STATE OF THE ARTS: City's classical music scene

The Gazette's second State of the Arts section is a look at how music, dance, theater and the visual arts are faring in the Pikes Peak region. This year's theme - "On the Move" - reflects movement, both figurative and literal, in the local arts scene. Cottonwood Artists' School is moving its huge collection of studios. The Manitou Arts Theater is moving out of Manitou Springs. And many segments of the arts community are moving forward in ways we couldn't have imagined a year or two ago.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

There were major changes in the region's classical music scene in the past year, but audience members can be forgiven for not noticing them. Most took place beneath the surface.

Of course, there were some dramatic public moments - such as the inauguration in June of the Cornerstone Arts Center's south theater with an unforgettably intense performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, and Opera Theatre of the Rockies' thrilling March production of "Carmen."

Scott Yoo's revelatory Beethoven featured what longtime festivalgoers called the program's best student orchestra ever; "Carmen" showed OTR approaching the level of the old Colorado Opera Festival.

But most of the changes will bear fruit only later.

The Colorado Springs Conservatory announced that it was moving, and then announced that it was moving again - the second (and final) time into Galileo Middle School, District 11's new math and science magnet school. It's a first in the region for a nonprofit to team with a public school in this way, and whether it actually warrants some of the words that have been bandied about - including "unprecedented" and "unique" - it's certainly a bold and extremely rare move to integrate a private and a public school.

At the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Susan Greene resigned as executive director. The organization recently hired 34-year-old Nathan Newbrough to replace her. Greene was among those who helped build the philharmonic from the ashes of the old symphony. Newbrough will be hard-pressed to match her tenacity, but he brings an impressive record of success for such a young executive director.

And on June 16, southern Colorado classical music organizations joined forces to form the Pikes Peak Classical Music Partnership. The region's first coalition of its kind was created to "promote appreciation and awareness of quality classical music in the region," according to the organization's mission statement. A diverse group of members includes the USAF Academy Band Chamber Recital Series, the Colorado Springs Chorale, the Colorado Springs Guitar Society, and the First Christian Church Concert Series.

"Rather than looking at our mutual existence as a competition, we have all embraced the opportunity to jointly promote one another and thereby give a classical music much higher visibility in our community," said Nasit Ari, who helped found the organization.
Otherwise, it was a year of quiet growth, providing hope for bigger and better things. For instance, the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs' "A Midsummer Night's Music" fundraiser was its most successful ever.

"The first year, we broke even," said music director Thomas Wilson. "Last year, we made about a thousand dollars, and this year we made about 2,000, which is a lot of money for an organization like this."

But as with the theater scene, one of the region's major concert series is planning its next season without a home. Citing rising costs, the Thursday Night Recital Series, which provides opportunities for top-notch local performers to perform intermittently, is leaving the Louisa Performing Arts Center.