As part of our 75th Anniversary celebration, we’re excited to debut a new storytelling series in The Score, written by Paige Perkins and told through the voice of our fictional friend, Pert-the GSO’s most enthusiastic (and possibly longest-serving) supporter. With humor, heart, and a healthy dose of Southern charm, Pert will guide readers through the GSO’s early days and its evolution into the vibrant organization it is today.
Written by lifelong music lover and natural storyteller Paige Perkins, these monthly tales offer a delightful peek behind the curtain of our rich history.
We hope you’ll follow along-and as Pert would say, “Stay out of treble!”
I don’t suppose too many people can tell you where they were on any specific day 75 years ago. But, I can. It’s hard to forget the day the Georgia Symphony Orchestra got its start!
Oh, where are my manners? I didn’t introduce myself! Just like the GSO, I’ve had many names, given at birth and twice at the altar. But, my friends call me Pert. That goes all the way back to my daddy who said I was “‘Pert near Perfect” and it just stuck. They say I’m the longest serving member of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra. I’m honored that the GSO has asked that I speak to this upcoming anniversary.
To be honest I don’t remember the first two meetings I attended on Church Street. I was a very young bride, new to Marietta, and was tickled when I received a handwritten invitation in the mail. They called it the Marietta Music Club back then. Music clubs were a big thing at the time, and the Marietta Music Club was considered as fine as any in Atlanta.
We met in Mrs. Arthur Moor’s home, and at my second meeting she announced she’d like to invite a few musicians to the meetings so we could sing hymns. She put a small advertisement in the Journal, inviting musicians to the next meeting. I think we were hoping for maybe a trumpet player and a violinist to show up.
On the day of my third meeting, I decided to walk the few blocks between my house and Mrs. Moor’s. As I got closer I began to notice more and more people walking with me carrying all manner of instrument cases. By the time I got to the house there had to be 30 or more people in the front yard! It seemed every musician in Cobb County had decided to take us up on the offer to play. Mrs. Moor asked me to help move more chairs into the front room so they’d all have a place to sit. Everyone quickly gave up their seat because it’s easier for a tenor to stand than a trombonist!
Now, it wasn’t perfect, but it was more than we had ever expected. We sang and sang that day and made plans for us all to meet again. And, that’s how it all started.
There’s so much more to tell about the Georgia Symphony Orchestra from that first impromptu concert on Church Street. We’ve grown to include a GSO Jazz group, the largest youth symphony orchestra in the Southeast as well as a very well known Symphony Chorus. Thankfully, the GSO has graciously agreed to let me share my memories about all of this each month in the newsletter. I hope that you’ll consider reading my scribblings over the next few months as we head into our 75th Anniversary Season.
I also hope you’ll consider becoming a subscriber for the upcoming season. I hear you can go to the internet and look up information on how to do that. Though I admit I prefer to receive my information in the post, just like it all started.
Until next time, stay out of treble!
Pert
Paige Perkins is a writer who was fortunate to be raised with master story tellers. A longtime Atlanta resident, she’s spent the last 25 years working in the management of homeowner associations, of which she’s gathered material for at least three books!
A lover of all types of music, she went to college on a vocal performance scholarship. There she learned the important lesson that she was good enough for Sunday morning choir but not for a career. However, her love of all things opera, choral, and symphonic remains strong to this day.
For her, the opportunity to help tell the story of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra is a true gift. It melds together her love of music along with the best of the Southern story-telling traditions.
