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In Photos

Baseball in December? Absolutely.

Rachel Waddell, musical director for the Department of Music, joins Mittsy the Rochester Red Wings mascot for a community concert celebrating ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œ150 Years of Baseball.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� (ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ photo / Mary Cooke)

Baseball fans who lament the slow passage of time between the end of the World Series in October and the beginning of spring training in April were offered a pick-me-up last Friday evening through a community concert celebrating ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œ150 Years of BaseballÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� at the ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½.

The concert was put on by the in partnership with the , the , the , and the

 

musicians wearing baseball hats and jerseys play cellos.
The ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ Chamber Orchestra performs ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œHere Come the Red Wings.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½�
conductor and orchestra musicians perform in baseball uniforms, with an historic image of a baseball game and American flag on the screen behind them.
Rachel Waddell conducts the University of Rochester Chamber Orchestra inÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œThe Live Oak Polka.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œ

Rachel Waddell, director of orchestral activities for the , recently began incorporating RochesterÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s spaces into the Chamber OrchestraÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s musical programs as way to engage students in learning about the Rochester community and its history. Earlier in the year, the ensemble performed at the Two Saints Church with a program tailored to the venue, one of RochesterÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s oldest public buildings. This latest performance presented a program of classical and historical music, poetry, and music inspired by AmericaÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s pastime.

The evening featured a collection of baseball-themed medleys, from a patriotic kickoff of the National Anthem to traditional stadium favorites and sing-a-longs, like ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œTake Me Out to the Ball Game,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œGod Bless America,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� and ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œHere Come the Red Wings.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½�

Children's choir perform on stage with choir conductor holding a folder that reads GO WINGS.
The Roberto Clemente School No. 8 Choir performs ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œClemente: Tribute to a Baseball Hero.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½�
two radio announcer sit at a table in front of a stage, with the words PENALTY BOX and ESPN 8 The Ocho.
Red Wings Stadium on-field announcer Grant Anderson Grant Anderson and KISS 106.7 FM DJ Megan Carter provide commentary.

The entire performance mimicked at night at the stadium. Mittsy, the Rochester Red Wings mascot, greeted fans as they entered Strong Auditorium. The musicians wore baseball jerseys and caps. And from their seats to the bottom right of the stage, Red Wings Stadium on-field announcer Grant Anderson and KISS 106.7 FM DJ Megan Carter narrated the evening.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œIt has been the most wonderful adventure,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� said Brenda Richey, music director at Roberto Clemente School No. 8.

Richey worked with Waddell to bring elementary school studentsÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½”from third to eight gradeÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½”to the River Campus so they could learn about the instruments, the orchestra, as well as have some fun with baseball and its rich Rochester history. Named for one of baseballÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s greatest legends and most revered of Latino ballplayers, the school, part of the Rochester City School District, counts spotlighting the arts as a key part of its mission.

woman speaks into a microphone on stage in front of orchestra musicians wearing baseball uniforms.
Brenada Richey, music director Roberto Clemente School No. 8 introduces the choir.
row of kids in a theatre audience sing from their programs.
Students in the audience sing along to ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œTake Me Out to the Ball Game.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½�

ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œA hero to millions ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½“ not only for his greatness on the baseball diamond, but with his heartfelt desire to help others less fortunate,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� was how Grant Anderson described Roberto Clemente as the children presented ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œClemente: Tribute to a Baseball Hero.ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½�

The evening also featured a fast-moving performance of a version of P.D.Q. BachÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™s Beethoven Symphony No. 5 as well as a special presentation of ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œCasey at the Bat,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� by the Concert Choir, led by its director Julie Covach.

A final highlight was the premier of a new arrangement of the 1860 baseball classic ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œThe Live Oak PolkaÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� written by doctoral candidate Keane Southard.

ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½œThis is a wonderful evening for all of us to get together and celebrate the same thing – whether youÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™re here for the music or here for the baseball or a little bit of both ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½“ weÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½™re all here for the community,ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½� said Waddell.

Red Wings baseball mascot stands in front of an orchestra holding a conductors baton.
Mittsy gets her turn with the bat …. or, baton.