As time passed I made another fascinating discovery. I began to make a collection of various symphonies and began to listen with an academic interest. I was curious and soon to be very surprised. My young adult interest in music transported me to jazz, some of which was very good music. My tastes were becoming more sophisticated without realizing it. My great surprise was finding that many symphonies had remarkable rhythms and magnificent harmonies. The variations, variety and intriguing arrangements available in a symphony performed by a large orchestra proved to be very enjoyable and extremely entertaining. I began to listen more intently and await the most ingenious passages. They were lacking in some but most evident in most that I heard.

Over the past twelve years I have composed nine symphonies which includes three stringed concertos; additionally twelve symphonic poems (one part symphonies) and a collection of twelve piano sonatas. A 21st Century composer has a unique perspective when listening to the masters who composed the great classics. The reason is rather simple. A composer must endeavor to compose logical melodies which somehow evolve in a pleasant or acceptable way. During composition, as Beethoven is reported to have said, much music is discarded as unacceptable by the composer. We current day composers hear their music and sometimes have an interesting thought. "Oh, the composer should have turned a corner there." Or, we might think, " That passage could have been extended in light of it's beauty!" Often we will understandably think, "I know the composer's mood that day and it was not good." A modern day composer's perspective is possibly quite valuable and leads to well critiqued scores produced in the 20th - 21st Century. We are indeed fortunate to have the music of the "masters" from which to learn.

Recently I wrote an Editorial which suggested that more people should attend their local high school and college football games, Big League baseball games and major or nearby symphony performances. There is much fun and excitement in all of these events. In regards the latter there is a magnificently beautiful experience to be enjoyed. The thrust of my article was that we are all ambassadors of classical music or should be as most of our neighbors and friends are missing out on one of the most priceless gifts of our generation. My suggestion was for marketing people to devote more time to discussions with the press and various media to enlist their help in broadening the coverage given to local symphony performances. Features stories about staff and various members of the orchestra could bring countless thousands into the fold as aficionados. The dedication and devotion of instrumentalists and conductors deserve vastly more coverage than is presently being given.

What I perceive is a great error in understanding the potential of the adult community for adopting symphony as a great interest or passion. I have known other adults who have turned to opera, for example, later in life much to their extreme satisfaction. I personally turned to symphony with an academic interest when I was in my early thirties. We see symphony orchestras reaching out to young people and there is a great benefit realized from the "pop concerts" held in many cities. Most people that I talk to have a passing interest in symphony which indicates they have devoted time to the classics. At some time in their lives, nearly all turn to symphony for a limited or long duration.

If we accept the thesis that Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto is one of the great artistic works ever achieved by mankind, then by extension we may conclude that symphony is vastly underrated by the media that reflects our day to day accomplishments. A symphony performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is probably deserving of front page news coverage wherever it is performed, contrasted to most other achievements of any given day in any city in the world. As a former newspaper publisher, I am convinced we fail to give our symphonies fair and "just do" coverage of their fabulous and nearly unbelievable accomplishments. A symphony orchestra brings a lifetime of learning to their local communities in a typically totally unselfish way that makes all members of the community extremely proud.

In our lifetime there are improvements that can be made. We all know of improvements that are awaiting our attention in the legal, medical and education professions. The vast population of this country and countries around the world await a better focus, greater attention and significantly greater coverage of that one unique and ingenious entity - the talent and magnificence of the grand array of instrumentalists performing in the symphony orchestra. Board members and staff should set about to arrange meetings with publishers, editors and all other media for this all important purpose.

Lastly, we should give attention to the matter of fund raising. Many orchestras are having difficulty with their "bottom line". My suggestion is that symphony orchestras should make good use of the "Gala" preceding a performance. There are many qualified speakers in their communities and beyond who could address the patrons at such a fine dinner with informative and very news worthy or beneficial words. Such an event would help to promote symphony in the community and by virtue of news coverage expand the base of support within the community. As they say, "Nothing sells better than the news". The "Gala" would expand the focus of the local media beyond the performance itself which tends to attract loyal followers without adding to the base support. Some communities have an Annual Ball during the holidays to raise money.

The symphony orchestra is a marvelous phenomenon seriously in need of greater space and attention by the media that exists to serve the community. A symphony performance is a far greater event than most writers and publishers perceive.