Explore every episode of the podcast Classical Gassing

More Than Music: Building a Community That Lasts

For the first time in Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra history, we reached—and surpassed—our annual goal of raising $150,000 from private donors.

But this episode isn't really about fundraising.

It's about perseverance.

It's about believing in something worth building.

Claflin Hill's Director of Development, Bernadette Stockwell, sits down with Claflin Hill founder and Executive & Artistic Director Paul Surapine to reflect on the historic achievement, the people who made it possible, and why community support means so much more than dollars. Along the way, Paul shares stories about small-town America, preserving our cultural heritage, the power of live music, and why every Claflin Hill concert is designed to tell a story—not simply present one.

You'll also hear about:

• The future of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra
• The return of the Claflin Hill Youth Symphonies
• Family Night at the Bandstand and this summer's exciting concerts
• Why great communities are built by people who refuse to give up

Whether you're a longtime supporter or discovering Claflin Hill for the first time, this conversation is a reminder that extraordinary things happen when a community believes in a shared vision.

More information at www.claflinhill.org

Things happen because people raise their hands.

In this Father's Day episode of Classical Gassing, Paul Surapine shares a childhood memory that shaped the course of his life.

When a room full of parents wanted their children to have a Cub Scout pack—but nobody would volunteer to lead it—Paul's father quietly raised his hand.

That simple act of service became a lesson about leadership, responsibility, and community that continues to guide Paul's work with the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra nearly sixty years later.

This conversation explores why organizations succeed or fail, how communities preserve culture, and why every generation depends on people willing to step forward and make things happen.

Whether you're a parent, volunteer, donor, educator, community leader, or simply someone who cares about the future, this episode is a reminder that meaningful change often begins with one person saying:

"I'll do it."

As Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra approaches the end of its fiscal year, Bernadette Stockwell and Paul Surapine tackle a simple but profound question:

Why do people give?

From childhood lessons about generosity to the role arts organizations play in strengthening communities, this candid conversation explores what inspires philanthropy, why music matters, and how every gift—large or small—helps create a richer cultural life for everyone.

Along the way, Paul reflects on supporting music education, sustaining professional musicians, and the importance of investing in the programs that make our communities vibrant places to live.

Whether you're a longtime donor, a concertgoer, or simply someone who believes in giving back, this episode offers thoughtful insights into the power of generosity and community connection.

Claflin Hill Looks Back on Season 26 and Launches Family Night at the Bandstand Season 31In this episode of Classical Gassing, music director Paul Surapine reflects on Claflin Hill’s recently completed 26th symphony season and previews the upcoming 31st season of free summer park concerts, Family Night at the Bandstand, based at Milford Town Park while touring Blackstone, Medway, Whitinsville, Holliston, and Grafton. They discuss recent financial challenges, new programming such as a symphonic wind ensemble concert, season highlights including Dvořák’s Ninth and Sashiko Murata performing the Strauss Oboe Concerto, the Homage to Heritage concert honoring Judge Larkin, and expanded chamber music offerings. The conversation emphasizes growth signaled by a 60% season-ticket increase tied to outreach concerts, the break-even sponsorship model, a fundraising goal nearing $150,000, and the relaunch of the youth orchestra led by alumni, framed as vital music education that builds responsibility, socialization, and skills amid school cutbacks and screen culture; the summer series begins July 7 with the Fantasy Big Band.00:00 Season Wrap And Reset01:52 Challenges And Next 2503:25 New Programming Highlights04:48 Youth Orchestra Legacy07:30 Summer Bandstand Preview09:59 Outreach Growth Strategy12:05 Culture As A Business14:32 Fundraising Goals And Solvency17:05 Why Music Education Matters19:35 Summer Kickoff And Farewell

Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Anna Damigella—wind ensemble director, program revival co-founder, and band director at Melican Middle School—and Zach Surapine, strings director for the Youth Symphony revival and Paul’s son, to discuss the relaunch of the Claflin Hill Youth Symphonies after the pandemic brought in-person music-making to a halt.

Anna and Zach reflect on their own musical beginnings. Anna shares her journey from trumpet and piano student to degrees at Ithaca College and American Band College. Zach recalls starting on clarinet and violin, performing with the MetroWest Youth Symphony and Claflin Hill Youth Symphony, and finding his path as an educator.

Together, they explore how youth orchestra programs complement school music by offering a more focused, high-level ensemble experience—one that deepens musicianship while fostering mentorship, accountability, and lifelong friendships. Anna describes her experience at Claflin Hill as life-changing, highlighting the mentorship she received from Erich Ledebuhr, principal trumpet of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra.

The conversation goes beyond music, examining the broader life skills cultivated in ensemble settings: belonging and community, sustained attention in rehearsal, preparation and responsibility, communication and collaboration, time management, and learning how to learn. At its core, they emphasize music not just as an activity, but as a lifelong source of meaning and connection.

As they look ahead to the first relaunch concert in fall 2026, their hope is simple: that students and audiences alike feel pride, joy, and a lasting love of music.

Learn more at www.claflinhill.org or contact the Youth Symphony at claflinhillyouthsymphony@gmail.com.

Episode Chapters

00:00 First Notes & a Fainting Clarinetist: Why Music Class Sticks With Us

00:41 Welcome to Classical Gassing + Youth Symphonies Relaunch

01:31 Meet Anna Damigella: From First Trumpet Sound to Music Educator

02:48 Meet Zach Surapine: Growing Up in Claflin Hill & Finding His Path

04:00 From COVID Shutdown to Full-Circle Comeback: Why Relaunch Now

06:04 Building a Lifelong Music Community (and Why It’s “Life-Changing”)

07:25 Mentorship & Musical Growth: Beyond the Comfort Zone

09:40 The Mission: High Standards, ZPD, and Supporting School Programs

12:03 Belonging & Friendship: The Social Power of Ensembles

It’s been an incredible season at the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra — and we’re not slowing down.

In this episode, Bernadette sits down with Founder & Artistic Director Paul Surapine to reflect on a year filled with bold programming, unforgettable performances, and thrilling audience response — from the powerful, all-wind ensemble concert (10 winds, 6 percussionists, and not a string in sight!) to a season-opening New World Symphony and a radiant Strauss Oboe Concerto.

Now, what’s next?

🎶 March 14 – “Homage to Heritage”
A fascinating orchestral program exploring composers honoring composers:

• Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite (a Baroque-inspired tribute)

• Tchaikovsky’s Mozart-inspired Suite

• Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances

Music that looks backward — and somehow feels entirely fresh.

🎵 Wind Serenade Finale – Chamber Series at Apple Tree Arts
A celebration of the serenade tradition featuring:

• Dvořák’s Serenade for Winds

• Mozart’s monumental Gran Partita

Paul shares beautiful insight into what a “serenade” truly means — from village musicians gathering at dusk to Mozart writing music for his friends to play together.

💬 Along the way, the conversation explores:

• Why bold programming matters in a 26th season

• How great music keeps evolving

• The joy of musicians reconnecting with repertoire they haven’t played since college

• And how Claflin Hill continues to grow as a cultural hub in the community

As Paul says: same ingredients — just a new presentation.

🎟️ Tickets and information: www.claflinhill.org

There’s more to come.

What does it take to grow an orchestra—not just musically, but as a living, breathing part of a community?

In this New Year episode of Classical Gassing, Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, founder and executive & artistic director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, for a wide-ranging conversation about growth, risk, regeneration, and why live performance still matters more than ever.

Using the metaphor of an empty lot turned into a thriving garden, Paul reflects on Claflin Hill’s 25-year journey—from its earliest days to a season that many audience members are calling “the best yet.” Together, they explore the difference between rehearsal and performance, the electricity of a live audience, and why music created “warts and all” in the moment is irreplaceable.

The conversation also looks ahead:

• record-breaking season ticket growth
• new and younger audiences finding Claflin Hill
• regeneration among volunteers, donors, and musicians
• the return of the Youth Orchestra
• and an exciting lineup of upcoming chamber and symphony concerts

It’s an honest, hopeful look at what it means to build something that lasts—and how a community helps it bloom.

🌍 Listener love note: In our inaugural podcast season, Classical Gassing reached listeners in five different countries, and we’re grateful for a growing group of Top Fans who continue to share, comment, and support the podcast.

Learn more about the orchestra and upcoming performances at www.claflinhill.org.

How one audience member found Claflin Hill — and why the orchestra keeps pulling him back, season after season.

A clarinet birthday gift. A chance connection. A first concert that changed everything.
This week on Classical Gassing, CHSO Music Director Paul Surapine sits down with audience member Peter Vangsness, who shares how he discovered Claflin Hill — and why he now attends nearly every concert.

From Symphony Hall to Tanglewood, Peter has heard orchestras across New England, and here he reflects on what makes CHSO special: its intimacy, its sound, its musicians, and its sense of community.

A touching, funny, and heartfelt conversation for anyone who’s ever been moved by live music — or wondered how CHSO became one of the region’s best-kept cultural treasures.

In this heartwarming episode of Classical Gassing, Paul Surapine sits down with longtime audience member Peter Vangsness, whose path to Claflin Hill began with an unexpected story involving a clarinet, a birthday gift, and a search for a teacher.

Peter shares how he and his wife discovered the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, what keeps them returning concert after concert, and why Milford Town Hall’s acoustics rival some of the finest venues in New England. From stories of Symphony Hall, Tanglewood, and Hartford, to reflections on what makes live music meaningful, this episode is a love letter to community, artistry, and the transformative power of sound.

Paul and Peter explore:

• 🎼 Why a town hall can sound as magnificent as Boston’s Symphony Hall

• 🎻 The overlooked brilliance of CHSO’s string section

• 🎺 What makes music “moving” vs. “not moving”

• 🎹 The joy of discovering an orchestra “hidden in plain sight”

• 🎵 How Claflin Hill balances classical masterpieces with new music

• 🤝 Why community connection is as essential as the performance itself

• 🎶 Why imperfection, risk-taking, and musical “edge” can make concerts unforgettable

It’s a rich conversation full of stories, nostalgia, and genuine admiration — from one music lover to the orchestra that won his heart.

#ClaflinHillSymphony
#ClassicalGassing
#ClassicalMusicPodcast
#CommunityOrchestra
#LiveMusicExperience
#SymphonyStories
#AudienceSpotlight
#NewEnglandArts
#OrchestraLife
#MilfordMA

A luminous conversation with soprano Sierra Lary on storytelling, seasons of the soul, and the music that brings us home.

This week on Classical Gassing, we look forward—not back—with soprano Sierra Lary, whose radiant performance in last season’s Carmina Burana left our audience and musicians spellbound. In this intimate conversation, Sierra joins Paul and Bernadette to talk about her upcoming chamber program, her deep-rooted philosophy of singing, and the emotional journey behind her artistry.

Sierra shares how growing up with an opera-singing father shaped her musical voice, how COVID forced a necessary reset, and how teaching unexpectedly rekindled her passion. She reflects on storytelling as catharsis, the importance of emotional contrast in music, and the joy of guiding audiences through a full arc—from sorrow to radiance.

Together they explore the heart of her new program, built around Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock: a musical cycle of seasons, renewal, and human experience. From Andrew Lloyd Webber to French chanson to German Lied, Sierra’s vision blurs genres and welcomes listeners of every background into the story.

🎟️ Catch Sierra live:
Saturday, November 22 at 7:30 PM
Apple Tree Arts – Great Hall

Classical Gassing — November 16, 2025

This week’s episode is a heartfelt departure from our usual backstage banter. We dedicate this special recording to Sachiko (“Sashko”) Murata, our November 8th soloist, who delivered an extraordinary performance of the Strauss Oboe Concerto — and then sent Music Director Paul Surapine a deeply personal reflection about her artistic journey.

At Paul’s request, Sachiko recorded her story in her own voice.
What follows is an intimate audio letter about family, identity, artistic struggle, ego, community, and the moment during last week’s concert when everything changed for her.

Sachiko shares:

• how she was handed her first oboe by her father

• the painful years of auditioning across the U.S.

• why she once felt she had “failed” as a musician

• the artistic stubbornness (“kodawari”) that held her back

• the realization — during rehearsal with CHSO — that transformed her playing

• the joy of becoming “one gear” in the beautifully crafted Claflin Hill watch

It’s honest, vulnerable, and profoundly inspiring.
If you’ve ever loved an instrument, chased a dream, or felt shaped by the people who make music with you, this episode will stay with you.

Learn more about our orchestra and upcoming concerts at claflinhill.org.

#oboe, Strauss, #classical_music, #orchestra_life, #musicianstories, #ClaflinHill, #auditionstruggles, #inspiration

Today's 'Classical Gassing' is based on Jon Ceander Mitchell's Program Notes. Click here to read the full manuscript.

This episode dives into the minds of three composers who each, in their own way, redefined what “home” and “heritage” sound like in music. From the experimental soundscapes of Charles Ives, to the late-life renaissance of Richard Strauss, to Antonín Dvořák’s search for the “American voice” in his New World Symphony—we explore how these works continue to resonate across time and continents.

Featuring:

• Charles Ives — The Unanswered Question

• Richard Strauss — Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra

• Antonín Dvořák — Symphony No. 9 in E minor, “From the New World”

American iconoclast Charles Ives poses “The Perennial Question of Existence” in a haunting musical dialogue between trumpet, woodwinds, and strings. Written in 1908 and revised decades later, this piece layers sound and silence in a way that feels startlingly modern—each instrument group existing in its own universe. Ives described the strings as “The Silence of the Druids—who Know, See, and Hear Nothing,” a poetic glimpse into his philosophical approach to sound.

By the 1940s, Richard Strauss—once Europe’s most celebrated composer—had weathered two world wars and a fraught relationship with Nazi Germany. Yet in the twilight of his life, he produced a miraculous late burst of creativity, including his luminous Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra (1945).
The concerto’s creation was sparked by an encounter with an American GI and oboist, John de Lancie, who asked Strauss if he’d ever considered writing for the instrument. The result: a graceful, tender, and introspective work, born out of the ashes of war and the unlikely spark of human connection.

When Antonín Dvořák came to New York in 1892, he urged American composers to draw from the spirituals and Native American melodies he heard around him. His own Symphony No. 9, however, drew not on existing tunes but on original themes that evoked their character. The result was music both familiar and foreign—rooted in longing, distance, and discovery.
Critics of the day debated fiercely: was this truly American music, or simply Dvořák’s Bohemian spirit wearing new clothes? Whatever the answer, its melodies have since become woven into the fabric of American sound—especially the second movement’s “Largo,” later adapted into the song “Goin’ Home.”

This concert program—and today’s conversation—invite us to ask what defines national identity in music. Is it birthplace, language, style, or emotion? From Ives’ cosmic riddle, to Strauss’s late reflection, to Dvořák’s hopeful bridge between worlds, each piece answers differently.

More information at www.claflinhill.org

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow Classical Gassing for more behind-the-scenes stories and conversations with Claflin Hill musicians.

🎙️ Classical Gassing — “From the New World: Ives, Strauss & Dvořák”🌀 Segment 1: The Unanswered Question🎶 Segment 2: Strauss’s Indian Summer🌎 Segment 3: Dvořák’s “New World”💬 Closing Thoughts

Back to the Future: Claflin Hill’s 26th Season Launch

In this episode of Classical Gassing, Host and Artistic Director Paul Surapine take listeners behind the scenes as the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra prepares to open its 26th season. They reflect on the challenges and triumphs of the 25th anniversary year, explore the meaning behind the concert theme Back to the Future, and dive into the musical and emotional depth of the program:

• Ives: The Unanswered Question

• Richard Strauss: Oboe Concerto featuring Sashko Marada

• Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”

Paul shares how CHSO’s collaborative spirit, professional artistry, and deep community roots make every concert an epic life experience.

🎟 Learn more about the Symphony Series and purchase tickets: claflinhill.org/symphony-series

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, Executive and Artistic Director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, to talk about what truly makes Claflin Hill unique. From humble beginnings to becoming a “hub of culture” for Central Massachusetts, Paul reflects on how the orchestra has stayed true to its mission for more than 25 years — building community through music, one concert (and one musician) at a time.

Together, Bernadette and Paul explore the orchestra’s evolution, the musicians who found their artistic “home” at Claflin Hill, and how music serves as an instrument of community. Along the way, Paul shares vivid metaphors — from wandering minstrels to trout fishing — that beautifully capture the soul of this orchestra and its people.

Highlights:
🎶 The story behind a new piece of Claflin Hill collateral — and Paul’s reaction from vacation
🎻 How Claflin Hill became a cultural hub connecting musicians, audiences, and towns across the region
🌍 The international journeys of orchestra members — and how they found home in Massachusetts
💬 Why Claflin Hill is more than an orchestra: it’s an instrument of community
🎟️ Upcoming season opener (Nov. 8): featuring oboist Sashko Murata and Dvořák’s New World Symphony
🎄 Early-bird Holiday Pops offer and season ticket info at www.claflinhill.org

Tune in for stories, laughter, and insight into how one symphony orchestra continues to strengthen the cultural fabric of its community.

When one Broadway ticket costs more than an entire Claflin Hill Symphony season, it’s time to rethink what “a night out” means.

In this heartfelt and funny conversation, Executive & Artistic Director Paul Surapine reflects on the affordability and accessibility of live music — and why community-supported culture matters now more than ever.

You’ll hear stories about:
🎭 The cost of a Broadway night versus a full symphony season
🎻 The founding philosophy of Claflin Hill — art for everyone
🎶 The excitement of launching our next 25 years
💡 New season packages, including the “Holiday Pops Plus”
❤️ How the community’s love and support keep the orchestra thriving

Whether you’re a longtime fan or just discovering us, this episode reminds us that great music doesn’t have to come with a city price tag.

🎟️ Explore Season Tickets & Packages: ClaflinHill.org
📞 Call the office: 508-478-5924
💌 Join our mailing list to stay tuned for concerts and events

Special shout out to Claflin Hill’s Principal Trumpet, Erich Ledebuhr, who recorded Classical Gassing’s Intro and Outro. We love it!

What do symphony orchestras and NASCAR have in common? More than you might think.

In this episode, Bernadette and Paul Surapine, Executive & Artistic Director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, explore the essential role of business sponsorships in sustaining the arts. From playful banter about sponsor logos on a conductor’s tuxedo to heartfelt reflections on community, small business, and the ripple effect of local support, this conversation highlights how the arts are not just culture—they’re also a business.

Paul shares stories from Claflin Hill’s early days, the lessons he learned from local business leaders, and why saying “thank you” is central to CHSO’s mission. You’ll also hear how the orchestra’s innovative digital program book connects audiences directly to business partners, creating a living network of community support.

🎶 Highlights include:

• Why sponsorship is as vital as ticket sales

• How local businesses fuel community life—and how audiences can give back

• The shift from personal to impersonal sponsorship relationships—and how to rebuild them

• A reminder that the arts are a cornerstone of small-town America’s economy

💡 Want to support Claflin Hill? Become a business partner, buy an ad, or simply choose local when you shop and dine. Every connection strengthens the circle.

👉 Learn more, view our Business Partner list, or get involved: claflinhill.org or call 508.478.5924

THANK YOU to our generous Business Partners.

https://www.claflinhill.org/business-partners

Click the link below to place an order for your ad in our upcoming program book.

https://www.claflinhill.org/advertise-with-claflin-hill

🍂 Fall has arrived in New England — and with it, a brand-new Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra season! In this episode, host Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, Executive & Artistic Director, to preview the season opener on November 8.

Paul shares behind-the-scenes stories about loyal season ticket holders, the personal connections that make Claflin Hill unique, and what to expect from an exciting program featuring:

🎶 Dvořák’s New World Symphony
🎶 Strauss’s Oboe Concerto with principal oboist Sachiko Murata.
🎶 Charles Ives’ evocative The Unanswered Question

From movie music connections (yes, even Jaws!) to the special role community plays in keeping the symphony thriving, this conversation captures the spirit of a new season at Claflin Hill.

✨ Learn more and get tickets at ClaflinHill.org.

Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra isn’t just about world-class performances — it’s also about nurturing the next generation of musicians.

In this episode, Paul Surapine, Executive & Artistic Director, continues the conversation on music education, youth programs, and the “farm team” that helps sustain a professional orchestra. From the Claflin Hill Youth Symphonies to private lessons, recitals, and the vital support of schools and communities, Paul reflects on how early training creates opportunities that lead directly to seats in the orchestra today.

We also zoom out to look at the bigger picture:

• Why music education matters for society

• How arts programs build stronger communities

• The challenges of sustaining these programs in changing times

• A “tornado moment” — asking what rules still serve us, and which ones we may need to rethink

Whether you’re a musician, educator, parent, or listener who loves great music, this episode invites you to think about the future of orchestras and the role of education in keeping them alive.

🎧 Tune in for an honest, thoughtful, and inspiring discussion about the past, present, and future of music education at Claflin Hill — and beyond.

For more information, please visit www.claflinhill.org

In this episode of Classical Gassing, we launch a new miniseries on one of the most vital topics for Claflin Hill and for the arts: education.

Host Bernadette sits down with Paul Surapine, Executive and Artistic Director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, to reflect on the role of education in music, culture, and community.

Topics we explore:

• Paul’s first clarinet lesson in 1968 and how family support shaped his musical life.
  

• Why music education is foundational, not a luxury — it builds discipline, teamwork, and creative thinking.
  

• How arts education once flourished in U.S. schools, and the cost of today’s cuts.
  

• Lessons from Steiner schools, where music is a daily, essential part of learning.
  

• The dangers of lowering standards — and the power of teachers to elevate students.
  

• Why cultural education matters as much as science and technology for the future of society.
  

This conversation sets the stage for upcoming episodes featuring Claflin Hill musicians who are also educators.

👉 Share your thoughts, comment, and learn more at claflinhill.org.

When you walk into a concert hall, you see rows of violins, a wall of brass, and the percussionists poised at the back—but why are they always arranged this way?

In this episode of Classical Gassing, Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, founder and executive director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, to explore how orchestras are put together—literally.

From the bird’s-eye view in balcony seats to the perspective of musicians sitting inside the ensemble, Paul reveals:

• 🎻 Why strings sit up front, and why violins always go on the conductor’s left

• 🎺 The “hierarchy” within the orchestra—like a musical army with section leaders

• 🥁 How percussionists choreograph their parts like a ballet of rhythm

• 🎶 What composers intend when they place trumpets offstage or in the balcony

• 👀 Why watching is just as essential to the concert experience as listening

You’ll also hear stories from Claflin Hill concerts, like a child’s first magical moment hearing violins play in the holiday pops, and insights into what musicians really hear (or don’t hear!) while performing.

Whether you’re a dedicated concertgoer or just curious why orchestras look the way they do, this episode will change how you see—and hear—symphonic music.

Most orchestras fill their seats through formal auditions.

But at Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, the roster grows in a very different way: through referrals, relationships, and trust.

In this episode of Classical Gassing: Conversations About Culture & Community, Bernadette Stockwell chats with Claflin Hill's Executive & Artistic Director Paul Surapine taking us behind the scenes of how an orchestra without auditions has not only thrived for 25 years, but developed a distinctive “Claflin Hill sound” and spirit.

Paul shares the story of starting out as an orchestra contractor, making phone calls on legal pads in the pre-email era, and slowly building a trusted network of musicians. From Nutcracker pits to symphonic debuts, the orchestra’s growth has always depended on community connections.

We also talk about:

• Why auditions can be stressful and misleading — and why referrals often work better.

• How sitting next to someone in a rehearsal tells you more than any prepared excerpt ever could.

• The role of trust, dependability, and musicianship in building an orchestra family.

• How section leaders recruit and shape their groups, passing on the Claflin Hill “style.”

• A behind-the-scenes story of scrambling to replace a concertmaster the week of Mahler’s Fifth — and how the orchestra rose to the challenge.

• Why many of today’s symphony players are alumni of Claflin Hill’s Youth Orchestra program.

At Claflin Hill, filling the roster isn’t about numbers or auditions. It’s about people. It’s about musicians who share energy, spirit, and joy — creating performances that audiences don’t just hear, but feel.

🎻 Join us as we explore the human side of orchestral life and discover what makes this orchestra unique.

🎙 Classical Gassing: Conversations About Culture & Community — Episode 1
"Behind the Curtain: How an Orchestra Builds a Season"

What goes into planning a symphony orchestra’s concert season?
Spoiler: it’s a lot more than picking a few favorite pieces and calling it a day.

In this debut episode of Classical Gassing, host Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, Executive & Artistic Director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, for a candid conversation about the art — and logistics — of programming a season that’s both audience-friendly and artistically adventurous.

From Beethoven’s Fifth to bold new discoveries, Paul shares how he balances “crowd-pleasers” with works audiences might not yet know they’ll love. It’s like designing a restaurant menu: some familiar comfort food, some seasonal specials, and just enough surprise to keep everyone coming back.

We talk about:

• Season strategy — how repertoire is chosen and sequenced.

• Tradition vs. innovation — why Holiday Pops remains a cherished anchor.

• Audience building — how “fusion programming” can introduce listeners to new favorites.

• The musician’s experience — why Claflin Hill feels more like a family than just a gig.

• Community impact — how a local orchestra becomes a cultural cornerstone.

You’ll also hear some great stories:
🎻 When audiences came for Phantom of the Opera but left raving about Scheherazade.
🥁 The 5-minute Russian piece that won over even the most traditional listeners.
🎶 How a percussionist’s 25-year tenure with the orchestra became “life-saving.”

Paul’s insights pull back the curtain on the decisions, challenges, and joys that go into every Claflin Hill season. Whether you’re a classical music lover, a casual listener, or simply curious about how cultural institutions thrive, you’ll walk away with a deeper appreciation for the people and the passion that make it all happen.

Listen now and subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.
Learn more at claflinhill.org

Links mentioned in this episode:
🎥 Milford TV performance of The Iron Foundry in the season finale: Silver Anniversary Triumph
🎼 Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra 26th Season details

The heritage is not the celebration of ashes, but keeping the fire burning. — Gustav Mahler