Commuting musicians play key OSO role Only about 10 orchestra members are local 02/19/07 By Beth Wilberding Pam Kiesling works in the admissions office of the University of Cincinnati. She also plays the French horn in the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, giving her one of the longest commutes of the musicians in the orchestra. Most musicians in the orchestra come from out of town to perform. Some come from Evansville, others from Cincinnati, Richmond and Bloomington, Ind. About 10 out of the 70 musicians who play in the orchestra are from Owensboro. Kiesling knew about the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra while she was a student at Indiana University. She subbed in it once or twice while there. After she moved to Cincinnati for her job, she sent résumés to orchestras within a four-hour drive. Kiesling then heard about auditions for the Owensboro orchestra that were in Bloomington. She has now been in the orchestra four years. "I think that they always schedule great repertoire," Kiesling said. "A lot of stuff I haven't played before." The Owensboro orchestra is a "per service" orchestra, like many others in the region, including Paducah, Lexington and Evansville, Maestro Nick Palmer wrote in an e-mail. That means the group is a professional orchestra, but the musicians employed typically have other jobs or play in more than one orchestra. Because Owensboro is not a large city, the symphony needs to cover a wide area to find players of the "highest caliber," Palmer wrote. "We do, however, have a number of very talented players who (do) live in Owensboro," he wrote. Many members of the orchestra also play in the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestras arrange their schedules specifically so people can play for both, Palmer wrote. "Since playing with both groups provides a lot of work for a player, we attract the top musicians," he wrote. Monte Hatch, principal percussionist for the orchestra, performs in both Evansville and Owensboro. Hatch found out about the Owensboro orchestra when he moved to Evansville to teach at the University of Evansville last fall. "They play a lot of good music," Hatch said. "Nick Palmer's a great guy to work for." Playing in multiple orchestras plus other performances can be a big time commitment. "Obviously it's more work, but also both of those orchestras are on the regional level, and they perform a limited number of concerts during this season," Hatch said. "By combining them, you can play a different program almost every week." Crystal Barrett, who is working on her doctorate in oboe performance at Indiana University, makes the drive from Bloomington to Owensboro. "It's a wonderful group of people that are very dedicated, and it's a very warm and supportive group of people," said Barrett, who plays oboe in the symphony. Barrett balances teaching, playing in both the Evansville and Owensboro orchestras and in Bloomington's Camerata Orchestra with other free-lance opportunities. Though it can be challenging, Barrett said she does it all because "it's what I love." Because most of the musicians, including Palmer, work for more than one orchestra, their first rehearsal typically comes on a Sunday before a performance. They rehearse twice that day for about 2 1/2 to three hours each, Barrett said. Then they rehearse the Friday night before the show and have a dress rehearsal on Saturday morning before performing that evening. Kiesling said musicians get used to the schedule and not having many rehearsals together. "I think it does pose a challenge," she said. "I think we're all willing to do that if it means we can perform together." They normally get concert pieces about a month before a performance, Palmer wrote. Though it takes close to three hours for Barrett to make the commute from Bloomington to Owensboro, she said she didn't mind the distance. Sometimes the symphony is able to get a bus to bring the musicians to Owensboro. "I think it's a great opportunity to be part of such a wonderful orchestra," she said. "And it's one of only a few I'd say that are in the area, so it's just a really wonderful opportunity to be able to come down and play." Palmer wrote that musicians like the high quality of the orchestra, Cannon Hall in the RiverPark Center, the city itself and the way they are treated by the symphony board, staff and alliance. "It also helps that the city, county and the audience really appreciates them, and shows the players that appreciation at our concerts and through the support of the entire community," he wrote. --- To Attend The Owensboro Symphony Orchestra's next performance, "Fire and Water!", is at 7:30 p.m. March 3 at the RiverPark Center. Tickets cost $32, $25 or $12. Reservations can be made by calling the RiverPark Center box office at 687-2787. |