To the editor:

Thank you for your coverage of the Special Use Permit granted to Classical Movements by City Council on March 13. During the weekends of April 3 and April 10, Classical Movements held two concerts, one of brass instruments and one of opera. On both occasions, the decibel levels reached 80, and the week prior they went to 90.

The SUP mandates that Classical Movements not exceed 60 decibels. Also, on April 3, Classical Movements hosted a wedding with amplified music, which City Council specifically forbade when the SUP was granted. This is the second time Classical Movements has hosted weddings with amplified music. Clearly, they have no intention of abiding by any rules.

When decibel levels reach 80 or more, the sound can be heard in every room in my house – not to mention how loud it is when one is outdoors. I was hosting friends on my patio. We literally had to shout to hear one another. My wife, who suffers from intractable migraines, had no place inside our house that was not free of this noise.

Classical Movements loves to state that “music is not noise.” It is not noise when one wishes to hear it. When one is looking for some peace, it is very much noise. Our neighbors have an infant who sleeps in a bedroom at the rear of their house. How does one get an infant to sleep when a concert is literally going on less than 50 feet away?

I have nothing against music, but the property where Classical Movements is located, in a mostly residential area, is totally unsuitable for this purpose. Which is of course is why a Special Use Permit was needed for them to continue with the concerts they ran for more than six months without a permit. City planners rightfully realized when they designed the codes that the mostly residential location of Classical Movements was not suitable for their business model.

So, I ask my fellow Alexandrians, once again, if you choose to attend these concerts, please consider the deleterious effects they are having on those who wish to have full enjoyment of their homes. Would you want this inside your home every weekend?

-Guy Lamolinara, Alexandria