Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1474185
One community, two world-class ensembles BY MICHAEL W. PANNELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARYANN BATES AND CHRISTOPHER SMITH W here else in the world does one town have two highly skilled ensembles and a cast of players who are just as in tuned to classic rockers as they are classical greats and aren't afraid to bend the baton by urging people to get up and dance or incorporating local hip-hop artists? Welcome to Macon, Georgia, where music bends boundaries in double doses and the bands play on. The League of American Orchestras recognizes attendance at orchestral events is declining across the US, causing many orchestras facing downsizing and bankruptcy, including Macon's own former symphony in 2017. But now, it feels like the opposite in Central Georgia. In Macon, listening opportunities for classical-style music are booming, with the city now having claim to not one but two impactful groups: the Macon Pops, entering its 10th year, and the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra, completing its first. By all music scene measures, it's unique for a city of Macon's size to have two such orchestral organizations, and it's the special nature of each that allows regional audiences the ongoing opportunity to hear great music performed live by superior musicians. As president and CEO of Visit Macon, it's Gary Wheat's job to know what's up in town and what makes Macon stand out. "They're two different entities, each with a unique personality and voice, but individually and together they speak to Macon being a music city and destination," he said. "They clearly bring enjoyment to audiences, and other area organizations have gotten behind them. Even that speaks to the value our community puts on art and culture. It's a very exceptional blend and adds one more feather in our artistic cap." 82 maconmagazine.com | JUNE/JULY 2022