Patrons holding tickets for the postponed events can elect to donate their ticket amount to the CSO or obtain a refund by calling the box office at (317) 843-3800.
A Few Words From CSO’s Artistic Director
Carmel Symphony Orchestra Shuffles Its 2021–22 Season Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Kim Kiely and Terry Bonneau
The Carmel Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is shuffling its schedule amid the current surge of COVID-19 omicron variant cases. CSO—a resident company of the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts—is in the middle of its 2021–22 season and has decided to postpone—not cancel—five upcoming concert dates in the interest of the health and safety of the community, orchestra family and its supportive audience. Erring on the Side of Caution
“T
hree of the affected concerts are our family concerts,” stated Robert Schlegel III, chairman of the CSO board of directors. “Normally, at Family Fun and Side-by-Side, young people are actually on the stage with our musicians, literally side by side with them. With the current COVID surge, and with so few among the younger age groups vaccinated,
or even able to be vaccinated, our board determined that this probably isn’t the best thing to be doing at this time.” Masterworks 4 on Saturday, March 12, and Masterworks 5 with guest artist Edgar Meyer on Saturday, April 23, will run as scheduled. The Family Fun concert, originally set for January 23, is being rescheduled for May 14. The other concerts affected by the temporary pause will be booked for the 2022–23 season.
Versatility, passion and innovation are the hallmarks of American conductor Janna Hymes. And it is more than appropriate to add flexibility and determination to that list as Hymes continues to navigate CSO through the ever-changing pandemic waters. The new year kicked off Jan. 8 with a Palladium-based CSO Pops Concert with guest artist the great jazz trumpeter Byron Stripling. Hymes emphasized that CSO is not losing its powerful momentum this season, it just simply is hitting the pause button until March. “All I’m thinking about right now is the safety of people,” Hymes said. “It is disheartening that we’re going through this right now, but we’re not canceling our season. We’ve already had a great start to this season playing amazing concerts, and the orchestra is on fire right now. We’re going to be playing these amazing concerts [that have been postponed], and we’re definitely making the right decision. We’ve all had to adjust and lose a little sleep, and as a leader in the arts community here, I feel like I’m making the best decisions for our organization. I see what we’re doing as smart and empathetic and putting safety first.”
Get Ready for an Outstanding March and April at CSO Experience the Exceptional this March with Beethoven’s “Leonore Overture No. 3.” This overture is one of four overtures
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