Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 12, 1993 TAG: 9307120247
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Had I not been there in person, I would have thought, after reading the article, that the essence of the recent "Music for Americans" concert was frisbees, lawn chairs, green coke bottles and people who had come to see, be seen and to show off their homemade red, white and blue earrings. Let me offer a few details you left out about one of the fine groups on stage that evening. There were others, to be sure, but for some reason I know less about them.
The Roanoke Youth Symphony is one of the valley's best-kept secrets. Composed of almost 100 musicians ranging in age from 13 to 18, it includes some of the most musically gifted young people in Southwest Virginia. The concert was the culmination of seven intense days of preparation and rehearsal at Ferrum College, under the guidance and direction of staff members of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, along with countless hours of help selflessly contributed by symphony volunteers.
The end result was a near-professional interpretation of a broad selection of music, ranging from modest Mussorgsky's timeless "Great Gate of Kiev" to the joyful whimsy of "Pops Hoe-Down" to the patriotic energy of John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever."
I appreciate the sponsorship of the event by the Roanoke Times & World-News. For without it, this celebration wouldn't have been possible. However, I'd like to point out that your paper spills a lot of ink acknowledging and promoting "cultural diversity." I would appreciate it if you could spill at least as much on the many pockets of "cultural excellence" we are blessed with. Who knows, with a little care and nurturing, they just might not go away. BRUCE HENDERSON DALEVILLE
Memo: ***CORRECTION***