LSO Inspires, The Lakeside Symphony Comes to Town

Posted on July 24, 2014

The Lakeside Symphony Orchestra (LSO) celebrated its inaugural season in 1963. Since then, the LSO has be­come one of Lakeside Chautauqua’s most cherished traditions.

Bringing classic music to the Chau­tauqua community, the symphony per­forms eight concerts during its month-long residency.

The LSO is comprised of 75 mu­sicians from across the country who have devoted many years of service to the Chautauqua community.

Flutist Amy Heritage has been so inspired by her time playing with the LSO, that she decided to write a chil­dren’s book.

“There are many books and stories written by Lakesiders about Lake­side,” said Heritage. “Over the years, I started to think about the story I want­ed to tell.”

The Lakeside Symphony Comes to Town is the portrayal of the various musicians in the LSO and the town that becomes their home during the summer season.

“The musicians of the orchestra in­spire me with the diversity of their stories and the unique ways each of them embraces life at Lakeside,” said Heritage.

She wrote the book in hopes that all Lakesiders feel more connected to the symphony after reading it. She also hopes that children will come to the LSO concerts and be fully engaged, recognizing the music director and listening for the oboe player’s tuning note.

The text for The Lakeside Sympho­ny Comes to Town came quickly to Heritage, during a train ride to Cali­fornia. As she was writing, she began thinking of her friend, Nora Hutton, and her whimsy watercolor drawings.

Heritage proposed the idea of the book to Hutton. She was immediately thrilled by the idea and agreed to illus­trate the story.

Hutton came to Lakeside last August to photo­graph LSO Music Director Robert Cronquist and oth­er orchestra mem­bers at rehearsals and around town as inspiration for the characters she would draw for the book.

Heritage commented, “Part of the fun of our book is recognizing the fac­es and places from the orchestra and our community.”

The Lakeside Symphony Comes to Town is available for purchase at The Fine Print bookstore, the gift shop of the Lakeside Heritage Society and on­line at http://www.lsocomestotown.com

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Proceeds from sales of the book will be donated to the LSO.

Heritage began playing flute when she was in the fourth grade. She went on to earn music degrees from Shenandoah University in Virginia and Indiana University.

She is currently the second flutist for the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and teaches at the Toledo Symphony School of Music in Toledo, Ohio.

Heritage’s first experience with Lakeside and the LSO happened in 2001, when she was invited to per­form because the flute player was un­able to, due to illness. Heritage joined the LSO permanently in 2002 as prin­cipal flute.

Since then, she has spent every summer at Lakeside with her son and husband.

When she is not at LSO rehearsals, Heritage enjoys catching the after­noon lectures and book talks, attend­ing other shows in Hoover Auditorium and teaching flute at the Rhein Center.

This summer, she is excited to spend time with her family for a week in August.

“I’m looking forward to welcom­ing my newest nephew to Lakeside for the first time,” said Heritage. “And taking a few of his older cousins for a walk to the [Hotel Lakeside] porch and finding a quiet corner where I can share my book with them.”