More talk should avert orchestral discord

It would hardly be the first time that a tempest in a teapot could have been averted with just a little more communication.

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There are a few hurt feelings around the county these days because of a perceived slight of Columbia County's Civic Orchestra. It's understandable: Representatives of The Symphony Orchestra Augusta visited a County Commission committee a couple of weeks ago, asked to be named the county's official symphony (more or less), and got a quick welcome.

And why not? The SOA, rejuvenated with snappy marketing and a young new conductor, is an amazing, talent-loaded professional orchestra that performs a full-on free concert each year in Columbia County, along with incredible, intimate chamber shows at the Jabez Sanford Hardin Performing Arts Center. Columbia County should be honored to lay at least partial claim on the SOA.

Just one problem: Columbia County already has a homegrown classical music group, the Columbia County Civic Orchestra. And it was pretty obvious that commissioners who were prepared to give the quickie OK to the SOA proposal were clueless about CCCO's existence - even if only as a matter of temporarily bedazzled amnesia.

That part, at least, has been rectified. CCCO founder Rob Nordan immediately confronted commissioners, reminding them that CCCO is the home team.

There clearly has been some confusion over exactly what the SOA is asking. Do they want to be the county's "official" orchestra, or just the official orchestra of the performing arts center - the same way the Columbia County Ballet is the PAC's official dance company?

At the risk of OD'ing on acronyms, there would seem to be little harm in OK'ing the PAC title for the SOA, while naming the CCCO as the county's official orchestra.

Then again, it might not be a bad idea if commissioners got out a little more and not only saw some of both groups' performances, but managed to get the gumption to say that all this fuss about whether to give any organization an "official" government stamp might be just a little silly.