TQO – What the?

I’m sorry, but whoever thought that abbreviating the word “The” was acceptable deserves to lose their job. Not sure what I’m talking about? Ok. In Brisbane, we now have one main symphony orchestra, The Queensland Orchestra. It’s a silly name, given that it was previously called The Queensland Symphony Orchestra - a much more appropriate name I believe but some idiot thought to change it. Yes, yes, I know. The name change occurred as a result of the amalgamation of two orchestras, but the end result was an orchestra that performs the same functions as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra always did, so what’s the difference, apart, obviously, from some new players?? Anyway, for the years the orchestra held its previous title, it was commonly called the QSO. Presumably when the orchestra’s name changed they wanted something just as catchy as the QSO, but the QO doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. So what did they do? They called it the TQO. The The Queensland Orchestra. Just like a Personal Identification Number Number (PIN number) or an Automatic Teller Machine Machine (ATM machine). Very clever people…. Not only did you totally unnecessarily change the orchestra’s name, under which it had thrived and built its reputation for 54 years, but you also stooped so low as to now be on a par with financial institutions in stupid acronym stakes. What were you thinking? Classical musicians are supposed to be intelligent!

P.S. On a brighter note, if you’re interested… The lovely lady smack bang in the middle of the front row is my Nanna