"Sounds Around Town" brought music to the city around the clock

Students of the USC School of Music had this to say about the unorthodox approach to their classical music event, "As classically trained musicians we are used to playing in concert halls. What would it be like to take our music out of the concert setting and give it some fresh air? What could it become? What if, for one day, we, the flute studio at the University of South Carolina, became part of Columbia's soundtrack? ...We, as artists, want to experience music outside the concert hall to expand, enrich and experience classical music in ways that otherwise might have been missed."

Saturday April 26 at 9 a.m. through Sunday at 8 a.m. the musicians played one concert on the hour, every hour, all over Columbia for 24 continuous hours. Their aim was to foster new interactions between classical music and the people and world around them, making classical music a public art.

Seeing the reactions of community members when they saw the ensembles start playing was a highlight of the exhausting but exhilarating 24 hours. The musicians from Dr. Jennifer Parker-Harley's flute studio and other music students hope they've helped provide a transformative experience to people around town and maybe encouraged a young child or two to pursue music.