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But those who braved sub-freezing temperatures to hear the Nashville Symphony and guests could soon forget their nasally challenged neighbors and focus on the music-making. That's how good this concert was from start to finish.

Literally.

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The second half opened with the world premiere - a rare treat for audience and orchestra - of Kokopelli, a three movement symphony by David Amram, longtime friend of Schermerhorn and of the late flutist Murray Panitz, whose widow, Myrna, helped commission this music.

Amram is prized for his versatility, his ability to embrace countless (and often divergent) musical styles; and this piece, a warmly evocative tone poem in essence, exuded Native American rhythms, jazz flashes and atmospheric music that smacked of the softer side of Ravel or Debussy.

Conducted by Amram himself, the vivid first and last movements were like embracing arms extended to the audience, while the middle movement, though it lost intensity a little at times, featured a lovely extend song for strings.

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