were dressed for a prom while many others were in jeans. One can always be comfortable at the Hilbert Circle Theatre.

My passion for this orchestra and music in general causes me to challenge those reading my blog that attended the Music of Pink Floyd concert. Have you ever attended one of our Classical Series concerts? Here is my suggestion for a night on the town.

For one of our 8pm Classical Series programs, begin with dinner at one of many wonderful downtown restaurants or at Dinner at the Symphony. These concerts have an intermission and you can have a drink and discuss the first half (possibly the world famous soloist or the intriguing music you just heard). By the way:  I often see young couples in the audience dressed to kill - so to speak.  What fun! (casual is ok also)  After the concert head to a local bar for shots (maybe tequila, but please don't drink and drive).  Or to a local jazz club.   Indianapolis offers so much.

On a personal note a "Jazz Master" in town, pianist Claude Sifferlen, passed away this past week.  Some of us in the orchestra know him from the Jazz Chatterbox Club on Mass. Ave.  Claude and clarinet/sax giant Frank Glover performed on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 25 years at this bar. They would always be there playing at "the next level."  Frank being much younger must have started playing with Claude at age 18 or 19.  Claude was a beautiful human being. He will be missed. Through the years the ISO has had as featured soloists (with the orchestra, not as a single act) such greats as Buddy Rich and the Modern Jazz Quartet.  When we think of Claude we put him at that level.  Someone who could live in LA or NYC but we were fortunate he stayed home.

I am proud to say that among my colleagues over the years, and presently, we have that kind of talent in a classical style and our audiences recognize that. And so this week we play for thousands of school age kids during our Discovery Concerts and then next weekend, THE WIZARD OF OZ with Orchestra!

While shopping at the Mall across the street from Hilbert Circle Theatre, a salesman told me he was in the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and they were rehearsing for Mahler's "Resurrection Symphony" in May.  As a student at Miami University he recalled when the ISO performed this masterpiece with John Nelson conducting and Benita Valente singing.  If you have never heard MAHLER - be there!  I had the honor of performing this work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Bernstein conducting - and I was paid!!! I could discuss the rehearsals and performances for hours.

Bye for now.

Happy New Year, everyone – I hope 2010 is off to a terrific start for all of you!

This coming Friday and Saturday, the 8^th and 9^th, the ISO’s series of popular classics, Symphonic Hits powered by Lilly, returns to the Hilbert Circle Theater stage, and of course, that also means the return of Sound Off, the preconcert event that I host one hour prior to each concert (AKA 6:30pm).

This week’s concert program is full of spectacular music, including a suite of excerpts from my favorite work by Sergei Prokofiev, his ballet music for Romeo and Juliet.  The excerpts for this suite were chosen by this week’s conductor, Andrew Litton, and I believe that these will be the first-ever performances of this particular combination of movements.  The concert also features Tchaikovsky’s warhorse Violin Concerto, with soloist Vadim Gluzman, and Tchaikovsky’s Coronation March.

The first couple editions of Sound Off have been a lot of fun, thanks in large part to your terrific participation and questions for me and my guests.  If you have a burning question about orchestras or symphonic music that you’d like to see me answer during our The Audience Wants to Know segment, please submit it by commenting on this blog post, posting it on the ISO Facebook page, or emailing it to soundoff@indianapolissymphony.org.   In the next few days, I think the ISO staff may be even posting a special free concert ticket offer on our Facebook page for the best question submitted, so be sure to check for that.

Here are some videos to kindle your interest in this week’s repertoire.  I couldn’t resist starting with what is probably the most novel performance of music from the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto that I’ve ever heard.  This is a young accordion virtuoso from Ukraine, Alexander Hrustevich, performing the 3^rd movement of the concerto, and playing both the solo part and accompaniment himself - it’s quite breathtaking:
 

And to balance that, here’s a classic “normal” performance of the first movement with the legendary David Oistrakh as soloist.  (This is only the first part of the movement, but the remainder of the movement, as well as the rest of the concerto, are easily accessible on YouTube).
 

Here is a performance by the famous Bolshoi Ballet of the scene ‘Romeo at Juliet’s Tomb’ from Romeo and Juliet.  This scene will not be included in this weekend’s performances, but I thought you would enjoy it.

And finally, here is a concert performance by Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic of the devastating ‘Death of Tybalt’, which will conclude the Romeo and Juliet suite in this weekend’s performances.
 

(These last two YouTube videos have "embedding" disabled, which means I can't post them inline here at the blog entry, but be sure to check out the links to view them directly on YouTube - they're both fantastic.)

See you at the symphony!

That was the advice given to me by a friend upon hearing that I would be conducting in front of a live audience of 63,000 people tonight.  Another friend of mine (this one is also a conductor) joked “Don’t screw it up, or your career will be over.”  The ISO and I are hitting the road tonight to perform in what is for us a pretty unusual (but exciting!) venue – Lucas Oil Stadium, about a mile away from our home at the Hilbert Circle Theater.  We’ll be playing the national anthem before the Colts-Patriots game, which is the featured game on Sunday Night Football tonight nationwide.  Go Colts!  Unfortunately, SNF rarely shows the national anthem on their broadcast (they tend to opt for Faith Hill’s prerecorded rendition of the SNF theme song instead).  But we’re all psyched anyway to get to play for such an enormous and passionate live audience, and one that certainly includes many people who have never heard the ISO live before.  This is actually our second performance at Lucas Oil Stadium, though our first at a game – we also performed there in August 2008 as part of the opening ceremonies for the stadium.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite versions of the national anthem.  Glenn Donnellan, a violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., made an electric “violin” out of a baseball bat, and wrote his own arrangement of the Star-Spangled Banner to play on it.  Enjoy, and see you at the game!
 

 

• Building of knowledge
• Different pieces/shapes (blocks) representing the MYO community
• Teamwork - we all have important roles
• Setting of goals

• Like the blocks, I am connected to my family and my orchestra
• I focus my attention on my goals and stand straight
• I am prepared and ready
• Parts of me are strong and other parts weak
• I am strong

May 10, 1999 was a Monday, and I remember it fondly. Not only was it the birthday of a dear friend of mine who ended up not accepting my mild romantic affections a few months earlier, but it was also the day I would be meeting the first of dozens of celebrities I would come to know over the next decade, and without a doubt one I would never forget.

With a dark blue cello case strapped tightly against his shoulders, Yo-Yo Ma stepped off the plane in Louisville, Kentucky. He approached me, warmly shook my hand and said, “Hi! I’m Yo-Yo Ma!” To all those who have ever wondered after seeing his interviews and TV specials, let the truth be told: Yes, he really is that nice. From the moment he stuffed his multi-million dollar cello into the boot of my crowded Mazda sedan, he wanted to hear only about me – even down to how big my farm was in southern Indiana, and by the end of the day he affectionately referred to me as “40-acre boy.”

That evening he presented a recital with pianist Jeffrey Kahane at the Palace Theatre in downtown Louisville in an unforgettable program: J.S. Bach’s Sonata in D major for viola da gamba BWV 1028, plus a set of “New” Goldberg Variations, a work comprised of six movements by various contemporary composers – Christopher Rouse, John Corigliano and Peter Schickele, among others – that were bookended (as in the original) by the evocative Aria from Bach’s own BWV 988 Goldberg Variations of 1741. The second half of the concert was the 30-minute Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 19 of Rachmaninoff, which was truly the musical highlight of the evening.

The dinner afterwards was even more memorable.

Even though the reservation was made well in advance, our post-11 p.m. arrival in the foyer at Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant (complete with Yamaha grand piano) did not make us a welcome party. At first, no one could be found in the restaurant, so Yo-Yo bolted into the kitchen (with his cello still strapped to his back). I soon followed only to find him in front of the preparation sinks apologizing profusely to Vincenzo’s wife, who was livid that she had been waiting so long for such a small party. With some hesitation, her annoyance eventually abated and the one remaining waiter began to bring cold appetizers and wine. Yo-Yo helped the waiter and served us before seating himself. 

Nearly two hours later (and after the final cask of grappa had been consumed), we packed up our things and began to head out. Yo-Yo continued to thank the owner’s wife for her patience; after all, she had catered to our every detail and I noticed she was physically exhausted, but still appreciative of our gratitude. Yo-Yo noticed this too, and after whispering in Jeffrey Kahane’s ear and giving him a smile and simultaneous nod, he unpacked his cello in the foyer as Jeffrey sat down at the piano. The couple performed exclusively for her – from memory – the Andante from Rachmaninoff’s Sonata. By the end of the 6-minute movement, she was reduced to tears. The next twenty minutes were spent watching this woman shower Yo-Yo and Jeffrey with adoration.

The heart of this man is truly made of gold. It is without a doubt that he shows it everywhere he goes. When you see his beaming face accept an audience’s applause, or watch as he smiles at the orchestra and its conductor following a raving performance, you know that it is genuine. He is a gift to today’s musical world, and those of us attending his return to the Hilbert Circle Theatre with the Indianapolis Symphony in October 2009 (after a 13-year hiatus) should soak up every moment. He will touch every heart in the hall, and will make it an evening to remember, as it did for me a decade ago.

And even though I never won the heart of my dear friend that year, she did receive an anonymous birthday gift in the mail a few days later – an autographed CD of a world-famous cellist that simply read: “Happy Birthday, Eliza. Love, Yo-Yo.”