Shows
Classical GassingA Musical Renaissance: Inside the Claflin Hill Youth Symphony RelaunchBernadette Stockwell sits down with Anna Damigella—wind ensemble director, program revival co-founder, and band director at Melican Middle School—and Zach Surapine, strings director for the Youth Symphony revival and Paul’s son, to discuss the relaunch of the Claflin Hill Youth Symphonies after the pandemic brought in-person music-making to a halt.Anna and Zach reflect on their own musical beginnings. Anna shares her journey from trumpet and piano student to degrees at Ithaca College and American Band College. Zach recalls starting on clarinet and violin, performing with the MetroWest Youth Symphony and Claflin Hill Youth Sympho...
2026-02-2327 minClassical GassingHeritage, Serenades & a Season to Remember: What’s Next at Claflin Hill?It’s been an incredible season at the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra — and we’re not slowing down.In this episode, Bernadette sits down with Founder & Artistic Director Paul Surapine to reflect on a year filled with bold programming, unforgettable performances, and thrilling audience response — from the powerful, all-wind ensemble concert (10 winds, 6 percussionists, and not a string in sight!) to a season-opening New World Symphony and a radiant Strauss Oboe Concerto.Now, what’s next?🎶 March 14 – “Homage to Heritage”A fascinating orchestral program exploring composers honoring composers:Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite (a Baroque-insp...
2026-02-1513 minClassical GassingA Thriving Cultural Garden in Downtown MilfordWhat does it take to grow an orchestra—not just musically, but as a living, breathing part of a community?In this New Year episode of Classical Gassing, Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, founder and executive & artistic director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, for a wide-ranging conversation about growth, risk, regeneration, and why live performance still matters more than ever.Using the metaphor of an empty lot turned into a thriving garden, Paul reflects on Claflin Hill’s 25-year journey—from its earliest days to a season that many audience members are callin...
2026-01-0431 minClassical GassingHidden Gem, Unforgettable Sound: Finding Claflin HillHow one audience member found Claflin Hill — and why the orchestra keeps pulling him back, season after season.A clarinet birthday gift. A chance connection. A first concert that changed everything.This week on Classical Gassing, CHSO Music Director Paul Surapine sits down with audience member Peter Vangsness, who shares how he discovered Claflin Hill — and why he now attends nearly every concert.From Symphony Hall to Tanglewood, Peter has heard orchestras across New England, and here he reflects on what makes CHSO special: its intimacy, its sound, its musicians, and its sense of comm...
2025-12-0732 minClassical GassingShepherd on the Rock: The Seasons That Shaped a SopranoA luminous conversation with soprano Sierra Lary on storytelling, seasons of the soul, and the music that brings us home.This week on Classical Gassing, we look forward—not back—with soprano Sierra Lary, whose radiant performance in last season’s Carmina Burana left our audience and musicians spellbound. In this intimate conversation, Sierra joins Paul and Bernadette to talk about her upcoming chamber program, her deep-rooted philosophy of singing, and the emotional journey behind her artistry.Sierra shares how growing up with an opera-singing father shaped her musical voice, how COVID forced a necessary reset...
2025-11-2127 minClassical GassingPolishing the Gear: A Soloist Becomes Part of the Claflin Hill 'Watch'Classical Gassing — November 16, 2025This week’s episode is a heartfelt departure from our usual backstage banter. We dedicate this special recording to Sachiko (“Sashko”) Murata, our November 8th soloist, who delivered an extraordinary performance of the Strauss Oboe Concerto — and then sent Music Director Paul Surapine a deeply personal reflection about her artistic journey.At Paul’s request, Sachiko recorded her story in her own voice.What follows is an intimate audio letter about family, identity, artistic struggle, ego, community, and the moment during last week’s concert when everything changed for her.Sachiko shar...
2025-11-1613 minClassical GassingBack to the Future: About the Composers- Ives, Strauss, and DvorakToday's 'Classical Gassing' is based on Jon Ceander Mitchell's Program Notes. Click here to read the full manuscript. This episode dives into the minds of three composers who each, in their own way, redefined what “home” and “heritage” sound like in music. From the experimental soundscapes of Charles Ives, to the late-life renaissance of Richard Strauss, to Antonín Dvořák’s search for the “American voice” in his New World Symphony—we explore how these works continue to resonate across time and continents.Featuring:Charles Ives — The Unanswered QuestionRichard Strauss — Concerto fo...
2025-11-0308 minClassical GassingNot Just a Concert—A Life ExperienceBack to the Future: Claflin Hill’s 26th Season LaunchIn this episode of Classical Gassing, Host and Artistic Director Paul Surapine take listeners behind the scenes as the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra prepares to open its 26th season. They reflect on the challenges and triumphs of the 25th anniversary year, explore the meaning behind the concert theme Back to the Future, and dive into the musical and emotional depth of the program:Ives: The Unanswered QuestionRichard Strauss: Oboe Concerto featuring Sashko MaradaDvořák: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”...
2025-10-2624 minClassical GassingWandering Minstrels and a Hub of Culture: The Claflin Hill StoryIn this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, Executive and Artistic Director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, to talk about what truly makes Claflin Hill unique. From humble beginnings to becoming a “hub of culture” for Central Massachusetts, Paul reflects on how the orchestra has stayed true to its mission for more than 25 years — building community through music, one concert (and one musician) at a time.Together, Bernadette and Paul explore the orchestra’s evolution, the musicians who found their artistic “home” at Claflin Hill, and how music serves as an instrument o...
2025-10-1923 minClassical GassingSeason Tickets or One Night in the City? Let’s Compare NotesWhen one Broadway ticket costs more than an entire Claflin Hill Symphony season, it’s time to rethink what “a night out” means.In this heartfelt and funny conversation, Executive & Artistic Director Paul Surapine reflects on the affordability and accessibility of live music — and why community-supported culture matters now more than ever.You’ll hear stories about:🎭 The cost of a Broadway night versus a full symphony season🎻 The founding philosophy of Claflin Hill — art for everyone🎶 The excitement of launching our next 25 years💡 New season packages, including the “Holiday Pops Plus”❤️ How the commun...
2025-10-0520 minClassical GassingFrom NASCAR to Beethoven: How Sponsors Keep Us PlayingSpecial shout out to Claflin Hill’s Principal Trumpet, Erich Ledebuhr, who recorded Classical Gassing’s Intro and Outro. We love it!What do symphony orchestras and NASCAR have in common? More than you might think.In this episode, Bernadette and Paul Surapine, Executive & Artistic Director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, explore the essential role of business sponsorships in sustaining the arts. From playful banter about sponsor logos on a conductor’s tuxedo to heartfelt reflections on community, small business, and the ripple effect of local support, this conversation highlights how the arts are not ju...
2025-09-2819 minClassical GassingFrom Jaws to Dvořák: Music That Moves Us🍂 Fall has arrived in New England — and with it, a brand-new Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra season! In this episode, host Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, Executive & Artistic Director, to preview the season opener on November 8.Paul shares behind-the-scenes stories about loyal season ticket holders, the personal connections that make Claflin Hill unique, and what to expect from an exciting program featuring:🎶 Dvořák’s New World Symphony🎶 Strauss’s Oboe Concerto with principal oboist Sachiko Murata.🎶 Charles Ives’ evocative The Unanswered QuestionFrom movie music connections (yes, even Jaws!) to the special role co...
2025-09-2113 minClassical GassingWhy Music Education Matters: Building the Future of OrchestrasClaflin Hill Symphony Orchestra isn’t just about world-class performances — it’s also about nurturing the next generation of musicians.In this episode, Paul Surapine, Executive & Artistic Director, continues the conversation on music education, youth programs, and the “farm team” that helps sustain a professional orchestra. From the Claflin Hill Youth Symphonies to private lessons, recitals, and the vital support of schools and communities, Paul reflects on how early training creates opportunities that lead directly to seats in the orchestra today.We also zoom out to look at the bigger picture:Why music education...
2025-09-1324 minClassical GassingRaising Standards, Raising Musicians: Building the Next Generation of MusiciansIn this episode of Classical Gassing, we launch a new miniseries on one of the most vital topics for Claflin Hill and for the arts: education.Host Bernadette sits down with Paul Surapine, Executive and Artistic Director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, to reflect on the role of education in music, culture, and community.Topics we explore:Paul’s first clarinet lesson in 1968 and how family support shaped his musical life.Why music education is foundational, not a luxury — it builds discipline, teamwork, and creative thinking.
2025-09-0529 minClassical GassingInside the Orchestra: Who Sits Where and WhyWhen you walk into a concert hall, you see rows of violins, a wall of brass, and the percussionists poised at the back—but why are they always arranged this way?In this episode of Classical Gassing, Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, founder and executive director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, to explore how orchestras are put together—literally.From the bird’s-eye view in balcony seats to the perspective of musicians sitting inside the ensemble, Paul reveals:• 🎻 Why strings sit up front, and why violins always go on the conductor’s...
2025-08-2923 minClassical GassingNo Auditions, Just Music: How Claflin Hill Builds Its OrchestraMost orchestras fill their seats through formal auditions. But at Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, the roster grows in a very different way: through referrals, relationships, and trust.In this episode of Classical Gassing: Conversations About Culture & Community, Bernadette Stockwell chats with Claflin Hill's Executive & Artistic Director Paul Surapine taking us behind the scenes of how an orchestra without auditions has not only thrived for 25 years, but developed a distinctive “Claflin Hill sound” and spirit.Paul shares the story of starting out as an orchestra contractor, making phone calls on legal pads in the pre...
2025-08-2226 minClassical GassingCrowd-Pleasers, Hidden Gems, and the Art of the Concert Menu🎙 Classical Gassing: Conversations About Culture & Community — Episode 1"Behind the Curtain: How an Orchestra Builds a Season"What goes into planning a symphony orchestra’s concert season?Spoiler: it’s a lot more than picking a few favorite pieces and calling it a day.In this debut episode of Classical Gassing, host Bernadette Stockwell sits down with Paul Surapine, Executive & Artistic Director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, for a candid conversation about the art — and logistics — of programming a season that’s both audience-friendly and artistically adventurous.From Beethoven’s Fifth to bold new disco...
2025-08-1422 min