Kudo’s to the Baltimore Symphony and Music Director Marin Alsop! The Orchestra invited amateur musicians — what they called “Rusty Musicians” to join them. They were so overwhelmed with requests that they ended up scheduling a second concert to handle the 400 volunteers. By all accounts, the experiment was a resounding success. See the story in The Washington Post or this blog entry from The Baltimore Sun.
The Baltimore “Rusty Musicians” project has other orchestras taking notice. In a time when cultural organizations are strapped for cash, creating new community touches and recruiting new patrons is vital. I’ve had a couple of conversations with officers from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and I believe there is interest in doing something similar here in Detroit. I hope so! Stay tuned …
The YouTube Video:
Midlife Musicians 
I’m with Visit Baltimore, and we just did a video with Marin Alsop from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In the video she tells us why she loves Baltimore and her hopes for the BSO. Check it out at http://bit.ly/dBwSkP