Lament of pumpkins gone to waste

Web posted November 4, 2010

By Libby Sterling | Juneau Empire

These few days after Halloween make me sad. All over town beautiful, juicy pumpkin meat left to rot in the rain. I think of all the soups, pies and other baked goods that could have been made with the food that is now nothing more than compost. All those seeds that could have so easily become toasted snacks for us are instead going back to the earth.

There is a bright spot in these post-jack-o'-lantern times - pumpkin prices drop dramatically as the demand for carving squash suddenly dies. They came a long way to get here; don't let all this imported biomass go to waste.

October gave way not only to a bountiful harvest, but also to a crop of new releases in the music world. As with any culinary recipe, some ingredients were mixed more successfully than others, but none are failures. Some selections fill the ears of their listeners with perhaps more auditory calories than are needed, but there are morsels of goodness within each one.

"The Fool" by Warpaint

My taste is very picky when it comes to vocalists. It's hard to put a finger on exactly what the qualities I look for in a singer; it's more of a case-by-case basis. To be honest, in this case I'm not completely thrilled.

Warpaint is a female quartet out of Los Angeles whose sound has been described as hypnotic post-punk. As far as instruments are concerned, these girls are doing alright. They use their guitars and drums to create a thick, layered sound. However, if this were a war between voices and instruments, the vocals may as well surrender - in most cases they aren't strong enough to compete with the music in what is supposed to be the background. Oft-flat vocal lines are consistently buried so far under the layers of instruments that there's no hope of understanding the lyrics. This leads me to believe that these ladies don't put much emphasis on their words - not that there's anything wrong with that.

That said, a certain track did catch my attention enough to be noted. In track six, "Baby," Warpaint stripped away enough of their usual layers for a beautiful song to emerge - the best track on the whole album. The vocals are solid and easily distinguishable above a simple acoustic guitar part. The background vocals are sprinkled on top in moderation, creating interesting intervals that probably wouldn't be most musicians' first choice, but they work very well in this piece. This song is so good, it makes me wonder if I missed something in the previous five tracks, so I go back and listen again. The verdict: it's a little better after another time through, but "Baby" still has something to it that the rest of the album just doesn't.

"Weather" by Annie Gallup

Annie Gallup is a poet. I was struck with this as soon as her disc began to spin in my player. Her chosen verbiage is satisfying and pleasant. She tells stories of important events in her own, unique way - just the way I like to hear them.

Gallup's backup band is fabulous, consisting of a traditional string quartet. This is rare for most singer-songwriters, but I applaud Gallup for taking the risk in ditching her guitar. It works. The entire album is backed with the strings bowing and plucking away to create a unique soundscape to highlight Gallup's vocals.

So Gallup's lyrics are great and the background music is great, but the two of them don't quite mix. I'm torn between the two sides - letting loose in the midst of beautiful string arrangements vs. listening to Gallup's truly interesting lyrics, which require intense focus. Her vocal parts are just too wordy and delivered too quickly to properly balance with the peaceful movement of the string parts.

I'd rather like to hear her lyrics read as spoken word, and I get my wish in tracks four and six, "Sixty Eight" and "Late," respectively. In the first, Gallup speaks boldly above a strong cello's pluck, leaving ample reflection space between stanzas. In the second, Gallup's fast-paced delivery of words, which hurts her in other numbers, finally works to her advantage.

It's clear that Gallup has stuff to say, and it's clear that she has good taste in backup bands. This is, unfortunately, another example of very cool ingredients just not mixed as successfully as they could have been.

Playlist: Red Molly transcends electricity

Web posted October 7, 2010

By Libby Sterling | Juneau Empire
There's nothing like a power outage to focus a creative worker. I relearned this lesson firsthand during Tuesday's blackout.
I was home at the time, beginning to type this very column. I was fighting the many distractions that come with computer work - unanswered e-mails, breaking news updates and sales on winter gear. The lights had been flickering all morning as the wind and rain hammered down on us, so I wasn't surprised when the electricity gave out entirely.
I was unsure whether or not the outage was area-wide, but a call to the office confirmed that I shouldn't travel there in search of voltage.
Luckily, I had a pencil and paper handy and a stack of freshly split spruce begging to be burnt. I ignored my half-cycled washing machine, resisted the urge to organize the junk drawer (though I nearly had to in order to find a pencil sharpener) and sat down to write the old-fashioned way.
Abbie Gardner, Laurie MacAllister and Carolann Solebello don't need manufactured electricity to do what they do best - harmonize. The Red Molly members discovered their vocal compatibility at a campsite during an East Coast folk festival. That was six years ago, and since that first song they have brought their music to stages all over the country.
The buzz about these women has been everywhere; their music has been playing on radio stations locally and nationally, and I've been hearing rave reviews from friends in the Anchorage area, where concerts were performed over the weekend. The group will be in Juneau on Sunday to play a set in the folk-friendly Resurrection Lutheran Church, but not before first stopping in Sitka on Friday and in Ketchikan on Saturday.
Judging by their fourth and newest release, "James," I'd bet Red Molly is a fun group to see live. Anyone can create perfect vocal harmonies in a studio, but to witness the act right in front of your ears is truly special. I have loads of appreciation for anyone who puts in the hours of practice necessary to pull off three-part harmonies (and stay friends) in song after song, especially while taking turns singing the lead part as these three do.
"James" starts right off with such vocals in "The Last Call," featuring instruments in only the last half of the song. That's another thing: these ladies aren't just great singers. They also provide their own instrumental soundscape, complete with guitar, bass, banjo and Dobro on stage. "James" also features guest artists (all males, coincidently) on bass, percussion, fiddle, mandolin, piano and one vocal part.
"James" is a collection of songs, with two composed by Gardner. One of them, "Troubled Mind," is one of my favorites on the album. Its melodies are catchy, springing from the tune's minor base and accompanied by bluesy instrumentals. "Lookin' for Trouble" is my other top pick, which also features minor chords and a slow blues feel.
The album equally balances slow-paced tunes with quicker numbers, the quickest of which are "The End of the Line," "Troubled Mind," "Jezebel," "Tear My Stillhouse Down," "Poor Boy" and "Can't Let Go."
My official recommendation: go see this group in concert, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Resurrection Lutheran Church. Even if the power goes out again, I'm sure it won't deter them from giving you an evening to remember.

Playlist: The bliss of pop culture ignorance

Web posted September 23, 2010

By Libby Sterling | Juneau Empire

I was recently chided for my lack of familiarity with Casey Kasem, a radio personality and voice actor who apparently influenced much of America during his nearly 60-year career. For those who also don't know, Kasem is most popular for his role as Shaggy in the "Scooby-Doo" cartoon and as host of the "American Top 40" radio countdown show - he told America what to listen to.
My ignorance to Kasem's existence could possibly be attributed to my age. During the peak of his career, I was busy making stop-motion Playmobil films and dressing up my highly tolerant cats in costumes - being a kid, basically. But I'd like to think that my unawareness of Kasem's reach is due to the way I was brought up to experience the world.
I grew up without cable TV; in its stead, I clung to public broadcasting, the daily news and my local library as my main sources of what was hip and happening at the time. Ask me about LeVar Burton, the Mario Bros. or Bill Watterson's comics, and we'll have something on which to base our conversation. But when it comes to most items of the '80s and '90s mainstream, I've always been pretty removed, clueless when it comes to trivia.
Fast forward to present day. I'll admit, the Internet has enhanced the way that we experience pop culture. It's more difficult to opt-out of marketing messages. Nonetheless, I've found that I still embrace many of the anti-influence habits from my childhood as an adult. I don't much value television - at least not enough to pay for it. I quickly tired of Facebook, and my MySpace page sits dormant, all its direct marketing going to waste.
I don't seem to have trouble following the news of the local music scene, but when it comes to national and world music, it's easy to fall behind. I often don't learn of new releases from artists I think I'm following until well after used copies of the CD are available on Amazon for a penny plus shipping.
Subsequently, I'm forced from time to time to go on the hunt for some new-to-me music to add to my library. Sometimes a friend will supply a much-appreciated tip, but last week I decided to do some digging of my own in unknown territory, not sure of what I'd find. I tossed aside handfuls of mediocre titles, but four albums stood out that I deemed worthy of mention. For all I know, they may already be famous, winning awards and appearing on billboards across the nation. But to me they are simply a breath of fresh, musical air.

Paul Curreri, "California"
I have large respect for the album as an art form, and it's my guess that Paul Curreri does, too. Even from first listen, it's clear that this 2009 release has a clearly constructed beginning, middle and end. The album starts moderately and modestly with "Now I Can Go On," and things really start to warm up by track two, "Once Upon A Rooftop," in which Curreri's fancy, yet accessible guitar work begins to fly, accompanying his comforting vocals.
While it is cohesive as a whole, each piece in "California" has a different attitude. Some feel like the desert, some allude to the cowboy on the cover, and some make me get all existential. My favorite by far is the title track, "California," for its simplicity and equally for its technical complexity. The song is stripped down to fingerstyle guitar and vocals, and it is composed in a way that really gets inside of me. It makes me want to play music too, and that's one of the highest compliments I can give to any musician. But I have one complaint: I wish so much that the song would just end, rather than simply fading out - what a buzz kill.

Shayfer James, "The Owl & The Elephant"
This album is fun from the get-go, with a drum roll and bold piano chords beginning track one, "Life Is Beautiful." Lyrically, the song picks up somewhere near the climax of an adventure story in which the heroes are about to find their way to safety after having just faced some sort of perilous situation. The piano base continues throughout the album, accompanied by all manner of instruments from strings to bells.
The tunes range from ballady to epic, most featuring narrative lyrics that tell gripping tales. The most dramatic, "Every Fallen Feather," evokes pictures in my mind of the characters being sung about. Its impassioned storyline is set to an emotive tune.
If you're not one for paying attention to lyrics, I bet you'll still appreciate this album's musical arrangements. Even if all the stories were sung in a foreign language, "The Owl & The Elephant" would still make for an enjoyable listening experience.

The Rescues, "Let Loose the Horses"
I'm not as instantly drawn to this album as the others reviewed in this column, but something about it keeps me from dismissing it entirely. The Rescues create an interesting sound, featuring both male and female vocals over a traditional rock band grouping of instruments - guitars with varying amounts as well as the absence of distortion, drums that reverberate as if in a stadium, punchy bass lines and occasional instrumental solos. But even with standard instrumentation, it's the arrangements in this album that stand out to me. The sound that is created ends up being a few steps above the typical, often predictable alt-pop stuff you see everywhere these days.
If you only want to spend a few dollars on this band, spend them on "Can't Stand The Rain," "The City And The River," "Stay Over" and "Stranger Keeper." Coincidently, these tracks are all located near the end of the album, where the best stuff usually hides.

Vincent Minor, "Vincent Minor"
By this point I'm way over my word limit, but I can't let this find go unmentioned. I have fond memories of listening to this album, even though I've only spun through it a few times. Officially released on Tuesday, this is Vincent Minor's debut album, and I eagerly hope this isn't the last that we will hear from him.
The music has a timeless feeling to it. It's also unassuming and natural. I picture Minor in his Los Angeles apartment, silencing the ring of his telephone as he composes piece after piece while hunched over his piano, all the while stylishly dressed.
The feeling I get from listening to this album reminds me of the fun I've had over the years listening to The Verve and Badly Drawn Boy, yet I hate to draw comparisons. "Vincent Minor" is unique, a mixed-media painting in a gallery full of black-and-white photographs. The album's tasteful integration of varying levels of orchestration into its songs is well-balanced; there's a lot going on all at once, but it all blends together to create one unit. With each listen of this album in the future, I foresee discovering something I never noticed before.

Playlist: 'The Way Out' is The Books' thrifting at their finest

Web-posted August 26, 2010

By Libby Sterling | Juneau Empire
In the first seconds of The Books' newest album, "The Way Out," listeners are greeted by the voice of a man offering the opportunity of a new beginning. He introduces the experience that is about to be had by noting that the following will be "music specifically created for its pleasurable effects upon your mind, body and emotions."
Apparently, the music is also "mixed with a warm, orange-colored liquid." After an instrumental interlude, a different man's voice appears, offering to be our guide in a journey. "I hope to be of help without intruding any more than is absolutely necessary," he says.
Plinks and planks of bass and guitar strings start softly, crescendoing as percussion and vocal lines drift in and out of the soundscape. More guiding voices appear and disappear, offering advice that seems to be building with the music until the track is over. Then it's on to number two.
This style of auditory collage is what characterizes The Books. For the past 10 years, band members Paul de Jong and Nick Zammuto have scoured East Coast thrift stores for tapes containing interesting audio clips that they'd like to use in their songs. Backed by cello, guitar, toys and other instruments as various as the audio samples they acquire, they interject their own lyrics into multi-layered compositions.
The natures and topics of The Books' collected samples are endless. "The Way Out" begins and ends with "Group Autogenics," hypnotic recordings mixed in a lighthearted style, yet with thoughtful undertones. By track four, listeners experience "A Cold Freezin' Night," which features the voices of children expressing their anger at others using violent words, accompanied by a fast-paced musical backdrop.
Near the middle of the album, "Thirty Incoming" uses voicemail messages to paint a portrait of a man in love. Dial tones and answering machine beeps are remixed with strings, vocal tones and heartbeat-like drums that build and build, suggesting strong emotion. The song truly is a journey, as are most by The Books. Their ability to compile contrasting content into cohesive compositions is strong, and they pursue their craft with professional dedication.
In form with their previous albums, it's not necessarily necessary to separate each track as its own song. Actually, in most cases, to do so would rob the listener of the big picture that the individual pieces combine to create.
In a book, each chapter is partitioned by pages but is informed by and so informs the others. Similarly, each track on "The Way Out" acts as a bridge between the previous and the subsequent. But it also stands alone as its own unique work, perhaps sharing properties with others but also containing attributes all its own.
Like a good book, new things are noticed each time through. I've been listening to The Books' other albums, "The Lemon Of Pink," "Thought For Food," and "Lost and Safe," diligently for years and I still uncover fresh discoveries with each new spin.
Their current record label, Temporary Residence, catalogs the band as "eclectic, innovative electronic-folk-pop that are so ahead of their time that your kids will be ripping them off." Perhaps they are ahead of their time, but their music creates a listening experience that brings me back to simpler times. Perhaps their technique could be considered electronic, but the analog nature of their mixing implies splicing tape more so than manipulating code with computer software.
I've often been disappointed in the past at the lack of material available about The Books' music. Their CD jackets never came with lyrics, and it was difficult to find official commentary online. I want to know where they found this or that sample, why they chose to compile it in the way that they did and how they experienced their own music as they made it. Well, "The Way Out" is the first Books album that comes with full lyrics in the liner notes.
If that's not enough - and it isn't for me - their blog explains in detail much of what you'd want to know about each song on the album. But before you read it all, be sure that you're really ready to see what is behind the curtain - just because it has been opened doesn't mean you have to look inside. After all, half of the magic behind the music is in the mystery.
Learn more at www.thebooksmusic.com.

The Final Track: Capital Records closes its doors

Photo by Libby Sterling / Capital City Weekly

Closing shop: Capital Records owner Rob Cohen, right, and employee Spenser Thomas, left, hold up some of their favorite records among the seemingly endless stacks of music in the store. Thomas shows "The Velvet Underground & Nico" by the Velvet Underground, and Cohen holds "The Who Sell Out" by The Who. The store will close at the end of the month.

Web posted January 16, 2009

By Libby Sterling | CAPITAL CITY WEEKLY

JUNEAU - They're dropping like flies. Small, independently-owned record stores all over the country are going out of business faster than they can be remembered. Juneau's own Capital Records will take its place in the record store graveyard at the end of January, when it plans to close its doors for good.

"For music shops, the writing has been on the wall for a while," said Rob Cohen, owner of Capital Records since 1997. He said that with more and more people acquiring their music through digital means, it has become more difficult for stores like his to stay in business.

"Large record companies themselves are putting all their energy toward digital, so when the people who make what you sell don't want you to be the ones selling it, you sort of take a clue from that," Cohen said.

He believes since Juneau is a smaller town with a more locally-minded clientele, his business was able to stay afloat longer than many larger stores in the Lower 48. His shop also has benefited from cruise ship tourists and crew members during the summer, which has been the bump they've needed to make it through the rest of the year.

For many of the store's loyal customers, it's sad enough that they will now have to travel to Fred Meyer, Wal-Mart, or amazon.com to purchase hard copies of music. On top of that, many feel this is the demise of a social institution in the community.

"It's so much more than just a place to buy something," Cohen said. "It's a social nexus, a place where people meet, talk and interact. There's a human element to it that's a little clunky from a 21st century mentality."

Ed Blair is one of the many people who are sad to see Capital Records close. An avid record collector, Blair hosts a radio show Saturday nights on KRNN called "Our City Is Burning." He airs everything from hip-hop to punk rock and heavy metal.

"It's awful 'High Fidelity' of me, but there's something neat and special about a music store that you can go into that isn't owned by a big corporation," Blair said.

One of his favorite elements of the record store experience is the impulse buy. Buying music on the Internet is very intentional, he said. However, when wandering around in a record store, you never know what you may find.

"I was down at Capital Records this summer and found 'Mule Variations' by Tom Waits," Blair said. "I wasn't looking specifically for that record, but finding it was really awesome."

Finn Straley, of Sitka, was browsing through the store while in town last week, looking for the new Animal Collective album.

"I can't believe this place is closing," Straley said. "I can't imagine Juneau without this place."
The business has served as more than just a place of commerce in its twenty years of its existence. Cohen described it as "an interface to the community" in spreading awareness of local cultural events. He recalled when big bands like the Misfits came to town and signed autographs out of his store.

Cohen said he realizes that his industry is tough even in the best of times, let alone during a national economic crisis.

"I've known this day would come for a while," Cohen said. "There's no use being a relic ... just because you enjoy it personally."

Even though his storefront will soon no longer exist, Cohen plans to continue his role in Juneau's music community. With more time on his hands, he hopes to perform more often, playing in a jazz trio with other local musicians. He also plans to teach music lessons, both private and group-oriented. He said it's one thing to teach one person to master their instrument as a soloist, but it's a whole different ballgame to get people to learn how to play together as a functioning ensemble.

"I'm going to miss the people, folks coming in and having an opportunity to interact," Cohen said.

In hopes of liquidating the many stacks of CDs, LPs and DVDs that surround the store's small amount of walking space, everything will be on sale with a minimum of 30 percent off, and LPs will be 50 percent off. Special orders will still be taken at full price through the end of the month. The last day of business will be Jan. 31.

"I'm going to move on," Cohen said. "I have no regrets. It was a good ride while it lasted."

The Microphone Is Open: At least one local musician has performed at open mike since it began in '91

Photo by Libby Sterling

Singer-guitarist Brook Morgan performs with drummer David Sheakley at last Thursday's open mike at the Alaskan Hotel & Bar. The weekly forum, in its 18th year, is open to all performers.

Web Posted December 18, 2008

By Libby Sterling | For the Juneau Empire

Alaskan Bar's weekly musical forum going strong for 18 years and counting
All musicians have to start someplace. Even singers that have now become legendary had to perform for the first time in front of someone, somewhere. Open mike is often the best outlet for amateur performers to bring their art to meet the public.
Dan Minuskin started hosting an open mike at the Alaskan Hotel & Bar in 1991 and it has been going on most Thursday nights since. Between then and now, the event has been hosted by many other local musicians, including Teri Tibbett, Scott Fry, Sean Tracey and Scott Burton, to name a few.
"I enjoyed it," Minuskin said. "It gave me a reason to learn new songs, practice, and be in the thick of things one day a week. It kept me in the groove of performing and gave me something to work toward every week."
While it's great to have a good host, the whole point of open mike is that it is open to the public. Just about anyone who has anything to say, sing, or play has equal opportunity to perform. The Alaskan has seen every type of act, from limericks and throat singing to sonatas and hoedowns.
"There were quite a few people who were regulars, who would show up every week and do a 15-minute set. It was their 15 minutes of fame," Minuskin said.
Singer-songwriter Brian Sullivan has been one of the most loyal performers at open mike, having missed only a few weeks here and there in the 18 years of its existence.
"If you ask Dan, he remembers when I wasn't so good. I was just starting to write, but he'll tell you that I've come a million miles, and that's because of playing down there every week. I probably have a bachelor's degree in music from hanging out in the Alaskan," Sullivan said.
"Brian Sullivan is really the authority on the open mike," Minuskin said.
Originally from Ohio, Sullivan said he chose to settle in Juneau because of the musical opportunities that exist here - not only for professionals, but for amateurs as well.
"There's a tight music community here. We all help each other out," Sullivan said, adding that one of his favorite things about open mike is the opportunity to play with other musicians. By the end of the night, it has often turned into one big jam session.
"Not too many places have opportunities for us amateurs to get up there in front of a big audience and test the water," Sullivan said. "It's been a good experience for me because I'm a writer. I've gotten to write all these songs and work them out on stage in front of a live audience, and I get to look at peoples' faces while I'm playing and know if I've got a winner or not."
Throughout the years, there have been peaks and lulls as far as musician and spectator turnout depending on the time of year, the weather, and other events going on in town.
"You should have seen it, some of the years in there, it was a zoo. There was a line all the way down the street just to get in for open mike. It was nuts," Sullivan said.
"Over time it's become much more of an institution. It was a little more rough and muddy back in the early '90s when we were doing it," Minuskin said.
Open mike still takes place Thursdays at the Alaskan from 9 p.m. until everyone is all played out.

Juneau Bach Society Isn't Bach Exclusive: Handel will also be featured at winter concert

Photo by Libby Sterling

Web Posted December 4, 2008

By Libby Sterling | For the Juneau Empire

If one were to Google "Bach society," they'd come up with thousands of sites about various musical organizations around the world. These groups vary in function, but each is centered around the celebration of music by this pretty cool dude who lived back during the Baroque era.

Johann Sebastian Bach left such a legacy that even Juneau has its own Bach Society. It doesn't come up in a Web search, since there is no Web site, but the society may be better off without one.

"I have more fun putting concerts together than doing Web sites," said Bruce Simonson, the Juneau Bach Society's founder and music director.

Active since 1988, the Juneau group is composed of volunteer singers and instrumentalists who share the vision to keep this cherished music alive and thriving. They will celebrate the continuing legacy of Johann with two performances this weekend at the Northern Light United Church. The program will consist of Bach's "Magnificat in D," George Frideric Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks," and Bach's "Cantata 192 (Nun danket alle Gott)."

The "Magnificat," based on a text in the Biblical Gospel of Luke, expresses the canticle of the Virgin Mary after she was informed that she would be giving birth to Jesus.

"It's a masterpiece in terms of how concise it is and how packed full of ideas it is," Simonson said. "It's one of those works you could study for a lifetime and keep finding new things."

The German words "Nun danket alle Gott" in Cantata 192's title translate to "Now thank we all our God."

"One of the things I love about Bach is that he has very complex ideas that don't sound overwrought when they're actually committed to paper and performed," Simonson said.

Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks" was originally composed in 1749 at the request of King George II of Great Britain. It was to be performed in a building in London constructed specifically for the piece and it was to be accompanied by live pyrotechnics. Unfortunately, a malfunction with the fireworks subsequently burned down the structure.

"We're not going to do that part of the performance," Simonson assured.

Prior to that flaming disaster, there also was mayhem at the first public rehearsal of the piece. Some 12,000 people all rushed to see the performance, and their eagerness caused massive carriage jams that lasted for hours.

So take heed, Juneau: If you must commute downtown for the show, don't come all at once.

Simonson said he is excited to present both Handel and Bach together in the same concert.

"The contrast between how Handel and Bach treat dance music is very wonderful," he said. "You can hear how the two composers approach that style differently - like night and day for me."

There will be quite a variety of performers represented as well, from young singers to seasoned professionals. The Bach Society often works with the Alaska Youth Choir and other student-aged vocalists. Several high-school students will be in the concert, including soloists who have previously performed with Opera To Go or in Juneau-Douglas High School musicals.

Soloists include Tiffany Hanson, Philippe Damerval, Kathleen Wayne, Wendy Byrnes, Monica Yost, Mark Bautista, Brett Crawford, Cheryl Crawford, Marie Petersen, Hannah Cordle and Sam Kurland. They will be accompanied by other chorus members and an orchestra.
Simonson gave praise to all of the young vocalists and said that he puts great importance on the inclusion of youth in the society's performances.

"I include youth choirs whenever possible to give kids a chance to be surrounded by all that sound," he said. "It's a chance for the music to spread across multiple generations."

Simonson said he also puts a high value on the student-teacher relationship. He invites local music teachers to come to the Saturday night performance for a group photograph and recognition for what they have done for the community.

"It's a way of honoring all those folks who keep music alive," he said.

Many of those people have been teaching in Juneau for up to three generations and are still going strong, and help keep volunteer groups like the Bach Society thriving.

"Juneau is a fabulous town for music. It's amazing to me that we can do these works that are really technical and difficult, and astonishingly beautiful," Simonson said.