Violin Video Lesson: The Many Stories of Bill Fitzpatrick: Centennial Park Concert

So it was around 1981 and I was the assistant conductor of the Nashville Symphony. One of my duties as assistant was to conduct park concerts and this time it was in Centennial park which had an exact replica of the Parthenon from Greece.

While talking with the personal manager about the concert an idea sprouted to make it ethnic using the Still, Afro American Suite, Kol Neidre, etc.

So as I was working on the music it occurred to me that I could use this as a moment to talk about how Nashville was segregated back in the day and so I did.

I explained that there were 2 parks back then, one for blacks called Hadley which was in North Nashville and the other was Centennial for white folks. I as well reminded the audience that in Centennial park there were colored bathrooms and water fountains.

But as I was talking the audience became very quiet, I mean it was an outdoor concert so some noise was to be expected, but now the audience was silent. So I stopped myself from saying more and continued the concert...

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