Word: sphere
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...Harvard musical world resembles a huge unwieldy Ptolemaic universe--full of irregular and continuing spheres and orbits. The sphere closest to the center is the one containing the musical Leviathans: The Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, the Harvard University Band and the Harvard Glee Club (with its somewhat dependent satellite the Radcliffe Choral Society). These are the big prestigious organizations; they involve the most people and are the first to attract the attention of neophyte musicians. They are the only musical organizations enjoying anything like official status. Like all extracurricular activity here, they receive no operating support from the University, but their...
Just outside this sphere hovers the University Choir. Like the Glee Club, the Choir is led by a University-appointee, in this case Mem Church's University organist and choirmaster. Its members are for the most part paid, making it something of an anomaly in the context of Harvard music (although less so as more professionals are employed in extracurricular activities). Some of its members, however, are "volunteers," participating as they would in any other organization...
...Houses are the next major sphere of musical activity. Leverett comes closest to the inner sphere of the big auspicious organizations. Its chief claim to fame is its Opera Society which as Yearbook 331 puts it, "has become the most active producer of large-scale musical events among the Houses." Its major effort this year was a highly successful production of The Marriage of Figaro, mounted with the aid of professional singers and instrumentalists and a $4500 budget...
Beyond the world of musical stage productions is an entirely different sphere of musical activity: the world of the House concert. Here the music is produced on an entirely different scale, concentrating on solo recital, chamber music and, at largest, chamber chorus...
Then there is the outer sphere of the Harvard musical universe: the Graduate Chorale, radio station WHRB, the Gilbert and Sullivan Players, the Bach Society Orchestra. The Graduate Chorale is a totally voluntary, no-auditions-required group designed to put a little enjoyment and art into the lives of library-bound grad students...