HSO: Our own little musical oasis

Like most of you, my wife and I love music and know precious little about it. A week ago, we, along with upward of a thousand of you, packed the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra's Concert Hall at Blue Ridge Community College to spend an evening with the magnificent HSO.

Richard Kaufman, guest conductor, was invited by the music director and conductor of the orchestra, Thomas Joiner, who served as guest concertmaster and soloist for the evening. The HSO performed a selection of great musical themes from the movies.

For many in the audience, I suppose the highlight of the stunning performance was hearing again John Williams' terror-inducing theme from "Jaws" or the triumphant music from "Star Wars."

But for Judy and me, the highlight of the evening occurred when the HSO performed "The Ride of the Cossacks" from the film "Taras Bulba," which starred Yul Brynner. Magically, the HSO took us back to that warm summer evening in 1962 when we took Judy's grandmother to see "Taras Bulba" at a drive-in theater in Veedersburg, Ind. Half a century later, the HSO breathed life into Franz Waxman's brilliant musical score and reminded us of an evening that had almost slipped from our memory.

But here's the larger point, the more important point: Why would an internationally renowned conductor like Richard Kaufman come to Hendersonville twice in the past couple of months? On its face, it would seem to be at least anomalous, if not inexplicable. In fact, it's neither, and that's what makes it so important.

Although he would be the first to deny it, Kaufman is a superstar. Since beginning violin studies at age 7, he has left his uniquely talented mark on music and on audiences all over the world. I'll not come close to doing justice to his accomplishments by telling you that he is the conductor of the Orange County Pacific Symphony, pops conductor laureate with the Dallas Symphony, and has conducted orchestras including the Chicago Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra. On the international stage, Kaufman has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra as well as orchestras in Rotterdam, Liverpool, Malaysia, Krakow, Dublin and Calgary.

What keeps bringing Richard Kaufman back to Hendersonville is best captured in his own words. He told me, "Human emotions are the same for people no matter where they live, whether it be in Hendersonville, London or anywhere in the world. Music speaks to these deep emotions and to the desire to fill one's life with beauty, joy, comfort and an uplifted spirit. The HSO is fulfilling these desires in creative and innovative ways, including concerts of great music that touch the soul, and music education programs that introduce young people of all ages, backgrounds and socioeconomic environments to the exciting and life-changing world of symphonic music."

Each year, the HSO teams with the Henderson County Board of Education to provide live symphonic performances for third- and sixth-grade students. In addition, this program also reaches out to include charter and private schools as well as home-schooled students.

During the current concert season, the HSO is holding open rehearsals for Henderson County young people. This innovative effort provides those students with a behind-the-scenes look at concert preparations that culminates with refreshments and a lively question-and-answer session for the youths with members of the 90-plus member HSO. These innovative community outreach efforts aimed at young people have now been extended to the Hendersonville Boys and Girls Club, where the response has been large and enthusiastic.

And there's more. The Hendersonville Symphony Youth Orchestra (HYSO) is an educational arm of the HSO that provides advanced string orchestra and symphonic orchestra performance opportunities for middle and high school musicians.

The HYSO has three orchestras: the Prelude String Ensemble, the Sinfonietta String Orchestra and the HYSO Youth Symphony. The latter is a full symphony orchestra designed to prepare high school-age musicians for lifelong music making in college or community orchestras. Amazingly, the HSO devotes more than 15 percent of its budget to youth music programs, and that initiative reaches more than 2,500 children in our county.

The HSO is in its 41st year, and for the past 14 years it has flourished under the leadership of its remarkable music director and conductor, Maestro Joiner. He also serves as professor of violin and orchestra activities at Furman University, where he conducts orchestra, operatic and oratorio concerts each year. Additionally, he has served for 31 seasons as concertmaster of the Brevard Music Festival Orchestra.

Joiner puts it this way: "The opening of our 41st season at the Blue Ridge Concert Hall last Saturday was one of the most exciting, memorable programs of my tenure with the HSO. It just doesn't get any better than this! I have never been prouder of our orchestra."

Finally, the Shadow's having an idea. In very many of the churches in Henderson County, there is a rich abundance of musical talent and interest. If the HSO were to begin an outreach initiative to those churches, it is very likely that the HSO and the music programs in our churches would jointly benefit from such collaboration.

The HSO is an oasis, a musical oasis, in our midst. Experience it for yourself!

Please Visit:  Citizens Against Politics As Usual

Please Visit:  Mike Tower Political Opinions