A beautifully performing orchestra!
Dr. Howard Skinner conducted the music at my first visit to UCCC to hear the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra. I had heard the same music before, many times, as it was one of my favorite compositions of all time. When I heard this music again, this time under the baton of Dr. Skinner, with the orchestra members performing more wonderfully than I could ever have imagined, I was enraptured. I purchased season tickets year after year and loved every performance. Dr. Skinner favored the classic composers - Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Wagner, and so on - at least that is what is clearest in my memory.
What I heard from orchestra members was that Dr. Skinner had turned the orchestra from a fairly good one to an excellent one, and from an organization that had a little support to one that had tremendous support. I became one of those supporters, socially and organizationally as well as financially.
Things change. With the retiring of Dr. Skinner from the orchestra came organizational, selection, and performance changes. There is much music in the world, and every genre (check Grove's or, if laz,y wikipedia, for examples of some of the countless genres) has its multitude of fans. So I know that Greeley is as happy with its orchestra today as it was with its orchestra of yesterday. With great respect for the excellence of both conductor and orchestra, I embolden myself to say that the choices of which compositions to perform leaves me wanting.
We do not often travel for concerts or other musical performances. When we do, the classics remain my favorite. I avoid moderns even though there are some whom I find quite enjoyable. I likewise avoid performances that seem to be self-promotions or resume-packing. I truly love the Greeley Philharmonic for the joy it has given me, my family, and our friends. The auditorium is lovely albeit small. The stage is adequate, albeit small. The cost of admission for me is almost inconsequential, but more objectively I suppose it is "moderate". The quality of performance is high. The staff consist of both paid and volunteer workers, and I have found each and every one of them to be cheerful, welcome, and helpful when needed.
The most difficult part of the performances is to listen to the sponsors give little speeches, and to realize that in some cases, a business or hospital which says it is "doing everything we can to keep costs low" is contributing thousands of dollars as their sponsorship - which means they are doing something they don't have to do, which will raise the cost of their services. Can't they see the incongruity of their words and their actions?
I look forward to some future season in which all eyes and ears are on the illustrious, proven standard-bearers of western composition, whoever they are. read more