MUSIC FOR EVERYONE

Some San Antonians display a stunning lack of awareness about the symphony, as evidenced by C.G. Meyer's letter, "Let the snobs pay" (March 5).

Meyer, deriding the symphony's penchant for catering to "bluebloods," suggested it might fare better with such guests as B.B. King and Ray Charles, playing outdoors, and offering Christmas music "more people relate to."

As a San Antonio Symphony musician, I performed with Chet Atkins, Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck, Vikki Carr, Ray Charles, Rosemary Clooney, Jim Cullum, Sandy Duncan, Jose Feliciano, Janie Fricke, The Four Tops, Larry Gatlin, Marvin Hamlisch, Emmylou Harris, Tish Hinojosa, Cleo Laine, The Lettermen, Henry Mancini, Bobby McFerrin, Rita Moreno, Michael Martin Murphey, Emilio Navaira, Peter Nero, Doc Severinsen, Billy Taylor, The Temptations, Toni Tennille, Mel Torme, Patsy Torres, and Ben Vereen.

The symphony plays outdoors in Guadalupe Plaza (free), at SeaWorld (for charity), and at several other outdoor venues. They present a Holiday Pops with such highbrow masterworks as "Frosty, the Snowman" and "Must Be Santa."

These complement the primary mission of the San Antonio Symphony: to perform classical symphonic literature.

The symphony's marketing department is doing all it can with limited resources, but South Texans who love pop, jazz, rock 'n' roll, big band, oldies, Tejano, country, Latin, Motown, film music, Broadway, and, yes, classical music can make an effort by calling the symphony to make a donation and buy tickets.

Eric Brahinsky