The sounds of Bison Square ranged from children bowing their first note on a violin to professional musicians playing overtures and dances from composers all around the world Tuesday night.
The Nashville Symphony visited Lipscomb for “Symphony Under the Stars” as a part of the free community concert series.
John Lowry, executive director of Spark: Lipscomb’s Idea Center, said the last time the Nashville Symphony performed at Lipscomb was in 2010 with Martina McBride in Allen Arena.
“If you remember back in 2010, Lipscomb was honored to serve as a host of the Nashville Symphony for many of their concerts as they were reacting and responding to the flood — they made their home,” Lowry said. “We’re excited to have them back.”
Although he’s relatively new to Music City, Nashville Symphony conductor Vinay Parameswaran said that the Nashville Symphony has collaborated with Lipscomb many times before he joined, and that all of the community concerts are important to the symphony.
“I really love doing these concerts,” Parameswaran said. “It’s fun for me and I know it’s fun for the orchestra. As someone who’s kind of new to Nashville, it’s cool — I get to see new people and different places.”
Parameswaran said that many of the program attendees may be symphony subscribers, but the unique thing about the summer community concerts is that they reach a new audience.
“For us, we’re able to reach thousands of people through community concerts like this,” Parameswaran said.
Symphony Under the Stars even brought along some little musicians who visited the instrument petting zoo, a symphony education program that allows children to get their hands on instruments and learn about music.
Director of education and community engagement Walter Bitner said the instrument petting zoo travels with the Nashville Symphony to all the community concerts.
“For a lot of the children coming to hear the concert, this may be their first opportunity to hear a symphony orchestra, but they can’t go up close while the symphony is playing to check out the instruments and what they’re doing, so this gives the children a chance to see and touch and make a sound on the very same instruments they’re going to hear,” Bitner said.
He added that he has seen many young faces light up while making the first sound on an instrument.
“When a four or five-year-old child blows into a trombone and it sounds like a trombone, I’ve seen a look of delight and connection to music on that child’s face which ultimately could lead to some appreciation or involvement in music,” Bitner said.
Parameswaran echoed Bitner saying the program was a fun, family-friendly outdoor event for the community. The program, which included selections from a mix of composers all over the world, was 45 minutes long.
“It’s a great atmosphere,” Parameswaran said. “It’s just a nice way to spend a summer evening.”
But with summer concerts comes the summer heat, which can take its toll on the instruments and players.
“The heat and the humidity, which we know very well here, can play some tricky games on the instruments, especially the stringed instruments, but also the brass instruments,” Parameswaran said. “Our players are so great, though — they know how to adjust. You throw any situation at them and they’re fine.”
During the night’s program, Parameswaran said it may be hard to notice, but the players are constantly adjusting their tuning.
The next stop for the Nashville Symphony’s free community concert will be at Two Rivers Mansion this Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Photos by author