June/July 2024 | maconmagazine.com 67
BY JULIA MORRISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER IAN SMITH FOR MERCER UNIVERSITY
I
n the center hallway of the restored 1855 Bell
House lies a small pillow, which reads: MACON
GA, CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. This
philosophy, championed by hometown superstar
violinist Robert McDuffie, rings true for classical music
lovers in the South. Indeed, for a mid-sized city, Macon
is re-envisioning the classical audience as the Macon-
Mercer Symphony Orchestra (MMSO) finishes its third
season. When I first heard that Mercer was developing
a new symphony for Macon, it seemed like a daunting
challenge as an arts administrator, with symphonies all
over the country facing controversy, financial challenges,
and closures (this season alone, the American Youth
Symphony and the Hutchinson Symphony gave their
last bows).
But in Macon, the third season has had more
subscribers, tickets claimed, and revenue than ever.
M A C O N
E M B R A C E S
S Y M P H O N Y
LEFT Patrons
get to their
feet at the
November 2023
performance.
BELOW Director
of Patron Service
Chas Pridgen
sells tickets
up until the
moment of the
performance.
