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Symphony sets the mood for fair
 Media Credit: Marie McCutcheon The St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra performs in front of a packed crowd during a concert in the Atwood Mall June 27.
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It was the perfect way to kick off the night at the Lemonade Art Fair.
As the sun set beneath the Atwood Mall, the St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra conductor, Lawrence Eckerling, raised his baton at approximately 8 p.m. in front of hundreds of people and began the program, "Americana", which was all different types of American music. And this was their story�
The first selection, "Fan Fair for Freedom", was a relaxing yet vibrant piece. With the xylophones, cellos, violins and the occasional crash of the cymbals, the orchestra was able to capture the mood of the night.
"Carousel Waltz", the second selection, was a light and carefree piece. Eckerling directed with a passion as the violins played freely, first starting soft, then getting progressively louder while the drums did the same. It almost felt like the audience was in a 1940's film at a ritzy party. The tubas also pitched in by adding more color to the piece.
The third selection for the evening, "The Essential Ellington", started out slow, then changed to a Swing/Jazz beat with the trumpets and tuba emphasized that gave a New Orleans feeling to the piece.
Gradually, the orchestra slowed down as a calm, romantic feeling overcame the audience. By this time, the sky was darker, the stars peaking out from the sky. It was the perfect mood as a couple started to dance.
ALL ABOARD! "The Orange Blossom" told a story about a runaway train with a combination of train melodies, such as "I've Been Working on the Railroad" and "Chattanooga Choo-choo". As the train started moving slowly away from the station as it headed down the tracks, it progressively gained speed as it got louder for minutes until it came to a complete stop at the final destination point.
The popular movie "Porgy and Bess" selections were the next in line for the orchestra to play. A single clarinet started playing out a quiet, slow tune, almost like a person was tiptoeing to not awake the other person sleeping in the next bedroom. It sounded rather sad as the other instruments began to join in to finish the selections.
The mood got very serious as the orchestra decided to play a suite of patriotic pieces in memory of 9/11/01, which included "Fan Fair for the Common Man", "The Battle of the Republic" and "National Emblem Mark".
As the trumpets and drums blared out triumphantly during the "God Bless America," Tom Nardell approached the microphone and began to read the message that reads on the Statue of Liberty entitled, "The New Collosus" by Emma Lazarus:
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name,
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
The crowd cheered and applauded as victory, pride and patriotism took place.
"I really enjoyed myself," said a smiling Ted Harding, 25, senior. "I had such a great time tonight."
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