The Word 'Cool'

Hello All:

Paul Berns here, and it has been awhile since I wrote and thought during our fabulous July 4 concerts and after "The Music of Queen" this would be a good time.

So, after our July 3 performance at Symphony on the Prairie, I have a short conversation with a young boy with his family.  He plays clarinet and bass clarinet in his school band - he was so proud and I was proud of him.  I believe he is from the Center Grove area and so will have a world class music system to perform with.

Also, we had a guest "ringing chimes" in the percussion section - after having won this opportunity at the ISO Association's Diamond Jubilee at the beautiful Lucas Estate.  Small world - the winner was ISO supporter Lew White - the ISO many years ago booked our 'tour buses' through Lew - we used to be on the road around 5 weeks a year.

I heard Scott Hoke announce many Church groups in attendance and the other night a Chamber Music Education Program for young musicians from the University of Indianapolis.

Symphony on the Prairie and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra = important musical resources for our community.

And now the big question - talking these wonderful supporters to come to our Classical Indianapolis Symphony concerts at our Hilbert Circle Theatre Home.  I have prepared a top 10 list for those wondering why you should hear Classical Music Downtown (CMD).

In no particular order.

#10  You are supporting one of the world's greatest orchestras that gets better each year

#9  Hearing us and watching our young Maestro Krzysztof Urbanski is very similar to going to a rock concert - it is fun, cool, and perfection at its best - and so very musical!

#8 Numerous wonderful restaurants and bars - stop by the Chatterbox to hear live jazz after a concert - non/smoking these days

#7 You are supporting the musicians in this orchestra who for many years have been the city's finest private music teachers 

#6  You are supporting our Board of Directors by showing the importance of this great orchestra!

#5  You are challenging yourself, each classical week, to hear "good music" - most often music that has survived over many years of sold out audiences

#4  You are supporting our PR and Marketing Department that work unbelievable hours trying to 'get the word out' - great music/great soloists/great conductors/a great orchestra

#3  You are actually helping us play better - a full house - an enthusiastic audience is what it is all about

#2  You are able to see and hear musicians from the world's greatest music schools play together in harmony - could not resist that

#1  You are able to see and hear musicians of all ages - young maestros, senior members of the orchestra play together exactly like the Chicago Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic and numerous others - and, of course, stand and scream and applaud = hopefully similar to the live Beatles concert I saw years ago in Cleveland. 

That is it for now.  8pm live at Symphony on the Prairie - this week 'church bells' in 1812 Overture...last week solo gong in Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.  Early in the season Ravel's Bolero - WOW....see all of you soon.  I sure would love to read some responses to my top 10 list - how about a top 20 list!