(speech to the Fulton County Commissioners in Assembly Hall, Atlanta GA September 17, 2014)
Good morning ladies and gentlemen.
My name is Sally Kann. I’m a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus. ASO Chorus members are here today with our symphony colleagues, dressed in our concert attire, because we have no place to sing.
I would like to read you something:
‘Culture-lovers revel in Atlanta lifestyle and the arts and theatrical communities. From the Atlanta Ballet to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra - which has won more Grammy's than any other U.S. symphony - the city is home to world-class acts in dance and classical music.”
That’s from the metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce page. Here’s another one.
"The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is recognized as one of the most creative and innovative orchestras in North America. Atlanta Symphony serves as the cornerstone for musical performance and training far beyond Atlanta's borders, through its various concert series and its diverse initiatives in music education and outreach. Since the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s founding nearly 70 years ago, the ASO and Chorus has produced 100 recordings and garnered more than two dozen Grammy Awards."
That is from Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Ladies and Gentlemen: This is how Atlanta is pitching the ASO … as part of the culture and aesthetics package being sold to visitors from all over the world.
I’m not a sports fan, but I know about big leagues and minor leagues. Symphony orchestras have big leagues, too. Macon, Columbus, Athens, Rome, have fine regional orchestras. But the city of Atlanta has a major league orchestra. Right here.
The difference between a major league symphony orchestra and a regional orchestra is the sound. You may not be a classical music aficionado … but if you like music – any music – what you’re tuned into is the sound. Why do people fight traffic to get to Symphony Hall, instead of going someplace more convenient to get to? Because they know they are going to hear something extraordinary. People who are tuned into classical music can tell the difference between a Chicago Symphony Orchestra recording and an ASO recording … because they are tuned into the sound.
This is the sound you hear on those 100 recordings … the sound that won 27 Grammy’s … the sound that gets invited to Carnegie Hall every year. And it’s the sound that has been locked out of Symphony Hall by the governing body of Woodruff Arts Center, who are the trustees of a public institution which belongs to the people of Atlanta.
If the orchestra is reduced in size, there are symphonic masterpieces that the ASO cannot play anymore. Yes, subs could be hired to fill in, but even I know that is unthinkable in major league sports. Lose key players, you lose the sound. If the ASO is down-sized, you will have lost what makes this orchestra world-class. You will lose Robert Spano … you will lose Donald Runnicles …you will lose the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus.
I am here today with my ASO Chorus colleagues because we have no place to sing. We want to remind the Fulton County Commissioners that a city which distinguishes itself as having ‘major league’ culture and attractions needs a major league orchestra to help back up that claim.
And it has one. Please Save Our Symphony Atlanta.
Thank you
Thank you, Sally!
ReplyDeleteWell Said!
ReplyDeleteThat was awesome Sally! I think everyone understands the difference between the Major and minor leagues... Yes! Brilliant analogy!
ReplyDeleteOMG... I am crying... I Love You!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Sally for your tireless and accurate representation of our organization. Both musicians and singers alike are quite blessed to have you at the helm as we SOS!
ReplyDeleteDamn good. Wish I could write like that. I did write to Mr. R, Ms. H and Board Chair Karole Lloyd. Each letter approached the issue from a somewhat different perspective. However, the message essentially was "get creative" and save the gem built by Mr. Shaw and preserved and improved by Mr. Levi and Robert Spano (our current "RS"). To Ms. Lloyd I added it's time for more hands-on and soon. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteEd
Brava, Sally, I'm sorry I could not be there to hear you, but I know it was spoken with the deepest conviction and had to reach the listeners, some of whom (most, perhaps?) have never heard the ASO. Thank you for your tireless efforts leading this effort.
ReplyDeleteI was there. Sally, Kiki, and three passionate and well-informed members of the orchestra spoke eloquently. I learned much about the amount of revenue
ReplyDeleteand numbers of jobs generated by our performing arts community, which,
hopefully, caught the attention of the commissioners. Watching them, I could not discern what they were thinking. We may be in for a long fight,
and we are up for it !
Thank you Sally for giving voice to how so many of us feel. Reading your words, and those of the others who spoke, is helping me hold onto a hope that our season won't be snuffed out one concert week a time.
ReplyDelete