While my cello gently weeps

After 50 years of enriching the campus and community with beautiful symphonic music, the Music Department has decided to discontinue the symphony orchestra for the fall 2010 semester.The reason behind the unexpected decision remains unclear and will be further explained during the first week of the semester.

According to the Music Department chair, Dr. Fred Robinson, the USD symphony was disbanded "based on a recommendation by the external reviewers of the music program that the symphony should be constituted wholly, or almost wholly, by students."

In the past, conductor Dr. Angela Yeung has recruited community members to fill vacancies not occupied by students in order to provide students with a full symphonic experience. Dr. Robinson's decision has been shocking for a number of students who were relying on USD Symphony participation and credit to fulfill their core fine arts requirement.

The important and immediate question to ask is what opportunities string, wind or percussion musicians have for the fall 2010 semester. The hope of Dr. Robinson is to create an "all-student larger-than-chamber ensemble."

A meeting of music department faculty as well as current and prospective music students is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m. in Camino 153. If student musicians are interested in joining this new ensemble, it is important to either attend this meeting or contact either Dr. Robinson or a member of the music department faculty and make their voice heard.

While the disbandment of the symphony came as a sudden surprise for current student musicians, it is vital that all current and prospective musicians help mold the future of musical ensembles at the University of San Diego. The many accomplishments of the USD Symphony as well as further reasoning behind the decision to do away with the symphony will be addressed in a later issue.