COMMUNITY
50 Years of Music
in the group. My favorite quote is from an original member, clarinetist John Stike… we were terrible at that first concert…but as the years progressed and the word got out, the orchestra got better and better.
Wilmington Symphony Ochestra Returns To Live Concerts For Anniversary Year STROY BY JEFFREY STITES PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
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here really is nothing quite like sitting in front of a full live orchestra while it performs. You can watch on television, listen in your car or even on headphones at home, but that live experience brings something that simply can’t be replicated or easily explained to one who hasn’t experienced it. Luckily, we have had opportunity to experience live orchestral music for the past 50 years thanks to the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra. After a difficult year navigating the restrictions brought on by the pandemic, the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra is performing live again, beginning this month. We spoke to Liz Scanlon, the Orchestra’s Executive Director, about the group’s 50th anniversary, its history and its future.
What did the orchestra look like in 1971? Where did they perform? The orchestra back in 1971 was a group of musicians that wanted to form an orchestra so they could play. Anyone could join at the time and Nancy McAllister, former concert master and music teacher, had her students join the group. There was a fair amount of high school students
The Dust Has Settled
We have donors, subscribers and board members that were in that first concert. We have a very loyal following. What did the orchestra look like in 1986, when Steven Errante became Conductor? How has his leadership contributed to the orchestra’s changes over the last 35 years? Steven Errante implemented auditions for the orchestra several years ago which increased the caliber of musicians playing in the orchestra. When he started 35 years ago the orchestra was still made up of local musicians with all levels of playing skill.
The Youth Orchestra was founded 20 years ago, in 2001. How has it grown over the last two decades?
There was a great need for a youth orchestra with arts cuts in the schools. Steven Errante was the original conductor,
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