A music festival should never ever be allowed to die a quiet death.

And the renowned and highly respected Hampden-Sydney Music Festival deserves a full-throated wake.

Because, yes, apparently the festival's last-ever notes were sounded on Saturday night, May 29.

Hampden-Sydney College has explained that it is no longer possible for the college directly to underwrite operating expenses when contributions and ticket sales do not provide sufficient income.

That is understandable, from a business perspective, though a not too contrary point is often made by those deciding to cut art and music from public school curriculums in Virginia and across the nation, a loss to students and to us all.

Some things are worth investing in, from an educational and cultural point of view, regardless of the bottom line, and it would be a shame if this chamber music festival left Prince Edward County.

At the very least, there should be a 30th anniversary Hampden-Sydney Music Festival this summer to celebrate the amazing wealth of musical talent that has graced the campus, and this community, over the past three decades.

Indeed, it is not difficult to imagine there may be leftover endowment funds, pledged or already donated to the Hampden-Sydney Music Festival, that could be used to ensure a 30th season.

Ironically, the Hampden-Sydney Music Festival is said to have finished in the black last year, not in red ink. A 30th anniversary farewell festival would undoubtedly attract enough people to pay for itself.

And, who knows, there may be leftover endowment funds and pledges made to the music festival that could be used to cover any shortfall should this optimism prove misplaced.

Allow that 30th anniversary festival to take place, however, and there is no telling what the outpouring of support might achieve.

A 31st and 32nd annual Hampden-Sydney Music Festival, for example.

The Hampden-Sydney Music Festival deserves far better than to expire without even an audible dying gasp.

A swan song is merited.

Hampden-Sydney College has assured music festival patrons that it has not withdrawn from its commitment to concert music and the new Hampden-Sydney Music Series debuted two concerts last fall, with additional concerts promised for the spring.

That's nice. A good thing. Longwood University also hosts concerts during the year.

But even though the new music series' logo looks to these eyes to be identical to the music festival's logo, a series of periodic concerts, no matter how praiseworthy, is not the same thing as the two-week long chamber music festival that was, and still should be, the Hampden-Sydney Music Festival.

This community, in addition to Hampden-Sydney College, was enriched by the presence and performance of some of the world's greatest music by some of the world's greatest musicians (see editorial below).

Hampden-Sydney College deserves loud applause for its years of providing facilities and other support to the festival. (For the sake of full disclosure, this editorial's sentiments are expressed from the heart of a Hampden-Sydney College graduate). I would like to keep standing and clapping my hands. Nor am I alone.

If we are to throw dirt on the Hampden-Sydney Music Festival's grave, provide at least a chance to stand and say 'Bravo' with affection and respect, knowing that the festival's coda has been played.

Or that the first notes of its resurrection have been sounded.

-JKW-