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100 Years 100 Cellos

After booking a world renowned cellist for the final concert of the Quad City Symphony's 100th season, orchestra supporters wanted to come up with something else "big" to mark the occasion. So they bought 100 cellos, and asked local artists to turn them into works of art.  

The cellos are being auctioned to benefit the symphony after being on display in recent weeks.
And Laurie Skjerseth, co-president of Volunteers for Symphony, has seen all 100. 
The un-finished instruments were made in China, and handed out to the local artists in February.

The other co-president of the volunteer group, Mary Kay Waytenick, says their goal was to call attention to the 100th anniversary.

MARYK1.mp3
People don't realize our symphony has lasted this long.

Bidding for the cellos is now underway online, and all 100 will go on display at the Figge Art Museum on May 26. They'll then be sold during a special "Cello-bration" on the 29th. 

A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.