When schools declare snow days, lots of events and activities get canceled. Some get rescheduled; some don't.
After a snowstorm Feb. 28- March 1, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra's two concerts for students were a clear casualty. Drawing students from throughout the area to the Michigan Theater, the concerts are hard enough to plan, let alone replan.
But a note to any storms hoping to interrupt the work of the Ann Arbor Symphony: You don't know who you're up against.
As related by president Mary Steffek Blaske, the symphony -which consistently shows its dedication to student outreach in other, less obvious ways - decided to try to reschedule the concerts.
This involved planning with a host of school districts, including Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Pinckney, Howell and many others; calling in some 70 musicians, all of whom have their own commitments; changing the schedule of conductor Arie Lipsky; and coordinating with the Police Department, the Downtown Development Authority and the theater itself.
The rescheduled concerts took place Monday, with nearly all the original districts able to attend, Blaske said -two concerts with around 1,700 attendance at each.
"This was a huge effort," Steffek Blaske said. "There were a lot of people who made a lot of sacrifices ... I just am so impressed with everybody involved."
Me too.
© 2005 Ann Arbor News. Used with permission|
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Ann Arbor Symphony
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