How one audience member found Claflin Hill — and why the orchestra keeps pulling him back, season after season.
A clarinet birthday gift. A chance connection. A first concert that changed everything.
This week on Classical Gassing, CHSO Music Director Paul Surapine sits down with audience member Peter Vangsness, who shares how he discovered Claflin Hill — and why he now attends nearly every concert.
From Symphony Hall to Tanglewood, Peter has heard orchestras across New England, and here he reflects on what makes CHSO special: its intimacy, its sound, its musicians, and its sense of community.
A touching, funny, and heartfelt conversation for anyone who’s ever been moved by live music — or wondered how CHSO became one of the region’s best-kept cultural treasures.
In this heartwarming episode of Classical Gassing, Paul Surapine sits down with longtime audience member Peter Vangsness, whose path to Claflin Hill began with an unexpected story involving a clarinet, a birthday gift, and a search for a teacher.
Peter shares how he and his wife discovered the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, what keeps them returning concert after concert, and why Milford Town Hall’s acoustics rival some of the finest venues in New England. From stories of Symphony Hall, Tanglewood, and Hartford, to reflections on what makes live music meaningful, this episode is a love letter to community, artistry, and the transformative power of sound.
Paul and Peter explore:
🎼 Why a town hall can sound as magnificent as Boston’s Symphony Hall
🎻 The overlooked brilliance of CHSO’s string section
🎺 What makes music “moving” vs. “not moving”
🎹 The joy of discovering an orchestra “hidden in plain sight”
🎵 How Claflin Hill balances classical masterpieces with new music
🤝 Why community connection is as essential as the performance itself
🎶 Why imperfection, risk-taking, and musical “edge” can make concerts unforgettable
It’s a rich conversation full of stories, nostalgia, and genuine admiration — from one music lover to the orchestra that won his heart.
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