By Beverly Blake, Knight Foundation Program Director/Macon

On Monday, Sept 19,  the ultra-talented young people of the Sphinx Virtuosi gave a concert that was more than I could have imagined at Macon’s beautiful and historic Grand Opera House.  This group of string musicians performed at the top of their game and gave the people of Macon a wonderful gift- fabulous and difficult music played with energy, enthusiasm and expertise.  In anyone’s book, that would have been enough.  But for us, there was more.

The Grand Opera House is a historic venue with opera boxes, gold leaf, stars glittering from the ceiling, and a stage that seems to be three blocks deep!  But it can be an intimidating space, and one that often does not attract a broad base of Macon’s residents.  Last night was different.  The audience actually looked like Macon.  Diversity in age, race, musical knowledge and likely many people who have never set foot in the Grand to take in the music of the Macon Symphony Orchestra or various Broadway touring shows.  It was fabulous.  We were all together sharing an experience that brought us all together.  Even a toddler in the audience was obviously enjoying the music as evidenced by his verbal expressions of happiness!

Sphinx Virtuosi is an example of all that is right with young people and all that is good about classical music as a tool to reach a community and help us experience what we have in common.  We need more of that here, and I trust we will find a way to make that happen.