Rain doesn't silence concert

The show must go on. And so it did. But the Philadelphia Sinfonia II's Concert on the Green last Thursday evening turned into a concert in the lobby on account of unexpected rain. A classical music event to kickoff Spring Fling '99, the scheduled 6 p.m. performance by students from the Curtis Institute of Music was moved into the Zellerbach Theater lobby where the orchestra, led by conductor David Osbon, performed Night on Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky and Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 for an audience of more than 100 people. Event organizers scurried around to get the word out about the change of venue via postings on the World Wide Web and runners who made announcements on the Green and in dorms. As musicians hurriedly set up their equipment, spectators quickly filled the lobby, arranging themselves against the box office wall and on the upper level balcony. Amidst the shuffling arrangement of chairs, musical equipment and people, Osbon could be heard doing a different kind of conducting even before the show began: "All right, let's go. Quick, quick, quick. Chairs out. More paper towels. Get the chairs dry. OK here come the stands, let's get the stands set up. OK orchestra. Instruments out. Sit down," he directed. And at 6:10 p.m. the concert began. Spectators were still trickling in through the lobby doors as the haunting shrill of fiercely playing violins began Night on Bald Mountain, during which Osbon gave new meaning to musical conducting. His electrifying style bordered on spastic as he flung his body in time with the music. Arms flailing, hair flying, body shaking and jumping and mouthing the musical sounds, he was a show in himself. Osbon admits, "I get a bit emotional with my music." His energetic style, he says, is "motivational" for his young musicians, especially when they see a "great looming hairy Englishman in their face." Osbon knows how to motivate an audience as well. One spectator's matter-of-fact "bravo" preceded the generous applause that followed the orchestra's first piece. The second, Beethoven's powerful and ubiquitous Symphony No. 5, had some members of the audience bobbing their heads and swinging their feet to the rapid bowing of violins. Just a few minutes before 7 p.m., Osbon threw his baton to the floor, signaling the end of the mini-concert. Wicker baskets were then placed on the floor for donations to fund new instruments for the musicians. In keeping with his animated style, Osbon let out a loud whistle as the audience was preparing to leave and chairs and equipment were being whisked away. Once he had everyone's attention, he thanked them graciously for attending the performance. One of those in attendance, College freshman Holly Zanville, said she was "really impressed by the talent of the students" and that she "enjoyed the energy and charisma of the conductor."