Playing in an orchestra is a team sport. Musicians from all walks of life come together on a stage and make music. Yet this doesn’t happen by chance. It takes practice, yes, but it also requires a sense of community. It is this camaraderie and a passion for making good music that keeps three musicians in the Georgia Symphony Orchestra coming back for more. As the GSO celebrates its 75th anniversary, we want to spotlight the musicians who make our mission possible.
Concert Master Edward Eanes, 2nd violinist Beth Collier, and bassist Maximilian Simmons came to music early in their lives. Beth Collier began playing at age 9 with her school’s orchestra program. Simmons did not start playing bass until he was 11, but knew that was his instrument when he was 8. Eanes began piano lessons at the age of 6 but got bored with the instrument because “you had to sit down.” Like Collier, he had the opportunity to begin violin through his school’s orchestra program and began private lessons when he was 14.
Yet how did these three know music would be a central part of their lives? Was there a moment, an epiphany? The answer is yes! “I remember the exact moment, actually,” says Simmons. He was playing a passage with the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra, and it moved him so much that, “I remember thinking during rehearsal one night ‘I want to do this forever.’” Collier’s defining moment came when she realized the power of music to comfort. While volunteering at a nursing home, she played for and sang with a patient suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. She witnessed the change in the woman as they shared music together. “The staff said they had never seen her like this before. That was that ah-ha moment. I realized that music held incredible importance beyond the enjoyment I got from playing it.” For Eanes, one question from an instructor brought his musical goals into focus. When his teacher asked him what his dream job would be, he answered, “I want to play in a local orchestra and teach music history” at a local university. He was a junior in college at the time. Now he is living that dream as GSO’s Concert Master and as Professor of Music at Kennesaw State University.
These three talented musicians came together in the Georgia Symphony Orchestra. Eanes joined in 1998, eventually winning the job of Concert Master. Collier found the symphony through an ad she placed in Creative Loafing. She joined the orchestra as a volunteer in 1999.Simmons joined the symphony in 2016 after having played with the Georgia Youth Symphony in his younger days. He says, “It only made sense for me to come back home to GSO” when he had the chance.
These strings players stay with the GSO because of the culture of the organization. All three of them point to the passion for making good music, which starts at the top. Collier points out that, “We have had wonderful leaders who bring out the best in the players.” She calls the orchestra’s community and high level of musicianship “a golden combination.” Eanes would agree and was quick to praise the volunteers in the symphony, calling them excellent players. For Simmons, it is all about the Bass section. “Hands down it’s the most fun bass section I get to work with.” Yet he also likes the orchestra’s dedication to community outreach. Making music accessible is important to him and he is “stoked” to be a part of a symphony that shares this passion.
According to all three of these musicians, one of the strengths of the GSO is the friendly atmosphere. Eanes enjoys the camaraderie and the sheer joy of playing good music well. Collier agrees, saying that everyone shares high standards for music making but “the atmosphere is not competitive.” Simmons adds, “The ensemble is full of folks who have known each other for ages and are more than happy to add you to the mix.”
What the GSO offers the community of Marietta is priceless. “It offers the chance to hear good music played by good musicians without having to drive to Atlanta,” notes Eanes. Simmons would agree with that statement: “There’s a common misconception that to hear a quality symphony, you have to travel far and wide. While some communities don’t have access to a symphony, the GSO is basically in some folks’ backyards.” He adds, “Live music is for everyone, no prior knowledge or experience required.” Everyone connected with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra would agree!
Marianne Holdzkom is a Professor of History at Kennesaw State University. She is also a proud member of the GSO Chorus.
