TAFTO

Since we all can’t be professional musicians or veteran orchestra managers with the confidence to take someone to an orchestra concert and show them the ropes it pays to look at things from the eyes of someone on the outside looking in.

The average experienced orchestra patron probably believes that they don’t know very much about music (although that’s usually not the case) or at least not enough to give them enough confidence to go out and serve as a guide for someone new to the experience. 

As such, we are fortunate to have George Hunka (an individual who is not involved with the world of classical music in any professional capacity) offer to share his thoughts.  George is a professional playwright with a degree in Languages and Literature from Bard College and has been writing his popular blog, Superfluities, for exactly one month longer than Adaptistration has been up.

Looking in from the outside is good

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U.K. based harpist extraordinaire, Helen Radice, is one of the most imaginative music bloggers around today.  Her weblog, Twang, Twang, Twang (I bet you don’t forget that name), contains paragraph after paragraph of razor edge wit and observation about the music world and other sundry items as she sees fit to include them.

Although much of that wit is undoubtedly natural, it must have certainly been refined during her time at Oxford, where she graduated with a first in English Literature.  Her contribution is a representative example of that refined proficiency and provides the Take a Friend to Orchestra program a heavyweight submission which touches every portion of this business yet seamlessly connects them together. It’s filled with numerous quotes you’ll be turning over in your head for weeks to come!

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Patricia Emerson Mitchell is the principal oboe for Opera San Jose and second oboe for both Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley and Symphony Silicon Valley.  In addition to being a professional musician, Patricia is also one of the few musicians who have entered the world of music blogging in its early formation.

Her weblog, Oboeinsight (clever name, huh?), is a popular hub for oboe related material, conversations on classical music, and is a focal point for cultural activity in the San Jose area.  Patricia’s contribution focuses on some of the real nuts-and-bolts aspects of taking a friend to the orchestra.

Patricia is also known for her sharp wit and sense of humor, which run rampant through her weblog.

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