MADISON — The Watertown Wind Symphony was invited to perform "A Mother of a Revolution!" at the Minocqua Brewing Company's Madison taproom beer garden on Saturday, May 23, according to a Facebook post from the brewing company's owner.
On Tuesday, the Watertown School Board voted 7-1 to ban the orchestral piece from being played at the district's May 18 high school spring concert, prompting protests from high school and middle school students in the district.
The piece has ties to the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City, a pivotal moment for the gay rights movement in the U.S.
According to a Facebook post from Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kurt Bangstad, he invited the symphony to perform the piece at the brewing company's Madison taproom beer garden after hearing it would be banned from being performed by the symphony at the concert.
In addition, the post says that the brewing company is trying to raise $20,000 for the Watertown Music Boosters so that it can buy instruments for the symphony to use in the performance. The post adds that it is fundraising for the booster club because the school board members are not allowing the symphony to use school-owned instruments for the performance.
TMJ4 has reached out and knocked on doors of Watertown School Board members to try and hear their reasoning for the decision to ban "A Mother of a Revolution!" from being played at the district's spring concert. Those who did answer their doors did not want to give a comment on their decision.
Bangstad's Facebook post goes on to say that there are tickets for sale for the performance and that it will also be live streamed.
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