Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It seems like whether it's the theater or Broadway or
just live acts of any type of entertainment, we are
all in and we talk a lot about the arts
on the show. I don't know if we've ever had
a conversation about the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, to tell you
the truth.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I don't think we have. But it's an amazing group
and know a lot about what they do around town.
So I'm so glad we're having it today.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
We are changing things up today because we've been doing
the show for what's seven years now, yes, seven, and
for the first time we have a guest in studio
with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Walshaw, and also with
the Columbus Symphony League, the president of that, Judy Conley.
There's a reason they're here in studio. And quite honestly, Mikayla,
you have two young boys, and your youngest is really
(00:47):
good into possibly being on stage in one in some
form or another music, dance, theater. Yeah right, and you
know what, there has to be more of an effort
to get younger people involved in this sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I agree. It sounds like you all are doing something
really amazing to make that happen. So welcome Daniel and Judy. Daniel,
what are you doing? How are you going to get
more people interested? Because I agree there's a need.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, I think the Columbus Symphony has, in my opinion,
one of the most robust education programs are just profile
out of any of the arts groups around. We serve
over sixty five thousand students in central Ohio every single year,
and we do this through very targeted type of activities
(01:32):
like lessons for students of particular talent that show that
they might have the talent to become a professional musician someday.
And then we do big concerts at the Ohio Theater,
the Grand Ohio Theater for thousands of students every year.
And you have all walked in the Ohio Theater.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I love the Ohio Theater.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Imagine being a young kid at seven years old and
you get to walk into the Ohio Theater and see
the lights and see the gold leafing and the chandelier,
and then you hear the orchestra, and so we do
that throughout the year. We actually also take the orchestra
into schools all throughout the region every year and play
for high schools and middle schools and elementary schools, and
(02:14):
we go through apple Achian, Ohio as well. So that's
we we It is a core part of our mission.
It's a core part of what we believe and what
we what we believe is the purpose of an orchestra
in a community.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
So obviously we know what the Columbus Symphony Orchestra is.
Such an elaborate, unbelievable group of musicians that tell a
story through their music, no doubt. But to be honest
with you, duty I want you to comment a little
bit more about what is the Columbus Symphony League.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
What is it for those who don't know, Okay, the
Klumbus Symphony League is a fundraising arm of the Klumbus
Symphony Orchestra, and our members come from a variety of
backgrounds and we share the love of music, and our
funds actually benefit the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra as well
as their education programs. There's the Academy, and we've seen
(03:10):
so much progress with these kids that are that belong
to the Academy. They're referred to the Academy by their
teachers at their school and it's just a remarkable program.
And that's what we use our funds for to we
raise our funds to accommodate these.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
And you're in the middle of raising funds for to
continue to grow some pretty incredible things. Something is coming
up where people can kind of get involved and it
goes to some efforts that I would love for you
to talk about a lottit.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Yes, the Symphony of Champions for Education is and it's
going to happen on July twenty seventh at Mierfield Country
Club and it's a Buckeye themed event and we're going
to have that and we're getting the party started by
having a VW outside of the of the place with
(04:09):
like a van, like a VW van, a VW bug
a bug a bug, Yeah, decked out in scarlet and gray.
And we thought that would be a really good photo
op for everybody before they came into our event.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Well, you have someone particular from the Ohio State University
who will be on hand answering some questions and talking
about it.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Tell everyone who's to be there mindy and you are
going to be talking with them. Christopher Hoak, who is
the director of the Ohio State Marching Band and also
Doug Drosty who is the son of a former director
of the Ohio State Band, Paul Drosty. So we're very
(04:57):
excited to have you come and talk talk with them
and tell us a little bit more about the collaboration
between the Marching Band and the Columbus Symphony.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Yeah, so with this you're raising this money. Is there
a are there other connections between you all and os
you do you do anything with them on a more
regular basis? I don't know the answer to that question.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Well, we you know, once once a year, and I
hope everybody listening and you too as well, have been
to Picnic with the Pops. Well, yeah, I have a
staple of entertainment amazing. Yeah, so we we're in the
middle of it now. We just had a fantastic concert
last night of the music of Dolly Parton, really really
wonderful program. But the capstone the end of every single
(05:43):
year at Picnic with the Pops, we combine to biddle
the best dam band in the land with the best
damn orchestra in the land, and it is the most
incredible thing. And I you know, I'm a transplant here.
I've been here for nine years and I remember my
first summer when I actually saw this and I thought,
what are we really doing this? And there they come, marching,
(06:05):
marching through. We build out the stage. We have to
build it out like another twenty feet so we can
fit one hundred or so, one hundred and fifty of
these incredible student musicians from from OSU. And it is,
it is, it is something that you have to see.
It is just incredible to hear the marching band and
the orchestra together. There's there's two hundred musicians on stage
(06:27):
just performing the most incredible, incredible music.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Daniel, let me ask you something because I really don't know.
I'm not a musician, but I play one on TV.
Sometimes sometimes our voice is our instruments, sometimes just for fun.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
But what is the.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Major difference between being in a marching band and being
in an orchestra rather than just marching?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Is there an overall?
Speaker 3 (06:50):
I was gonna say, I would never get my musicians
to march.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Can you be in both?
Speaker 1 (06:56):
If someone's been in the marching band for years, can
they become a member of an orchestra? Sure? What's the
major difference?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Sure?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
You know?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I think the band you see at at at football
games is unique. Even in the marching band world because
it's only brass instruments. Yeah, there's no woodwinds, there's no
flutes or clarinets, taxophones. Yeah, there's there's percussion. But I
think what what os U has is really incredible in
(07:23):
that in that tradition, that brass band tradition, an orchestra.
You come see an orchestra, You're going to see a
lot of string instruments. There's a lot of there's a
violins and violas and cellos and bases on stage, and
so I have I've never seen in a marching band
contain those instruments, but there's probably one somewhere that exists.
But some of the other woodwinds and brass and percussion instruments.
(07:46):
You know, if those students after they after they go
through school, want to continue and play at a very
high level, everybody's welcome to an audition.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
I feel like the exposure you give to students across
Ohio and beyond is so important. One of the first
memories I have of taking my kids to a performance
pretty confident, this was a Columbus Symphony situation. Do you
perform sometimes at the Joe Anne Davidson Theater? Okay, so
I think this was you all. I'm almost confident, but
it's been many years ago. I have a picture of
(08:18):
my kids trying a violin after a performance, the one
that I was telling you about, who is now very
much into music and theater. I think that was one
of the first times, as a small, small child he
had to be like four or five, he was exposed
to that. I mean, I think that is so important, Daniel.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
No, it's critical. It's what are those little sparks in
your life that you know, make you say, oh, I
want to do that, like and that it could be
that moment where you go to a concert and you
hear an instrument and then it's out in the lobby
and you get to try it, and that's that's a
magical thing, you know. We we we believe so much
(08:56):
that the music and the arts is an critical part
of a child's upbringing, that it makes us better, better people,
creative people, be able to being able to perform in
an ensemble is a different type of problem solving and
a different type of working with colleagues than any other
any other situation in life. So I think there's there's
(09:17):
so much you learn. Even you know, there's a small
percentage of people who study music to go on to
play in a big orchestra. But what you learn and
what you gather in your life by having that experience
as a child is so critical.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
And a lot of times some at risk kids don't
have those opportunities. And that's where this fundraiser that's coming
up at the end of the month really is vitally
important because it is so important that kids of all
backgrounds get this opportunity to touch an instrument, to be
able to just have their life kind of a small
(09:51):
piece of it, open it up to a whole different
world out there, don't you think, Judy?
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Definitely, definitely, yeah, yeah, So.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Are there to it's available for the twenty seven.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
My left, Oh, yes they are, and we are going
to have a silent auction as well as a live auction.
And some of the things in our live auction are
tailgate brunch and dinner os U versus Texas football tickets,
yeso picnic with the Pops tickets, and a Memorial Tournament
weekend package for next year.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
There's a really great packages. Is it Texas like a
top team or one day last year?
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Yeah, all right, So how can people get more information
in case they want to get a ticket. And it's
not just for themselves to go and get a chance
to win these items and to hear from the great
director of the High State Marching Band, but it's also
an opportunity to make a difference for all these kids' lives.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
And I think that's so important because you know, we're
a nonprofit right and every arts organization that's in this company,
in this city is around the country, and we rely
on these incredible groups like the Columbus Symphony League to
help support the organization's mission. We can be out doing
(11:09):
big concerts at the at the Columbus Commons, but the
entire mission of the organization definitely needs funds and needs support,
needs philanthropy, and it needs a community that cares and
believes that these are critical elements that we have. So
we think that the League and everything they do to
(11:29):
help us throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Oh wow, Sojidi, Where do people go to get tickets?
Speaker 4 (11:33):
All? Right? Purchase tickets online. Go to Columbus Symphony dot
com slash events, scroll down to Symphony of Champions for
Education twenty twenty five and there's a tab there where
you can purchase tickets and our fundraising committee has worked
so long and hard to make this a great event
and you won't want to miss it, so we want
(11:53):
to see everybody there.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
I'm so glad that we had you both in studio.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Awesome interview, and I think it's been just kind of
educational for a lot of our listeners who we don't
give them this opportunity to learn more about Columba Syphony Orchestra.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Truly and continue having a great picnic with the pops.
Yes you can, true last left Columbusymphony dot com for
that too, I take it so yes, thank you so
much all this is what matters on sixtend