Soaring Sounds: Southern Delaware Orchestra Hits All the Right Notes

Each Monday night since early June, the glorious sound of trumpets, violins and a dozen other instruments have filled the halls of Sussex Academy in Georgetown. The echo of string instruments through the corridors is reminiscent of what you may hear at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. — these, however, are rare resonances in Sussex County. 
  

The Academy band room is the rehearsal space for the newly formed Southern Delaware Orchestra. Founded in 2022 as a string-only orchestra,  the group has expanded into a full 71-member orchestra with brass, winds and percussion. The musicians have been practicing the ominous opening of Gustav Holst’s “Mars” and the ascending melody of the main title from “Star Wars” as they prepare for their summer concerts.
  

As a true community orchestra, the musicians are as diverse as the music performed for captivated audiences. From middle school students to retirees, the Orchestra offers musicians an outlet to pursue their passion for music and provides the communities of Southern Delaware a rare chance to hear a full orchestra. 
  

In 2022, Orchestra co-founder and violinist, Steve Greifer, sought out musicians to play chamber music with on social media. He had no idea his request would lead to the creation of a new orchestra. Co-op member Eva DelGallo, a retired school orchestra conductor and violinist, responded to Greifer’s post with a vision for something bigger. “The collection of musicians and professionals in and around Wilmington is stunning. Then you go south, and it sort of fizzles out. When word got out, they came from everywhere wanting to play the cello, the viola, and it made you realize the potential there is in Southern Delaware,” she says. 
  

Before residents could enjoy the sounds of the Southern Delaware Orchestra, DelGallo and Greifer needed to find a conductor who could amplify the talents of such a varied group of musicians. They found their maestro and music director in James Allen Anderson, the University of Delaware’s head of orchestra studies. 
  

According to Anderson, “The community aspect of this is what's really appealing. You have a cross-section of people from all walks of life. They have different career paths and different levels of training on a musical instrument. And so, we become a real reflection of the people around us, which I think is extraordinary. Everyone is there because they love to make music.” 
  

There’s a special energy in the rehearsal room each Monday before the musicians begin playing — warm greetings, smiles and a collaborative spirit that combine to form the successful ingredients for great music. “This kind of community and camaraderie is an important part of what makes this fun. This kind of unity and opportunity is a big part of how I think about music,” says Greifer.
  

The Orchestra has become so popular that tickets to shows frequently sell out — the group played for a sold-out crowd at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington last year. As the Orchestra looks to the future, its leaders hope to continue to ensure musicians from all walks of life learn, grow and showcase their incredible abilities with the growing Sussex County community. 
  

“People miss the fact that an orchestra does the same thing that playing on a sports team does. It brings people together with a common experience that they're going to achieve  and enjoy together. And it’s beautiful,” Anderson says. 
  

The all-volunteer orchestra will perform summer concerts on Aug. 10 at Global Methodist Church and on Aug. 11 at Cape Henlopen High School. Learn more about the Orchestra and purchase tickets at 
sodelomusic.org.