Weidner Philharmonic Express Yourself – Saturday, September 28 at 6:30 PM – Tickets On-Sale Now!
What do Beloved, The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Captain Underpants all have in common? Believe it or not, they are all among the most frequently challenged or banned books in America.
Weidner Philharmonic’s opening concert of the 2024-2025 series, is Express Yourself, a program exploring freedom of expression and examining the power of using our voices to share our truth and be the change we want to see in the world.
The concert’s first selection is Overture to Candide by Leornard Bernstein (1918-1990) – a comic operetta inspired by Voltaire’s satire of the same name. Why this choice? Candide is itself one of the most widely banned texts of its time.
So, in celebration of our opening concert, Express Yourself, we thought it appropriate to join the ever-expanding list of banned books with specialized picks and recommends from some our Weidner Philharmonic principal musicians. Check it out the list and the reasons why below.
“So many favorites! A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L’Engle), Brave New World (Aldous Huxley). Are You There, God? It’s Me Margaret (and all other Judy Blume books).
– Susan Lawrence McCardell, Bassoon
“L’Engle and Huxley immerse young readers in adventures that present imaginative (and frightening) as well as thought-provoking possibilities of a future world. Judy Blume’s writing style is unparalleled in its accessibility for young adult readers, and her topics inform young readers in a way that promotes self-acceptance and acceptance of others.”
The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by JD Salinger
– Steve Wilda, Tuba
“Read it for the first time when I was 13 yrs old. Got it from my Catholic School Library. Thought it was about baseball. Spoiler alert — it was not about baseball. Read it again several years later and it struck me much differently as an adult.”
Captain Underpants! I have two young girls, and being able to share a laugh with them with this series of books is the absolute best. These books teach kids not to take themselves or their surroundings too seriously, but to value their friendships and stick together. It’s a message more of us could heed, to be honest.
– Adam Gaines, Trumpet
“I have so many. Some helped me understand my own circumstances, some helped me understand other people’s.
– Elizabeth DeLamater, Principal Timpani
All are wonderful. The Color Purple, Beloved, The Bluest Eye, Bridge to Terabithia, Heather Has Two Mommies, Deenie, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, The Handmaid’s Tale, Native Son etc.”
The Bible, which has often been banned in many countries. For so many people, it is still forbidden fruit. Repressive regimes have executed untold multitudes of people for smuggling or reading Bibles, yet many are still willing to risk punishment.
– Mathew Michelic, Viola
“Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card; which raises deep ethical questions about the nature of “the other”.”
– Andrew Zipperer, Trombone
The Catcher in the Rye. Read it first in 8th grade, my first “coming of age” novel. I still remember the wonderful discussions we had in English class that the book generated.
– David Bell, Clarinet