{"id":4263,"date":"2025-06-30T15:13:22","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T19:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.icsom.org\/senzasordino\/?p=4263"},"modified":"2025-06-30T16:12:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T20:12:16","slug":"los-angeles-fire-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.icsom.org\/senzasordino\/2025\/06\/los-angeles-fire-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles Fire Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor’s note: These stories were written by two musicians of the LA Phil who were affected by the fires in Los Angeles January 2025 and compiled by Los Angeles Philharmonic Delegate Ted Botsford.<\/em><\/p>\n

Gratitude for the Orchestra Community<\/b><\/p>\n

by Marion Kuszyk, Los Angeles Philharmonic<\/i><\/p>\n

There are certain events in life that can change a person forever. The night of January 7 was one of those moments. Before January 7, my husband Brent and I were focused on fixing up our new \u201cempty nester\u201d home in Altadena that we purchased just a few months prior. This house represented stability in our lives, and it felt so peaceful residing there. Our youngest child successfully graduated high school and started college, so we were finally starting to focus on the two of us.<\/p>\n

Then the Eaton Fire ravaged Altadena, and our lives were upended in a way that I didn\u2019t even know was possible! Somehow we started muddling through the chaos\u2014dealing with finding a new place to live, insurance, starting over with all new stuff\u2014all while struggling with grief and uncertainty. While all this sounds daunting, one wonderful thing I learned is that I can believe in people! So many<\/i> people wanted and still want to help, and we learned that it\u2019s okay to accept help. We simply would not have made it through to this point without everyone\u2019s incredible support!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Los Angeles Philharmonic President & CEO Kim Noltemy and the Philharmonic\u2019s board of directors have been amazing, and numerous other people reached out as well. Too many to count; however, I do have a special shout out to the oboe section of the Toronto Symphony. Even though I have never met any oboist in that orchestra, Principal Oboist Sarah Jeffrey took the time to coordinate with the section there to send a \u201ccare package\u201d of reeds as well as other reed making supplies. I was so touched, especially because reeds are so personal and I, for one, tend to hoard mine. It\u2019s true that the last thing anyone wants to do after an epic wildfire wipes out their home is to sit down and make reeds, but this enabled me to start getting back to the business of making music instead of insurance calls!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s overwhelming and there is not enough I can do to express the amount of appreciation that I have for EVERYONE who have reached out. Honestly, I got teary when I received a check from all the ICSOM orchestra donations. I feel the love and it\u2019s overwhelming!\u00a0 <\/span>I cannot thank you enough and it makes all the difference in the world. It\u2019s a long journey to recovery but I know we\u2019ve got this!<\/p>\n

Back to Normal: <\/b>Are We There Yet?<\/b><\/p>\n

by Christopher Still, Los Angeles Philharmonic<\/i><\/p>\n

\"\"It\u2019s been five months since the fire took our home in Altadena. We have an architect. The lot has been cleared. There\u2019s progress. Tangible, documented progress.<\/p>\n

I just wish my mind felt as clear.<\/p>\n

People keep asking, almost every day, \u201cHow are you guys doing?\u201d Someone literally asked me that five minutes ago. And I\u2019m never quite sure how to answer. I smile. I say, \u201cwe\u2019re hanging in there,\u201d or \u201clittle by little.\u201d Something that acknowledges their support, which I truly feel and appreciate, without trying to summarize the full mental terrain of post-trauma logistics and daily emotional aftershocks.<\/p>\n

The other kind of reminder? That\u2019s quieter, but just as relentless. A dozen times a day, my brain still reaches for things that no longer exist. Where\u2019s that blue shirt? The stapler? That awesome vintage straight mute that belonged to my dad? Oh right. Ash.<\/p>\n

Because we\u2019re not going back to normal. We\u2019re moving forward\u2014into something we haven\u2019t seen before. Right now, the neighborhood is still just dirt and construction fencing. But it will be different. The houses, the stores, the skyline. Even the birds will sound different.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m still writing thank-you notes by the dozen. Still overwhelmed by the generosity of friends, colleagues, and strangers who showed up in ways big and small. That part hasn\u2019t faded.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s still music to be made, coaching to do, life to live. And we\u2019re doing all of it. Just with a little more perspective, a little less stuff, and a lot more gratitude.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not \u201cback\u201d\u2014but we\u2019re still here.<\/p>\n

The support we\u2019ve received from across the ICSOM network has been nothing short of staggering. Donations, messages, offers of help\u2014so many acts of solidarity from colleagues around the country. If you haven\u2019t received a thank-you note yet\u2014or seen one hanging on the musicians\u2019 board\u2014please know it\u2019s on the way. We see you, we feel you, and we are so grateful.<\/p>\n

Editor’s note: Pacific Symphony Delegate Rob Schumitsky also submitted the following message regarding the impact of fires to musicians in his orchestra. Due to space constraints, it appears in the online version only.<\/em><\/p>\n

Two contracted Musicians of Pacific Symphony have been displaced from their homes due to the recent Southern California wildfires and are now navigating the uncertainty of insurance delays, toxic exposure, and temporary housing. Several long-time Substitute and Retired Musicians have also been deeply affected, with some facing the total loss of their homes.<\/span><\/p>\n

These Musicians continue to show up, performing at the highest level while quietly managing the enormous challenges of displacement, recovery, and rebuilding.\u00a0For artists who depend on consistency and routine to do their work, that stability has been completely disrupted. And yet, even amid this uncertainty, they continue to bring their full artistry to the stage, often without the time or space to fully process what they\u2019re going through.<\/span><\/p>\n

In times like these, we\u2019re reminded that an orchestra is more than a group of musicians. It\u2019s a community:\u00a0interconnected and resilient. The music continues because of their strength and through the power of the ICSOM community, with their tremendously generous donations. This support extends far beyond our stage. It\u2019s a reflection of what it truly means to stand together.<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor’s note: These stories were written by two musicians of the LA Phil who were affected by the fires in Los Angeles January 2025 and compiled by Los Angeles Philharmonic Delegate Ted Botsford. Gratitude for the Orchestra Community by Marion Kuszyk, Los Angeles Philharmonic There are certain events in life that can change a person… [Read more]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[268],"tags":[47,237],"class_list":{"0":"post-4263","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-june-2025","8":"tag-los-angeles","9":"tag-pacific-symphony","10":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLos Angeles Fire Stories | Senza Sordino<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.icsom.org\/senzasordino\/2025\/06\/los-angeles-fire-stories\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Los Angeles Fire Stories | Senza Sordino\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Editor’s note: These stories were written by two musicians of the LA Phil who were affected by the fires in Los Angeles January 2025 and compiled by Los Angeles Philharmonic Delegate Ted Botsford. 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