- The Washington Times - Wednesday, April 30, 2014

The Colorado Symphony Orchestra announced it’s kicking off a series of “cannabis-friendly” concerts to take advantage of the state’s blooming marijuana market and help raise money for its musical endeavors.

“The cannabis industry obviously opens the door even further to a younger, more diverse audience,” symphony CEO Jerome Kern said, to The Associated Press. The marijuana companies, in return, get “the legitimacy of being associated with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra,” he added.

The concert series is called “Classically Cannabis: The High Note Series,” and the aim is that it will bolster the symphony’s dwindling popularity and falling revenues.

The concert is being billed as BYOC — bring your own cannabis. At the same time, AP reported that smoking pot at one of the venues — the final show at Red Rocks, a facility owned by the city and county of Denver — is officially banned.

Meanwhile, some don’t like the idea of associating marijuana markets with the classic symphony at all.

“I know that the symphony needs new sponsors, and they are trying to go after a younger group,” said Judith Inman, a member of the volunteer guild, in the AP report. “I just don’t think this is the way to go about it.”

• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.

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