"The Milwaukee Symphony has a fairly new and growing relationship with Marquette University," said Zach Cohen, Principal Bass player for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.,”Soothe aching ears after Sunday's lineup of pop-punk and ska/punk at the Varsity Theatre with a free concert by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at Gesu Church Tuesday, sponsored by Marquette University and Gesu Parish.

"The Milwaukee Symphony has a fairly new and growing relationship with Marquette University," said Zach Cohen, principal bass player for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. "The concert is geared toward young, working people and presents a manageable amount of music. It's targeted toward a younger audience."

At 24, Cohen is the youngest member of the MSO. He graduated from The Juilliard School in New York City in 2005, and though this is his first job, Cohen won the position of principal bass in 2006.

"I was excited and ready for it," Cohen said of the awarded position. "All of my friends in New York, all the musicians I know there, are very in-your-face. They never take a backseat attitude—well, they're New Yorkers."

Cohen began playing electric bass for rock music at 13, and took up an interest in jazz and upright bass at 15. The instrument upgrade led him to classical music.

"I feel like classical music does the most for me," Cohen said. "It has the most dimension and can convey more subtle emotion than any other type of music."

Cohen grew up in the Bronx and admitted he knew nothing about Milwaukee before he auditioned for the MSO.

"I'm from New York City, so I didn't know much about what was going on outside," Cohen said. "New Yorkers are sort of insulated."

Cohen said the move to the Midwest has led to some positive discoveries.

"I like living along the lake," he said. "I like my apartment, and I wouldn't have been able to afford it if it were in New York."

Are Lake Michigan and relative property values enough to keep this bassist in Wisconsin? Cohen said the appeal is deeper than that.

"I have a great job, I play principal; it's hard to ask for a better job," he said. "The people in my bass section are super supportive."

Cohen said he finds this supportiveness one of his favorite things about the area.

"People in the Midwest have less abrasive personalities," Cohen said. "It has really helped me with this first job. In a large city, people are just waiting for you to (mess) up."

The MSO will play at Gesu Church 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Admission is free.

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