FEATURE: Mr. Brady’s Opus
Mr. Brady’s Opus: Inspiring a New Generation and Bringing Music to the Community with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra by LAURA TRUJILLO
Andrew J. Brady
Andrew J. Brady (1915–2004) was known for inspiring the best. It was a time when the community looked forward to the spring variety show that he produced, showcasing the talents of their west side high school. He was known for bringing music to the people. It was a time when concerts at parks throughout Cincinnati and Hamilton County filled the air of summer weekends. So, it is a fitting recognition for the man who encouraged so many students to better themselves in music as well as life that, in December 2021, the CSO announced two new large-scale programs named to honor his legacy: the Andrew J. Brady Neighborhood Concert Series, and the Andrew J. Brady Internship Program. “Andrew Brady’s love of music lives on,” says Jonathan Martin, president and CEO of the CSO. “Supported through an extraordinary gift from an anonymous donor, we can celebrate Mr. Brady’s lasting impact on our community.” To further elevate the visibility of Mr. Brady and honor his contributions to Cincinnati, the new music venue recently opened at The Banks alongside the Ohio River is being renamed The Andrew J. Brady Music Center. Opened in July 2021, the Brady Music Center has already hosted such artists as Earth, Wind & Fire, Nelly, and Jason Isbell, and will continue to serve as a centerpiece for the region’s music scene.
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The CSO will launch the Andrew J. Brady Neighborhood Concert Series this coming summer, with concert programs developed in collaborative partnership with neighborhood and community groups. And the Andrew J. Brady Internship Program, launched last fall, is training and mentoring students interested in pursuing an arts administration career. “Both of these initiatives will focus primarily on communities and individuals who have traditionally been underserved by, or not adequately represented in, the CSO. As such, they are emblematic of Mr. Brady’s commitment to bring music to everyone and include everyone,” Martin said. “He believed in the power of music to elevate life, and these programs will demonstrate his significance in our community.” If you were lucky enough to meet Brady, he would deflect the attention and instead focus on his students. While he was a talented musician—a composer and conductor, pianist and trumpeter—first and foremost, he was a teacher. “He was just a very good guy, someone you would have called a cool guy in those days,” said Joan Wilson, who graduated from Western Hills High School in 1956 and played the clarinet in the band. “Mr. Brady made the band so special that, to this day, if you meet someone who went to the school the next question you ask is if they were in the band. If so, there is a comradery that is there to this day.”
The Andrew J. Brady Music Center on The Banks.
