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we rehearsed and played at local city high schools. Many concerts were at Lee Hall on the FAMU campus.” Today the orchestra rehearses atTallahassee Community College and plays most of its three concerts per year in Turner Auditorium. TCC and Florida A&M students who play with the orchestra receive college credit. From the beginning, the Big Bend Community Orchestra’s mission was expansive: All concerts would be free to the public. And it would serve as an outreach. Dinsmore and Anderson wanted to include professional players, homemakers, music teachers and students, and those at a variety of levels of expertise. “Music education is one of our major goals,” Dinsmore said. “For me, orchestral “And not just for kids. Having the opportuplaying is more nity to play Mozart or soothing than Sibelius doesn’t fallinto everybody’s lap, and band — and harder. that’sprettywonderful. But the people Butbeingintroducedto newcomposersasadult are so accepting. players is truly a unique In fact, I think I andthrillingchallenge.” As a longtime music like rehearsals educator, Dinsmore’s even more than thoughts often go to children. performances!” “Teaching music in the schools and after— Cellist James Brown school instruction is so important,” she said. “It’s the basis for understanding and becoming curious about not only music written at a certain point in the past, but about history too.What was going on whenBeethovenwrotethe‘Eroica’?Whatpoliticalbackgroundcan you hear in Mahler? By giving advanced students the opportunity to attend and even play with a large orchestra, you can sometimes make a life-changing difference.”And it’s even fun if you don’t play an instrument. Dinsmore said co-founder Anderson had wanted to introduce little children to the dynamic that makes up an orchestra. Following his lead, before the last piece of the concert, children under 12 are still invited up on stage to sit or stand beside a musicianoftheirchoosing.Wide-eyed6-year-oldsperchcross-leggedat the feet of a cellist while pre-adolescent boys stare at the blur of a timpanist’ssticks,eachoneexperiencingthepowerofanorchestra in full throat. ButwhatkeepsbusyprofessionalscomingoutonThursdayevenings to rehearse for two hours? What motivates them to pull out their horns or harps, cellos or oboes to practice in back rooms or kitchens during the week? James Brown is a retired assistant superintendent of schools and a former band director himself. Brown plays concert piano, clarinet and a variety of other instruments, but“I’d never experienced the challenge of strings,” he said. Ten years ago, he bought himself a cello,whichfithishandsbetterthanaviolin.Brownsaidhepracticed two to three hours a day in the beginning. A year later, with some butterflies, he joined the orchestra. “For me, orchestral playing is more soothing than band — and harder,” he said. “But the people are so accepting. In fact, I