Earlier this week, the Eagle published a feature on the Butler County Symphony Orchestra, which has been around for a staggering 74 years.

It was a particularly uplifting read. While the players are paid for performing in regular season concerts, many of them tack on extra promotional work for free. They volunteer to do the outreach because the association doesn’t have the budget to compensate them for it.

These members deserve as much recognition as possible for their roles in keeping the symphony alive. Part of their public outreach includes performing at schools to introduce children to music.

As someone who was involved in music all through grade school, it’s reassuring to know that in this modern age of scientific and technological advancement, appreciation for the arts still burns bright, especially in smaller areas. According to the NAMM Foundation, which celebrates and promotes the intrinsic value of music education, music stimulates all portions of the brain, rather than localizing this stimulation to the areas society has come to deem more useful than others.

Harvard Health released statistics stating that, of those who reported often being exposed to music as a child, 68% rated their ability to learn new things as “excellent” or “very good,” compared to 50% of those who were not exposed to music.

The symphony’s passion for music and dedication to the association is a boon to our little corner of the world, one we should support whenever we have the opportunity. If you’re someone who thinks classical is all you’ll find here, think again. The symphony’s content varies greatly, having done everything from Broadway to rock.

The symphony has proven resilient over its surprisingly long life for a regional orchestra, never shying away from new shifts and ideas within the music industry while keeping the foundational classics as the beating heart of the association.

It’s a gentle reminder of how important it is that music and even other humanities should never lose standing in our society.

— CM