"Music to be experienced."
That's the motto of the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, which performed before a sold-out crowd of more than 300 people at California's CSU Bakersfield on Saturday night, the Bakersfield Californian reports.
"That overwhelming Verdi performance? That was them," music director Stilian Kirov says.
But the BSO isn't just about music, it's about service to the community.
"I always like to think that the orchestra should be the cultural hub of the city and that's what we are trying to do," Kirov says.
Among its educational programs, the BSO works with the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra and visits elementary schools.
It also partners with the New York City Ballet.
"Over the years, I can say we gave more emphasis to American music; music by living composers; composers under the equity, diversity and inclusion umbrella," Kirov says.
"I think we are very lucky in this regard because this is good for an orchestra to have a community that actually desires the arts."
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