THE CONDUCTOR'S NOTES

Once upon a time a very wise Lieutenant Colonel told me that the art of good management and leadership was to imagine yourself as a juggler with a number of balls in the air. Some of them are rubber and some of them are made of glass. The trick is to know which ones are made of glass!!

Programming a concert season is a bit like that. There are certain things you want to include because they are essential to the overall success and some things you would like to include but might have to drop at a later stage.

This coming concert has as itıs second half one of the greatest orchestral pieces of music ever written. While Rimsky-Korsakov was busy completing the orchestration for Borodinıs posthumous opera "Prince Igor" he became entranced by the sounds and images of the Middle East. No doubt the oriental character of the Polovetsian scenes from the work inspired him to look at similar subject matter. So in the early months of 188 he started jotting down ideas for a symphonic work based on episodes from "The Arabian Nights." The sketch was completed in June, the orchestration by July 29th and the first performance took place in October 1888.

The various episodes he chose to compose include the stories of Sinbad the Sailor,the fantastic narrative of the Kalendar Prince, the Baghdad Festival and the love affair between the Prince and the Princess. They are beautifully woven together by a violin solo that is found in all four movements representing the storyteller Scheherazade ­ who, the story goes, was spared death by weaving these 1001 tales.

Also on this program we get to hear the winner of the Derryberry Competition [insert name here]. What a contest that is!! Something Cookeville, and Tennessee Techıs Music Dept. is justifiably proud of. The judges too had to become jugglerıs for the night! How do you balance the demands ­ both musical and technical ­ of a vocal song-cycle with those of a Euphonium / Tuba / Bassoon / etc concerto? In such a case the glass balls of technical and musical excellence must be held aloft while allowing the rubber balls of musical taste or preference to be dropped. I know you will agree that the final result is a mark of the professionalism of the three outstanding judges, and we thank them for their hard work.

As I continue to hone my juggling skills and refine the programming for next year, I hope you will continue to let me know your preferences through our website www.bryansymphony.org and allow us ­ your musicians ­ to serve the community through the common love of music.

-- Brendan Townsend

A Little of your Time Can Go a Long Way!

• Taking reservations
• Answering the telephone
• Assisting with mailings
• Ushering at concerts
• Cooking or baking for luncheons and receptions
• Arranging flowers
• Hosting a Symphony Social
• Helping with educational/outreach activities

• Jan Tate - 372-8616
• Brenda Smith - 528-5253
• Gail Luna - 372-6088

A Message from the Association

Our next Social, March 1, will be held at the beautiful home of Martin and Laura Medley at 848 N. Washington Ave., and will be catered once again by Grade-A Catering. The Medleys have always been very big supporters of the BSO, and we are most pleased and grateful that they are opening their home for us. Note that the time has changed for all the Socials, and they now occur from 7-9 pm.

I also want to mention that the February Social was handled by a very capable and experienced individual, Brenda Smith, who has joined our hard-working team of volunteers this year, jumping in with both feet. Brenda and I have shared Volunteer Coordinator duties this year, and she also serves on the BSOA Board of Directors as Secretary, has given willingly of her time and talents throughout this past year, and we are very grateful to have her help. Please thank Brenda the next time you see her and congratulate her on a job well done!

While I'm recognizing hard work, I also want to mention another individual who has given loads of time, talent, and energy to the BSOA. Sandy Landry has served on the Board for 2 years now, and Sandy is always engaged in some sort of BSOA work. Whether she's helping out with a Social, planning the after-concert reception, or working from the ground up on a project that she alone has put together, such as the Planned Giving contribution option or the Online Auction, Sandy always puts 110% effort into everything she does.

I'm mentioning these two ladies today because they have done so much, with very little kudos, and I want to recognize their significant contribution to the everyday, hands-on work that goes into producing many of the events you have come to enjoy. Thank you, Sandy and Brenda.

You know, this gets to be an old, sad song, and one I grow weary of singing, but we really do need YOUR help also. You may not have the time or the inclination to give as much as these ladies, but even if it's only once, twice, three times a year for a few hours, we still need it. Those of us who do the bulk of the work will not always be here, nor want to continue to give as much as we do. Let's share the load, and then we can all continue to enjoy what has become a most enjoyable choice of BSOA events.

My number is 372-8616. Brenda's is 528-5253. We'll be waiting for your call...

Jan Tate and Brenda Smith,
BSOA Volunteer Coordinators

Bryan Symphony Orchestra
Office: Room 355 372-6088
Bryan Fine Arts Building
e-mail address: bryansymphony@tntech.edu
Gail Luna, Executive Director and Co-editor of Notes and Notices

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