Music: All-Star Orchestra

I am one of those cats that loves and appreciates music, but possesses zero talent. Sheet music looks like Greek to me, flats and sharps are indistinguishable to my ears, and I can barely hold a beat long enough to pass a song in Rock Band. Understand that when I see the professional musicians involved in All-Star Orchestra, I don't see people playing instruments, I see superhumans:


All-Star Orchestra is the brainchild of Gerard Schwarz, former music director and conductor laureate of Seattle Symphony. Schwarz gathers together some of the best orchestral musicians from all over the country to record a series of pieces over a few days, with no audience but a host of HD cameras. These performances are broadcast on public television, and excerpted to form the basis for the Khan Academy's online classical music courses. Even if you're not planning on learning how to play an instrument, it's a great way to get a deeper appreciation of classical music.