Amateurs Can Play With BSO---For Now

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- As children, some musicians dream of playing professionally. For most, they realize they're just not good enough---but now amateurs are, for a brief moment in time, able to perform with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Mike Schuh has more.

People here earn a living making the most beautiful sounds on earth---but these aren't those people. Well, some of them are, but people like Leslie Sied Margolis and Kiera Swan are amateurs.

Now in its fourth year, this is the world's most exclusive band camp.

A hundred and fourteen people arrived from Hawaii, Alaska, Canada and even France to participate.

Leslie Sied Margolis is a local lawyer.

"You know, I'm an amateur. I'm not a professional but I want to be the best amateur I can be and I feel that I can get that here," Margolis said.

Nervous? You bet.

"The jitters are disappearing, as they're working really hard these days," said BSO Education Vice President Carol Bogash.

For whatever the reason---job, career, life, talent---their paths did not lead to these careers. But in their hearts, they still dream to be professional musicians.

"They're all just in love with it and so excited to be here," Bogash said.

Keyone Swain thought he'd be a musician but computer science is what he studied. This is his third time here.

"There's a lot of emotions that run through but just to say I sat onstage with one of the best orchestras in the country and played with them on their level...it's gratifying," Swain said.

The orchestra's assistant principal trumpet loves the students' enthusiasm, especially with the pros coming off a difficult recording for a movie project.

"So after being wiped out from that, people being so excited to sit on stage and do what we do every day," said Rene Hernandez.

The concert is Saturday at 7:30. It's free but the BSO asks that you register on their website.