What would be the reaction if the New York Philharmonic or the Chicago Symphony Orchestra decided to make all of their concerts free and open to the public? \nMost would probably think these orchestras suddenly went crazy.\nAt IU, far from being crazy, the idea is actually a reality. In IU's concert season, appropriately titled "Live and Free," some of the finest musicians from around the world regularly give concerts that are free and open to the public. IU's School of Music is famous for its high caliber musicians, so the quality of music matches that of the most prestigious metropolitan orchestras.\nAlain Barker, director of marketing and publicity for the IU School of Music, echoed this thought.\n"The School of Music's concerts are really world-class events, which, if they were seen in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago, would cost lots of money," Barker said. "IU offers a great chance to experience this for literally nothing."
Variety and value
\nAnother boasting point of the concerts is their variety, Barker said. IU puts on hundreds of free concerts throughout the year, which range from orchestral and choral concerts to student and faculty recitals, encompassing chamber music and early music in between.\nThe season also expands beyond classical music to the world of jazz and band music. And each genre has its own feature night. At the Musical Arts Center, Monday is jazz night with David Baker and the IU jazz bands. Tuesday features the wind ensemble and Wednesday is generally orchestra night.\n"With five orchestras, three jazz ensembles and 13 choral ensembles, there are plenty of opportunities to see a variety of concerts," Barker said.\nBarker said that IU's band program has been ranked best in the Midwest and that this year's choral season is expected to be very strong. He also highlighted faculty performances.\n"IU has one of the largest resident faculties of any collegiate music school," he said. "Many of them are world-class performers, and all faculty performances are free."
Benefits on both sides
\nThough listeners enjoy the best among musical talent for no charge, they are not the only ones benefiting from the "Live and Free" concerts. The student-performers not only get a chance to showcase their work, but also have the opportunity to prepare for the concert environment of a future career.\n"(The concerts are) a resource for the music students themselves," Barker said.\nBarker spoke from personal experience, having been a music student at IU. He said both playing in and attending the "Live and Free" concerts contributed to his education.\n"I can say that both as a performer and as an audience member, I have had the very best musical education available to me," he said.\nIU professor David Effron, who will be conducting the first orchestra concert of the 2005-2006 season Saturday, highlighted the School of Music's importance to IU and the big names that once performed in free concerts.\n"The School of Music is, as any student will find out, one of the treasures of IU. It produces major artists, such as Joshua Bell, the violinist," he said.
The first chance for many
\nThe IU Philharmonic Orchestra begins the orchestral season with a concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the MAC. The Philharmonic is considered the most advanced of the five orchestras, and is most used for special occasions and important concerts.\nThe program will feature two highlights. The first is the unveiling of the School of Music's newest faculty member, violinist Jaime Laredo, in his first appearance since he joined the faculty in May.\n"The unique thing about this concert is that (Laredo) is one of the few violinists to have the Busoni concerto in his repertoire. It is a very audience-friendly piece," Effron said.\nThe other highlight of Saturday's concert will be Tchaikovsky's "Fifth Symphony," which, much like the season itself, has benefits for both performers and listeners, Effron said\n"It is a piece that every music student should know, and it is also a perfect piece for the first-time listener to hear," he said.\nBoth Barker and Effron have high expectations for the first concert.\n"The first concert really helps us expose what we represent," Barker said.\nEffron said attending the concert is not just a way to be entertained, but also a way to support IU.\n"Just as we support our athletic teams, we should also have support for other special things at this University, including the orchestra," he said.\nFor more information and a schedule of all free concerts, as well as ticketed events, or to request "Prelude," the School of Music's free calendar, visit www.music.indiana.edu or call 855-1583.
