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There was a moment of great risk at Orchestra Hall on Wednesday morning.
Mischa Santora, who was conducting the Minnesota Orchestra, turned and gave the audience its cue. The audience, made up of more than a thousand Minneapolis grade school kids, was being asked to make jungle sounds.
Jungle sounds were an element of the orchestra's world premiere performance of "Tin Forest." The music was written by St. Paul composer Steve Heitzeg to accompany the narration of the children's book of the same title by Helen Ward. As the orchestra played, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak read the story.
The music was superb. The orchestra was wonderful. The mayor read with enthusiasm.
But how would more than a thousand kids respond? Once they started making jungle sounds, would anybody be able to silence them?
Santora rehearsed briefly with the kids, mostly third-graders. The conductor showed them how he'd lift his arm when it was time for them to begin. He also showed them how he'd sweep his arm down when it was time for them to stop.
"It's as important to know when to stop as it is when to start; maybe more important," he said, hopefully.
The orchestra began...