A New CD from the Columbus Symphony
Even though the organization has been through some tough times, The CoLumbus Symphony Orchestra has released a new CD on the eve of its first performance in months. Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s new recording shows promise during a difficult season.
by Boyce Lancaster
The financial struggles of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the clashes between management and musicians played out in both the local media and around the world. but where are things now?
On the eve of their first performance since May, a new recording has risen from those troubled times. WOSU’s Boyce Lancaster spoke with Principal Tuba James Akins and new Symphony Board Chair Martin Ingles about the new recording, the new season, and what’s to come.
An hour before he meets with musicians from the Columbus Symphony, Battelle Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Martin Inglis sits across the table from Columbus Symphony Orchestra Principal Tuba, Jim Akins.
Martin Inglis is an animated, energetic man who moved to Columbus in 2004 after a thirty-twp year career with Ford Motor Company.
Jim Akins has been Principal Tuba with the Columbus Symphony for more than twenty-five years. Columbus has been his home for decades. He teaches at Ohio State, his children grew up here…this is HIS community, one he cannot imagine without a symphony.
Both men have one thing in common…a vested interest in seeing the Symphony not just survive, but flourish.
It is in this context that they spoke about a brand new recording by the Columbus Symphony…one made in the midst of uncertainty about what form the orchestra would take the following season…or if there would even BE a next season.
Jim Akins said everything seemed to conspire against them.
There was a sense of determination on the part of the musicians AND then-conductor Junichi Hirokami to make this project happen. As the musicians would later learn, one of the two pieces on the recording, Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony, had special significance for Junichi.
Another hurdle was money. The Symphony strapped for cash, Jim Akins, who was then Chairman of the Orchestra Committee, contacted Gene DeAngelo, a longtime friend of the orchestra AND the city of Columbus.
An hour before he meets with musicians from the Columbus Symphony, Battelle Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Martin Inglis sits across the table from CSO Principal Tuba Jim Akins.
Martin Inglis is an animated, energetic man who moved to Columbus in 2004 after a thirty-two year career with Ford Motor Company.
Making a recording seems simple…set up the microphones, start the recorder, play the music…voila! Symphony recording. However, after the musicians pack up and go home, what you do with that recording and WHO you have do it, makes all the difference.
When I first spoke to Martin Inglis about the recording, he was already excited about what this could mean to the orchestra AND to the city of Columbus. He found a quiet spot, dropped it into the CD player and began to listen.
The release of this recording comes before the CSO has officially played even one concert…and many might have shied away from the position of Board Chair in an organization that admittedly still has a lot of heavy lifting to do.
Both men acknowledge the trials the symphony has been through…both seem to be ready to get back to the task of making music.
Inglis echoes that opinion.
The Columbus Symphony’s Holiday Pops opened the season on Friday, December 5.
Boyce Lancaster is an announcer and producer for WOSU 89.7 FM Radio.
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