The Conductor
Benjamin Locke is beginning his thirty-seventh year as conductor of the Knox County Symphony. Dr. Locke was educated at Oberlin College, Mary Manse College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he studied extensively with Robert Fountain. Dr. Locke has built a distinguished international reputation through his appearances as a guest conductor for orchestras and choirs on three continents. Dr. Locke holds the rank of Professor at Kenyon College.
A personal message from the conductor...
I have had the great honor to lead the Knox County Symphony for the past thirty-six years. The orchestra has grown in size and quality in that time, and that is due to the combined efforts of the entire Knox County community: we have fine talent on hand from the students of Mount Vernon Nazarene College and Kenyon College, including very capable musicians from the orchestral program at Mount Vernon High School. In addition, we have a strong cadre of community musicians, many of whom first developed their skill through the public school music program, and local music teachers have been active participants in the Symphony over the years. I have also had the benefit of collaborating with the all-volunteer Knox County Symphony Board which has shepherded the organization into a position of financial stability while still expanding the scope of our musical offerings, including the free Children's Concerts, the Young Musicians Competition, and by commissioning new and exciting works from Ohio composers.
After so many years of success, I found it daunting to consider the Symphony's options for the coming year. This included the possibility of not having any rehearsals or concerts at all, as has happened with many professional arts organizations. This sad prospect was compounded by the personal loss last spring of longtime board member Sam Ingraham, and also my wife Kay, who played flute in the orchestra and supported me my entire life in all things musical. I came to realize that it was my duty to continue–observing all safety protocols–in whatever manner I could to sustain the purposes of the Knox County Symphony that have been in evidence since its founding in 1965: to provide an artistic outlet for community musicians, to nurture talent young and old, and to enrich the artistic life of our citizenry. To that end, we have twenty string players already preparing a fall program, wearing masks and (so far) practicing outside for safety. I can report that their mood is upbeat, and they are glad to be making music again, even amidst such challenging circumstances!
The reduction in the number of concerts and the absence of live performances lessens the Symphony's expenses this year and removes the need for ticket sales. I would still encourage our donors to consider modest contributions this year for the expenses we will incur, as well as to position the Symphony well for an ambitious re-engagement post-pandemic!
Thank you for your generous support.
–Benjamin Locke, conductor
Benjamin Locke is beginning his thirty-seventh year as conductor of the Knox County Symphony. Dr. Locke was educated at Oberlin College, Mary Manse College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he studied extensively with Robert Fountain. Dr. Locke has built a distinguished international reputation through his appearances as a guest conductor for orchestras and choirs on three continents. Dr. Locke holds the rank of Professor at Kenyon College.
A personal message from the conductor...
I have had the great honor to lead the Knox County Symphony for the past thirty-six years. The orchestra has grown in size and quality in that time, and that is due to the combined efforts of the entire Knox County community: we have fine talent on hand from the students of Mount Vernon Nazarene College and Kenyon College, including very capable musicians from the orchestral program at Mount Vernon High School. In addition, we have a strong cadre of community musicians, many of whom first developed their skill through the public school music program, and local music teachers have been active participants in the Symphony over the years. I have also had the benefit of collaborating with the all-volunteer Knox County Symphony Board which has shepherded the organization into a position of financial stability while still expanding the scope of our musical offerings, including the free Children's Concerts, the Young Musicians Competition, and by commissioning new and exciting works from Ohio composers.
After so many years of success, I found it daunting to consider the Symphony's options for the coming year. This included the possibility of not having any rehearsals or concerts at all, as has happened with many professional arts organizations. This sad prospect was compounded by the personal loss last spring of longtime board member Sam Ingraham, and also my wife Kay, who played flute in the orchestra and supported me my entire life in all things musical. I came to realize that it was my duty to continue–observing all safety protocols–in whatever manner I could to sustain the purposes of the Knox County Symphony that have been in evidence since its founding in 1965: to provide an artistic outlet for community musicians, to nurture talent young and old, and to enrich the artistic life of our citizenry. To that end, we have twenty string players already preparing a fall program, wearing masks and (so far) practicing outside for safety. I can report that their mood is upbeat, and they are glad to be making music again, even amidst such challenging circumstances!
The reduction in the number of concerts and the absence of live performances lessens the Symphony's expenses this year and removes the need for ticket sales. I would still encourage our donors to consider modest contributions this year for the expenses we will incur, as well as to position the Symphony well for an ambitious re-engagement post-pandemic!
Thank you for your generous support.
–Benjamin Locke, conductor
