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contemporary listeners, the Arsht Center is hosting "Classical Conversations."
Scheduled one hour before each performance at the Peacock Foundation Education
Center inside the Knight Concert Hall, the speaker sessions are designed to offer
insights into the music, composers, and historical context behind the pieces to be
performed. Lakeisha Frith, director of education at the Adrienne Arsht Center, says
there may even be a little bit of gossip.

Scott Flavin, lecturer in violin performance and chamber music and resident
conductor for the University of Miami's Frost School of Music's Henry Mancini
Institute, will lead the conversation before the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra's
performance. Flavin has an optimistic perspective on the current state of classical
music.

"I think that the notion that the audience is getting older and older and dying off — I
just don't see that. I think there are more orchestras than there have ever been, but
that is not to say that we shouldn't be engaging younger people. Historically, it does
attract an older audience, but that's not to say that there isn't room to welcome a
younger audience," says Flavin.

Pamela Smitter, principal trumpet with the West Michigan Symphony for two
decades who now performs with the Miami Symphony Orchestra, was the first
speaker in the series when the Detroit Symphony Orchestra played the Knight on
February 15.

She was particularly excited about Elgar's Cello Concerto and told audiences in her
pre-concert conversation that the piece was an "expressive, soulful piece of music,"
and gave insight that Elgar composed the piece in the wake of World War writing the
composition near the end of his life.

Frith says that's precisely the idea behind the "Conversations" series.

"When the guests come, they will learn a little bit about what's being performed, the
ensemble that's performing, and then a little bit of the gossip — who the composers
were, was there an affair, was there something steamy that happened?"

The "Classical Conversations" series is free and open to the public, and it isn't
necessary to have a purchased ticket to attend the pre-show talks, according to the
Arsht.

Flavin, who works closely with a younger demographic at the University of Miami's
Frost School of Music, highlighted new and innovative ways orchestras have used to
engage audiences.