Excellence out West, Part 2: The Walla Walla Symphony Orchestra

But what was also exciting about the Walla Walla Symphony was its good health and its history. This orchestra, in a city that today has a population of about 30,000 and a metropolitan area of about 50,000, is celebrating its centennial - one hundred uninterrupted years of serving its community and calls itself the oldest continuously existing orchestra west of the Mississippi. In this tiny town! Who'da thunk it? And with an endowment of more than four times the size of its roughly $500,000 annual budget, it is an orchestra in terrific health.

This is also an orchestra that has given real thought to its role in the community. Prior to the family concert the musicians were in the lobby of the hall operating an instrument petting zoo. It was heartwarming to see young kids trying out a double bass (often three times the size of the youngster!), or a violin or clarinet. As you might expect, the biggest waiting line was in front of the percussion instruments. But the Walla Walla Symphony also has something I had not encountered before: an instrument "lending library." They have encouraged community members to donate old, no-longer-used instruments, and the Walla Walla Symphony lends them out on a needs basis to youngsters from families that could not afford to rent or purchase them. What a great service - one more way for an orchestra can be a true community resource.

This is also an orchestra wrestling with the subject of governance - not because they have problems, but because their board is fascinated with the subject, and is committed to finding governance model that works for them. It is inspiring, in fact, to meet with a board that takes the subject of governance as seriously as this one does, and that is willing to devote time and energy exploring it.

The day spent with the Walla Walla Symphony Orchestra, and the preceding day spent with the Boise Philharmonic, served once again to renew my sense that orchestral life in America is alive and well, and far more vital and varied than is known by those who aren't fortunate enough to travel around and experience its scope.