When in Toledo... or Greece

by Musician 1st Class Eric Brown

One of my favorite aspects of our annual tour is having the opportunity to play in some very unique venues. Last night’s concert was in the Toledo Museum of Art’s Peristyle Concert Hall. I knew nothing about this hall before entering it to prepare for the concert, and was very pleasantly surprised with what we had in store for us.

Upon walking out on stage to warm up, I was greeted on all sides by huge Greek-style granite columns and porticos. A colleague commented that it reminded us both of the Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Amphitheater, where the Navy Band, Army Band, Air Force Band and Marine Band perform for Easter Sunrise and Memorial Day ceremonies. I was certainly not expecting the ornate grandeur of it all.

But what really threw me off was the ceiling. The Peristyle’s ceiling is designed to simulate the sky, and even has different colored lights to simulate different times of day. At first, and for just a second, I actually thought this was some sort of outdoor gig! Then I realized I had walked from our buses in windy 34 degree northwest Ohio March weather, and yet I was standing comfortably in a windless 72 degree indoor concert hall.

It was a pleasure performing for the people of Toledo in their fantastic hall. The Toledo Muesuem of Art is unique among art museums, in that it has a dedicated concert hall (home of the Toledo
Symphony) and that the Peristyle Concert Hall takes up so much space: one third of the museum. It was the dream of Florence Scott Libbey, who thought that music is art, and it belongs in a museum. We couldn’t agree more.

Musician 1st Class Eric Brown plays trumpet in the Concert Band.

The view from the percussion section

Our oboe section poses for a classic Greek photo

Our flute section likes variety... a master chief, senior chief, first class, and chief

Photos by Master Chief Musician Betty Myers and Musician 1st Class Eric Brown