Devin's mission is to connect with and profoundly affect the human spirit through symphonic performance and education.
"My artistic vision is for the symphony to be celebrated and enmeshed in all aspects of society. The 21st century orchestra must directly engage the general public with the excitement, profundity and novelty of classical music. My mission is to merge all aspects of the symphony within communities by inspiring kids and adults with the creativity, joy and drama of classical music. It is essential to showcase all the diverse aspects of classical music, including baroque, classical, romantic, contemporary, jazz, opera, pop, and folk music.
We must perform, engage and inspire outside of the concert hall to reach people who have limited exposure to classical music and show them how vibrant, impactful and purposeful it can be for their daily lives. All the great composers, including the living ones, experience “normal” lives, and are human beings trying to figure out how their unique talents can contribute to the troubled worlds in which they live. It is awesome to realize that everyone has this potential, revealing their skills to make the world a better place.
This is, I believe, the essential message of classical music: that everyone can make a difference in their culture and community, and that we are all connected in the human experience. This is embodied in the music and in the ensemble itself. Inspired music-making breaks down the perceived differences that are too often highlighted in our culture, and brings us closer to a society of cooperation, empowerment and enrichment."
"Everyone really loves classical music. They just don't know it yet. If they don't love it, they haven't experienced it under the right circumstances. The symphony is more than just an orchestra; it poses a global model of cooperation. A musician must adjust their belief system and values to serve the greater whole of the orchestra. No one person is more important than another and the cooperation creates a magical, effortless sounding event that inspires the soul."
-Devin Patrick Hughes