Children of the lockout

During the 15 months of the Minnesota Orchestra’s lockout of its musicians, some new shoots sprouted. Students and schoolchildren, irked by the terrible silence, formed Young Musicians of Minnesota and went around playing and campaigning for a resumption of concerts.

They wrote to the musicians, telling them how much they were missed. They formed a flashmob outside the building where the Minnesota board were meeting. They kept the music alive.

And their efforts did not end when the ice melted and the music returned: This summer, YMM held a music festival, free to advanced music students looking for a performance opportunity. Now with 72 students, up from last summer’s 46, the youth orchestra rehearsed for four hours on Sundays, with members coming from as far away as Rochester and Owatonna. They’ll perform their summer finale concert this Friday, with music by Wagner, Glazunov and Tchaikovsky.

Lovely report from Minnesota by Pamela Espeland. Read it here.