Lockout News
As everyone probably knows by now, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians were locked out for the first 9 weeks of their season. Although the orchestra was idle, the musicians were not. They were very busy actively trying to gather support to save the integrity of the orchestra. Our Franklin Pond faculty was in the forefront, several of them serving on the musicians’ representative committee (ASOPA). Violist Paul Murphy is the President of ASOPA and cellist Danny Laufer is the vice-president. Violist Jessica Oudin also serves on the committee. Violinist Jun-Ching Lin stayed in town (though asked to play with several orchestras including Cleveland, St. Louis, and San Diego), to serve as concertmaster of the several ATL Symphony Musicians concerts given during that time.
Our faculty played in orchestras all over the country and in Singapore. Here’s a partial list:
Paul Murphy (viola): Minnesota Orchestra (he had to be home, ready to negotiate most of the time)
Danny Laufer (cello): Singapore Symphony Orchestra (he also stayed here, but left for Singapore when the lockout ended)
Carolyn Hancock (violin): Minnesota Orchestra, Macon Pops (asked to play with National Symphony)
Lachlan McBane (viola): Minnesota Orchestra (asked to play with St. Louis and Chicago)
Jessica Oudin (viola): Minnesota Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony (asked to play in Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Oregon, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra)
Brad Ritchie (cello): Chicago Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, New York Philharmonic
Ronda Respess (violin): The Florida Orchestra (asked to play with Chattanooga, Charleston, and Macon Pops)
The Franklin Pond Quartet was busy too. They played at Terminal West in September and Eddie’s Attic in November, enjoyed performing a house concert for friends, and gave concerts in Blue Ridge, GA and at Berry College in Rome, GA.
Franklin Pond is SO proud of our faculty. Each person is a top-notch musician, a top-notch person, AND a top-notch teacher and mentor. We feel very lucky to have them all here together at the Pond.