Israel Philharmonic Orchestra noteworthy, but distractions blemished night

Until Myron Martin, president and CEO of The Smith Center, mentioned that security was everywhere, and included Metro, Homeland Security and Israeli security, I was clueless.

I hadn’t considered that the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s appearance Monday could be a terrorist target.

Silly me, I wanted to see one of the top 10 orchestras in the world. But it made perfect sense.

This was an orchestra that has played on despite wars and violence, an orchestra that in 1948 during the War of Independence traveled in armored cars. Then there was the time when the audience wore gas masks during the performance because Saddam Hussein was firing missiles over Israel.

Some of the security was obvious. That nice man holding the door open for me while checking me out was clearly a security officer of some kind. But Martin said there was security everywhere, including backstage and in the audience.

Thought the extra security and concerns about violence might distract me from the performance, but once the music began, the distraction was the man in the row ahead of me.

This dolt obviously thought he was the conductor, not Zubin Mehta, and waved his hands for all to see throughout most of the pieces drawing attention to himself and away from the orchestra. Naturally, Mr. Dolt paused to check his cell phone during the performance. And yes, he was a clapper between movements, a no-no in the orchestra world.

Whatever happened to sit quietly and listen without distracting others?