Tuesday, March 18, 2014

On Friday, March 14, approximately 1,800 high school age students from across Tennessee were invited to hear a performance by this year’s Annual Convention keynote speaker, Ben Folds, who had premiered his new concerto with the Nashville Symphony orchestra at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center the night before. After the performance, the students participated in a special Q & A session with Folds and the Symphony conductor, Giancarlo Guerrero. Our Vice President of Leadership Alliances, Nora Halpern, was able to attend and was blown away by the passion for symphonic music that she witnessed being  discovered by the teens, as they listened to Fold’s powerful concerto.  During the Q & A, the students got tips from both Folds and Guerrero about composition, career trajectory and artistic motivation.  Guerrero made the group smile when he confessed his preference for listening to rock music when he is off duty! While the Schermerhorn Symphony hosts many concerts for students, this collaboration with Ben Folds attracted the most by far.