Symphony Series

Suzanne Poursine Massion

    I am fortunate enough to live very close to one of the finest and most celebrated symphony orchestras in the Midwest. It has been designated a State Treasure. I have attended their performances for many years and have thrilled to their wonderful sound. That sound has only improved over time. I have seen and heard Yo Yo Ma and Yitzhak Perlman on stage accompanied by this wonderful orchestra. Having attended several premiers of original symphonic pieces composed for them, I can say that an evening spent with this symphony orchestra is truly an exquisite experience.

    Some years ago, it was suggested that I create a work in oil around the orchestra. I was given access to unpublished photos, and, best of all, freedom to attend rehearsals and sketch at leisure as preparation for the painting. The result was the The Symphony Series, the paintings you see on this page. Not satisfied that one work would truly capture the essence of what I saw in rehearsal and performance, I set about to paint the orchestra as a whole and in its parts.

    Music Director and conductor Maestro Robert Hanson is shown in formal performance attire with all the musicians on stage. You can hear the first notes of an overture as he raises his baton and the audience grows quiet. The maestro is shown in one painting leading a small section of the strings. In another he is in a serious discussion with his executive director. The cello section is here, along with the concert master and first violin, a shirt sleeve rehearsal; the auditorium seats are empty. Another painting shows the choral union onstage for a performance of Handel’s Messiah. People are taking their seats as the intermission ends. Dim the lights and let the music begin!