The Sun Valley Summer Symphony is the mighty oak grown from a tiny seed.
It sprouted from a small group of regional classical musicians who wanted to perform outdoors in a place they loved.
From its roots performing in the Elkhorn plaza, the symphony was nurtured by faithful supporters whose dreams and hard work developed it into a much-loved summer orchestra that attracts gifted ensemble musicians and soloists from all over the country.
Sun Valley Co.'s construction of the amazing Sun Valley Pavilion gave the symphony a huge boost with warm-up rooms, instrument storage, seating for nearly 1,500 and state-of-the-art acoustics.
Gone are the folding chairs and the stiff-backed convention seating. Gone is the temporary stage and the tent that alternately leaked and sweltered, depending on the weather.
Serious music lovers are separated from more boisterous picnickers who can keep an eye on the kids and still hear the music while reclining on the grass with a piece of pie or a nice glass of wine.
A symphonic performance at an elevation of 6,000 feet in the mountains of central Idaho is really a wonder. Audience members can go from a sweaty day's hike or bike ride to hearing gifted musicians playing Brahms. It's a wholly unique combination of moving from a quiet earth experience to a melodic air experience. And, due to the generosity of donors, the admission is entirely free.
The Sun Valley Symphony embodies what vision, dedication and hard work can create. It's a proud and beautiful thing to behold.
