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Friday, June 21, 2002

Classical music deserves a place at the Three Rivers Arts Festival

Am I missing something? I cannot find a single program of classical music on the Three Rivers Arts Festival schedule. Do the planners no longer consider classical music a part of Pittsburgh's cultural arts scene?

Where are the PSO, the Opera, the Ballet, the River City Brass, the Chatham Baroque, the Renaissance City Winds, the Mendelssohn Choir, the Bach Choir, the Duquesne University Singers, the Heinz Chapel Choir, the Pittsburgh Camerata, the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale, the Renaissance City Choir, even the Pops, the Tamburitzans?

Where are the excellent children's and youth performers: the Children's Festival Chorus, the Three Rivers Choral Society, the CLO Academy? Where are any of the excellent local symphonies, brass bands, chamber music groups? My guess is that many of these would cost far less than some of the top name popular icons that are imported. But cost aside, the Three Rivers Arts Festival is not complete without some sampling of classical music.

Another thing, while it is commendable that creative new venues are being found and used for visual arts, for films, etc., there is one medium in venues already in place Downtown that has never been tapped for the TRAF. I'm speaking of organ music -- whether classic or theater style -- that could be arranged in any of several of the beautiful churches Downtown, easily available and accessible. Several of them already have noontime recital series at various times throughout the year, and people do attend, believe it or not! There are excellent, indeed superior organists in Pittsburgh readily available, and there is a proven audience. You only need to contact the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

All of these local classical music groups are the crown jewels of Pittsburgh's cultural life. Why not showcase them?

Wilberta N. Pickett
O'Hara
The writer is a member of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Modern music a turn-off to PSO fan

I read John Craig's column on the Pittsburgh Symphony with considerable interest ("Play On: Jansons' departure offers an opportunity for the PSO," June 15). Recently, I wrote to Maestro Jansons that I was no longer going to contribute to the PSO. I was so disgusted about having to sit through works by Newman and Hersch commissioned by the PSO that I refuse to support such nonsense. Their music was completely devoid of any melody or theme and, to my ears, was just so much unpleasant noise. And I had to listen to Newman to hear the "Pathetique" and to Hersch to hear Mozart's "Requiem." If this sort of music is essential to the modern age, the PSO should at least have had the decency to put it on a single program and warn the public.

Perhaps I am musically uneducated, but for the past 60 years I have enjoyed the old masters and the more modern works of Copland and others. I do not need Maestro Jansons to tell me what I should like. It is a pity that fewer of our young people are interested in classical music, but I do not think that fostering the sort of non-music the PSO has commissioned is the way to attract any but the lunatic fringe. My PSO money has gone to WQED-FM.

Keith H. Sueker
Penn Hills

Why I watch 'The Osbournes'

I just came across the Gene Collier article "Glued to 'The Osbournes' as we slide off the tracks" (April 17). I would like to congratulate Mr. Collier on single-handedly making me a converted "Osbourne" fan.

I guess good ol' Gene was brought into this world through immaculate conception and hasn't strayed from "the track" since the blessed day he was born. I can quite clearly recognize what Mr. Collier was trying to accomplish in this article: "... blah, blah, blah ... pop culture tripe ... blah, blah, blah ... entertainment going down the toilet ... blah, blah, blah ..."

Blowing off steam by sounding like an elitist and a snob doesn't get the job done and doesn't get people listening. You've merely succeeded in making yourself sound like a complete [fool]. Is it possible that Ozzy Osbourne has perhaps undergone some kind of transformation? Let's dare to call it maturation or even personal growth or healing, perhaps?

I feel more connected to a megastar that has traveled a rough road and who chooses to talk about it than some waif of a model who binges and purges behind closed doors or some Britney Spears type who waves the white virginity flag and then flaunts her midriff in front of adoring preteens.

Sure, Ozzy Osbourne shuffles around his kitchen shouting profanities using strained vocal cords, but he's lived a hell of a life; and I, for one, am pleased to have been introduced to his less-than-functional family. It's quite refreshing and closer to real then the "Cosbys," if you ask me.

Thanks for the scoop Gene, and I'll see you at the Symphony -- after I've finished watching "The Osbournes."

Abbey Pepall
Kingston, Ontario

In the way of the ball

In regard to Marylynn Uricchio's write-up on the Pink Frolic Ball's silver lining (June 10), I am glad that the 550 guests "braved the Arts Festival and baseball crowd" to attend their gala event.

My friends and I had a wonderful time at both the baseball game and at the Arts Fest on June 8 and the whole time had no idea that 550 people were "braving" through us to arrive at their ice cold cocktails. I certainly hope that we did not disrupt any of the guests' evening by enjoying Pittsburgh's night life.

We will do our best to stay out of their way in the near future.

Christopher Lazzara
North Side

Restaurants should not carry wheelchairs

I read with interest the restaurant review by Mackenzie Carpenter of the Tuscan Inn (June 7). I have grown accustomed to notations regarding the accessibility, or lack thereof, of a restaurant, but was especially concerned about this particular response. In describing the lack of wheelchair access, it was reported that the restaurant is "... not handicapped accessible (although staff will carry wheelchairs up the stairs)."

This practice is illegal, and dangerous to say the least. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was designed to provide equal access to individuals with disabilities to participate as employees, visitors and customers. The existence of stairs leading into a business presents a real obstacle. However, offering to carry someone in their wheelchair (I assume that's what they meant, as opposed to carrying the empty wheelchair up the stairs), is not only forbidden by the ADA, but it is terribly unsafe.

Any wheelchair user will tell you that the thought of being carried up or down any stairs is frightening. To expect any staff person(s) of a business to carry someone whose weight, combined with that of their wheelchair, could exceed 300 pounds (many motorized wheelchairs and scooters weigh more than 150-200 pounds) could easily create the newest members of the disability community. Those employees could get a back injury and their employer would have an open workers' compensation claim on their hands! For example, workers' comp claims for back injuries of nursing home workers are one of the highest expense items, even though the workers are specifically trained to lift people with disabilities.

Getting customers into your business (people with disabilities spend more than $6 billion a year), is the goal. Getting customers with disabilities into your business in a safe and dignified way is the process -- they don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Joan W. Stein
President and CEO,
Accessibility Development Associates, Inc.

Standing up for PrideFest

Why is it that when I read last Friday's edition of the Weekend Mag there was no mention of the Pittsburgh Gay Pride parade & festival?

Should I assume your newspaper is ensuring that only news deemed appropriate for the parochial attitude in this city is appropriate?

It's stuff like this that makes me realize why Money Magazine gave this city bottom feeder status. We promote ourselves as a city that was once voted one of the best places to live. Now, we're at the complete bottom.

Mark O. Shawley
South Side

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