Power of Good

PowerofGood.com | Winter 2014 9 since it was introduced in 2007. The program grew out of a brainstorming session between Mobile Symphony President and CEO Celia Baehr and Alabama Power's Bernie Fogarty, who is now retired. "We were looking for ways to get more kids exposed to classical music and convince parents to take their kids to the symphony," said Baehr. "If you expose children to music when they are small, they will like it. I've seen some literally become mesmerized by a violin concerto." Barbara McMillian, a band director at Calloway-Smith Middle School, said BRT is a major factor that led her to choose music as her career. She used her first Big Red Ticket six years ago during her senior year in high school. "The Big Red Ticket was one of the main ways I got to attend the symphony during my senior year," McMillian said. "I was the only double bass player in the Mobile Youth Orches- tra and at my school. Attending the symphony gave me the opportunity to see professional bass players, and I learned a lot by watching them." McMillian plans to pass on her love of classical music by starting a string quartet at her school. "Going to the sym- phony helped me become the teacher I am now," she said. Baehr said the foundation's partnership with the sym- phony has greatly contributed to the continued success of BRT. "The Alabama Power Foundation is easy to work with and has consistently supported us year after year," Baehr said. "Everybody wants to sup- port education, but Alabama Power actually puts money behind those words." "The Alabama Power Foundation is very pleased to partner with the Mobile Symphony to sponsor the Big Red Ticket program," said Mobile Division Vice President Mike Saxon. "This program allows students who might not otherwise have the opportunity, to attend a symphony performance at no cost. The pro- gram is not only offered to schools in Mobile County but also to schools in the surrounding areas where many students do not have expo- sure to classical music." Through the BRT program, students can attend six concerts at Mobile's Saenger Theatre each season. For more information, visit the symphony website at www.mobile- symphony.org or call the box office at 251-432-2010. The Big Red Ticket program was introduced in 2007 by the Mobile Symphony and the Alabama Power Foundation. Barbara McMillian is now band director at Calloway-Smith Middle School after participating in the Big Red Ticket program her senior year.

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