When I think of Macon music, I usually think soul, Southern rock and country. If you follow the new Macon scene, you can find hip-hop, indie rock and singer-songwriters.

However, you probably don’t think classical when you think of Macon. There is a concerted effort to add that musical style to the list of Macon’s musical love affairs as well.

When you think classical music in Macon, I hope that you quickly think about the Macon Symphony Orchestra. They are a fantastic group of players and for a city that loves music as much as Macon does, they get overlooked.

A night out with the Macon Symphony Orchestra is a wonderful way to mix it up and do something different downtown.

Macon’s fledgeling romance (or rekindling, depending on where you stand) doesn’t stop there. We have two very big time players in the world of classical music right here in Macon: Robert McDuffie and his partner in crime, Amy Schwartz-Moretti.

McDuffie travels the world as a violin soloist. American composer Philip Glass even wrote his concerto “The American Four Seasons” for McDuffie. That’s some powerful influence in the world of classical music. McDuffie was born and raised in Macon.

He now heads the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University’s Townsend School of Music.

Amy Schwartz-Moretti is the director of the Center for Strings, the Caroline Paul King Chair in violin, and she coordinates the young artist component of the Rome Chamber Music Festival in Italy.

She’s also a well known chamber music artist and soloist in her own right.

Together, she and McDuffie are teaching some of the most talented young string players in the world.

Not only are they learning how to play the best music, they have made sure these students will know how to manage their careers from the business aspect as well, something that is missing from most musical studies.

As I looked over what was happening this week in Macon, I was pleased to see two classical events from Mercer worthy of planning nights on the town.

First, the Cortona Trio featuring Amy Schwartz-Moretti, Julie Albers and Elisabeth Prigden will play at Mercer’s Fickling Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Then, Mercer University Opera kicks off four performances of “Iolanthe” starting Thursday, also at Fickling Hall.

Join in the fun and experience these beautiful sounds in Macon.

Contact Roger Riddle at roger.riddle@gmail.com