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National Symphony Orchestra

Holly Hamilton performs dozens of times each year at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., one of the premier concert halls in the country.

But it's this time of year - when she heads out with the National Symphony Orchestra to play in classrooms, school gymnasiums and big tents - that she really gets excited.

"I like to be out among the people," says Hamilton, a native of Prairie Village who has played violin in the orchestra for 29 years. "We have such high security (at the Kennedy Center), people can't even get backstage these days. You have no contact with the people. When we do residencies every year, you get to know the people."

Hamilton has special reason to get excited this year, when the National Symphony Orchestra brings its annual residency program to Kansas. The group will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Lied Center, in addition to evening performances in Pittsburg, Topeka, Wichita and Hays.

But the main focus of the eight-day residency, which began Friday, is the approximately 100 lectures, school performances and master classes across the state. Those include 17 events at Kansas University and the Lawrence Public Schools, and several more in Baldwin City and Ottawa.

"When we have a touring orchestra in town, we don't always have an opportunity to do these things," says Tim Van Leer, director of the Lied Center. "It's great that when they go to a state, they don't just go to the capital. Some of these towns don't have an opportunity to hear a National Symphony Orchestra, or any orchestra for that matter."

Community benefit

Considered one of the top orchestras in the country, the National Symphony Orchestra is directed by Leonard Slatkin, a former director of the St. Louis Symphony.

This is the 16th year for its American Residency Program, which brings the orchestra to a different state each year. The Kansas Arts Commission spearheaded the effort, and the education programs are funded by the Koch Foundation, Koch Industries, Kennedy Center and the U.S. Department of Education.

"The basic philosophy is we go to communities that don't have access to a major symphony orchestra," says Emil de Cou, the group's associate conductor, who will be at the podium during the Lawrence concert. "It's a difficult time in our country nationwide for arts awareness and funding, so we go in and show what we do."

He says the musicians suspend their typical union-mandated fees to put on the residency's education programs.

"We always look forward to it," de Cou says. "It's something the orchestra takes very, very seriously. Most people look at a symphony orchestra and see great performing artists. But these are all educators and role models as well."

He says the residency program is what separates the National Symphony Orchestra from many of its peer groups.

"This program really is a testament to the fact that these are some of the finest people I've worked with in music," de Cou says. "They're good-hearted people. A lot of other orchestras wouldn't want to do these programs. It's not like we're staying in four-star hotels when we're traveling through Minor, N.D."

Local inspiration

Orchestra members are required to play evening concerts while in Kansas. Anything they do beyond that during the residencies is their option.

Van Leer says KU and the Lawrence Public Schools submitted a wish list for the master classes and performances they would like to see last fall.

"They approved everything we asked for," he says. "That's their (level of) commitment."

Hamilton, who earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, says she gladly signs up for the special performances. She especially likes playing for children.

"Hopefully, we can inspire them to keep (music) up, and for those who hadn't thought about it, to start an instrument," Hamilton says. "Our goal is to inspire people in their own community. At first, I think people resented that we came. It was like, 'The big guys are here.' But we're here to inspire people to contribute to their own local arts organizations."

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