
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, April 14, 1990                   TAG: 9004160198
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BACHATHON COULD USE OTHER SPONSORS

THE SECOND "Bachathon," sponsored by the Roanoke Chapter of the American Guild of Organists on March 24, was attended by an estimated 700 people. As one who helped prepare for and attended both 12-hour J.S. Bach concerts in their entirety, I'd like to thank the Roanoke Times & World-News for its publicity for this event and the first one in 1985.

Most of the performers were local musicians whose fans would be more likely to come if they could be made aware of who will perform and when. My suggestions for the next such concert are front-page color Extra section coverage in the days before the event, and a timetable listing who, what and when, in sufficient detail.

Many people would like to see the Bachathon become an annual event. This year's coordinator, Katherine Reier, doubts the Roanoke Chapter AGO can exert the required coordination energy that often. But this needn't preclude other local groups from picking up the ball in intervening years.

The format (a 12-hour session of music in which audience members are free to come and go) is attractive. If other organizations sponsored similar events, they could focus on different composers, perhaps from the same country or time period.

For that matter, what about a benefit "thon"? Publicity is less grudging and people more willing to turn out if they know their contributions are going to a worthy cause.

So here's a challenge to the other musical groups in this area: Want to sponsor another one in '91?

\ AL ANWAY\ ROANOKE

by CNB