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MACON-MERCER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Violin virtuoso Robert McDuffie and McDuffie Center for Strings Director Amy Schwartz Moretti imagined bringing principal players from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) to Macon to play alongside and benefit Center students. And they made it happen. "Losing the [Macon] Symphony was a real void in the community," McDuffie said. "Instead of bringing back a typical orchestra, why not something world class?" There's not another known orchestra like the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra (MMSO) that serves students and brings symphonic benefits to a mid-sized community – like Macon – with players who might otherwise be out of reach. "It's always about the students. With this hybrid model of conservatory students and world-class professional players, performing side by side, there are cultural and educational boxes that are checked … students are experiencing real-world professionalism in real time. And that's crucial and invaluable for them," he stated. The ASO musicians stay overnight and coach students the day of the concert, holding mock auditions to give them an idea of what it would be like to audition for an orchestra. Unique in makeup and purpose, the MMSO also opts to showcase local performers and present them without (excuse it being said) "lowering" symphonic standards but "elevating" guest artists' work to symphonic levels, regardless of genre. "On the repertoire front, it's always a balance," McDuffie said. "We need to challenge our students, but we don't want to punish the audience. So, we're looking at repertoire that's difficult for the students but highly enjoyable for the audience." Consider this: Though beginning during a pandemic and with concerts on Monday nights, the new symphony has filled over 90 percent of The Grand seats for every performance with not only long-time classical symphony stalwarts but also an inclusive crowd of young, hip, diverse audiences. In April, local hip-hop artist Bob Lennon joined the MMSO as a guest artist for the season finale, performing an original commission titled "Don't You Look at Me." "Classical music has got to connect to the larger culture. That means in Macon we need to connect with the African American community and with a younger audience," McDuffie said. "We love our old guard classical music lovers, but we certainly want to have all of Macon represented in the audience." "To be asked to be a part of that process meant so much to me because I've been through so much to just be taken serious as an artist," Lennon said. "Being asked to be a part of something so prestigious and special showed me that all of my hard work and obstacles were for a bigger purpose and meaning." "The community of Central Georgia has a hometown orchestra that is extremely high level," he added. "That's my hometown pride coming through." If the worn phrase "exceeding expectations" fits anywhere, it does in this regard. "The artistry and the repertoire have been outstanding, and I look forward to what year two of the MMSO brings for our community," said Mercer University President William D. Underwood. JUNE/JULY 2022 | maconmagazine.com 85