Dua Roles

Marc Broder
has a 9-to-5
job . . . and an
after-work
affinity for
music.

SUZANNE CHESSLER

SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH N EWS

he decision was tough for
Marc Broder. Should he
continue with his viola
studies and pursue a career
as a full-time musician or
should he go to college and
seek a less lofty profes-
sional path?
Mr. Broder made up his
mind while he was still in
high school, more than 10
years ago. This summer,
however, his earlier choice
of sales work seems not to
have closed off completely
the realization of more
artistic dreams.
As part of the Bir-
mingham-Bloomfield Sym-
phony Orchestra (BBSO),
he has gone beyond commu-
nity concerts and performed
with nationally-known en-
tertainers such as the
Moody Blues, appearing at

the Pine Knob Music
Theatre and the Castle
Farms Music Theatre in
Charlevoix.
This summer marks the
BBSO's first association
with the Pine Knob organi-
zation.
"It's a phenomenal experi-
ence for me to be able to
play with the caliber of
musicians who perform in
these professional gigs," said
Mr. Broder, who also has
been in the Grosse Pointe
Symphony Orchestra and
the Scandinavian Symphony
Orchestra.
"The Moody Blues show
was completely orchestrat-
ed, and it's actually per-
formed the same way
throughout the United
States. They play with a dif-
ferent community symphony
in every town.
"We were playing on par
with the same performance
that's sold on thousands, if
not millions, of CDs. Ap-
proximately a year ago in
Denver, they actually re-
corded the same concert that
we did in June.
"I went out and purchased
the CD just for fun, and it
sounds exactly like what we
did — note for note."
Mr. Broder has played
with the BBSO since 1983,
although not continually.
Where he has lived and the
5' jobs he has held affected his
2. availability.
"Once you have a 9-5,
Monday-Friday job, you
have tons of free time to go
back and do a fun hobby,
said Mr. Broder, who is 28
and single. "Music is my
favorite hobby."
Still, his interest in music
did not come about because
it seemed like fun. It came
about out of jealousy.
"In the suburb where I
grew up (Oak Park), music
was started in the fourth
grade," Mr. Broder ex-
plained. "My sister Karen,
who is two years older than
I am, began her lessons in
the fourth grade and also
was given private lessons
outside of school.
"I basically said, 'If she
can play now, how come I
can't play now?' And to
appease me, my parents
(Bryna and Milton Broder,
now of Livonia) let me take
private lessons at the same

time."
Mr. Broder, a former stu-
dent at Detroit Community
Music School, started with
the violin, which his sister
continues to play. Because of
an accident that damaged
his violin while he was in
elementary school, he moved
on to the viola after being
offered a scholarship.
He considers playing at
his own bar mitzvah one of
his early and very important
performances.
As a college student, he
played with the Wayne
State University Symphony.
After transferring to Kala-
mazoo College, he became
violist for that school's sym-
phony, also working with
string quartets.
"I really enjoy playing
with symphonies, but I also
like chamber music because
it's an opportunity to be
more creative," said Mr.
Broder, who has fun listen-
ing to all kinds of music,
from classical to rock.
"With chamber groups,
I'm not playing with a sec-
tion, I'm playing with people
who are playing other
instruments."
Mr. Broder does not do
much practicing. He believes
his three-hour weekly re-
hearsals are sufficient, espe-
cially with additional con-
certs this year.
The BBSO summer en-
gagements mean there will
not be much of a respite be-
tween performances. The
symphony already has set
up its '93-'94 season, which
will be conducted at Temple
Beth El.
On the program are
"Rhapsody" (Oct. 17),
"Inside the BBSO" (Nov. 14),
"Judas Maccabaeus" (Dec.
5), "A Salute to Lenny &
George" (Jan. 16), "Annual
Valentine's Day Benefit
Concert" (Feb. 13), "Spring
Fling" (March 20) and
"Picture This" (April 17).
"Music is a fantastic "
release," said Mr. Broder, CD
who is a sales consultant
with Long Distance of c'
Michigan. "When I'm play-
ing, I have the ability to w
focus on only one thing.
"When I'm at work, I'm
thinking about work. When <
I'm driving in my car, I'm
thinking about bills and
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