November 9, 2022

While vote totals are not yet official, it appears at this point that incumbent state Rep. Craig Williams, R-160, was the only Republican to win a race in the general Chadds Ford area. Unofficial totals indicate he defeated Democratic Party challenger Cathy Spahr 14,734 to 12,203.

In the 158^th Legislative District, incumbent Democrat Christine Sappey won reelection defeating former Kennett Square Mayor Leon Spencer 13,543 to 12,661.

A tax referendum in Westtown Township passed by almost a 2-1 margin. According to Chester County, the measure passed 3,450 to 1,745. The question asked voters whether they were in favor of increasing the earned income tax by 0.08 percent and increasing the property tax by 0.42 mils. The township has said the taxes are designed to help Westtown preserve Crebilly Farm as open space.

In statewide elections, the Associated Press called Democrat John Fetterman the winner in his race for U.S. Senate. AP said Fetterman, the former lieutenant governor, defeated Mehmet Oz by less than a 3 percent margin, 2,587,382 votes to 2,442,145.

Bloomberg. com has called the governor’s race in favor of former Attorney General Josh Shapiro. The Democrat defeated Republican Doug Mastriano by 2,862,252 votes to 2,199,592.

For U.S. House races, Bloomberg reported incumbent Democrats Mary Gay Scanlon and Chrissy Houlihan won reelection. Scanlon, representing Pennsylvania’s 5^th Congressional District, defeated Republican challenger Dave Galluch with 185,834 votes to 105,947. Houlihan topped Republican Guy Ciarrocchi 118,066 to 98,672 to keep her seat representing Pennsylvania’s 6^th Congressional District.

Totals won’t be official until certified by voter services.

I got an earworm last Saturday morning. It’s not contagious, just annoying. And I blame it all on Michael Hall. But more of that later.

Last Saturday morning was the always enjoyable and ever-popular Kennett Symphony Orchestra concert in the round in the soaring Grand Ballroom of the Mendenhall Inn.

If you remember the Valley Forge Music Fair in Devon, you’ll recall the center stage and the audience seated around the performers. It was fun.

And Maestro Hall makes classical music fun, as he introduced Saturday’s audience to a composition “from the inside out,” with musical themes demonstrated by the orchestra as well as little-known facts.

The featured composition at Saturday morning’s “Schubert & Champagne” was Franz Schubert’s (1797 – 1828) iconic Unfinished Symphony. Unlike Mozart who actually died while composing his “Requiem,” a very much alive Schubert completed two of four movements of his Symphony #8 in D minor, and for some still unknown reason tucked it away for another time. It was found in a friend’s desk drawer 37 years after Schubert’s death and received its first performance in 1865.

I learned a lot Saturday morning. While the orchestra was warming up, we struck up a conversation with the principal trombone, Jarred Antonucci, who was playing an alto trombone. A what? A smaller trombone, it’s related to the 15th-century sackbut and enjoyed a revival in the late 20th century

And as we were seated just behind the brass section, we were able to observe one of the trumpet players using his iPad as his score.  Another musician was using his cell phone!

The use of digital scores has been a trend in rock, folk, and jazz for about a decade and seems to be making its way into the symphonic world. No turning pages during a difficult passage, just tap your foot pedal accessory.

And here’s a little something extra for our friends in Kennett Square. Schubert was an unassuming man, small of stature, with thin curly hair. His best friends called him…wait for it… here it comes…Little Mushroom. Maybe the Kennett Symphony Orchestra could take him on as their mascot.

So, here’s where the earworm comes in. The term “Ohrwurm “first came into use in Germany over 100 years ago. It refers to an infectious tune that creeps into your ear and you can’t get rid of it.

While Hall was introducing the symphony’s first movement, he sang a little song that helped school children remember Schubert’s pleasantly lilting melody.

“This is the Symphony that Schubert wrote and never finished.”

Oh no. In my 14 years teaching music, I had never heard those words. But now it was in my head for the afternoon. All through the first movement, I kept singing, “This is the symphony, that Schubert wrote and never finished.”

 Gee thanks, Michael.

Before we left, I asked Hall about his experience directing his other symphony orchestra in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada where he is preparing to leave to conduct their Christmas Season.

He answered, “Fantastic. The experience is very much the same in front of any group of good musicians.”

The Kennett Symphony Orchestra is the only professional orchestra in Chester County, and we anxiously await Hall’s return for another year.