Just in: Brazil maestro gets a job

Rgiarola says:

Marcelo Lehninger is also Brazilian, but for Slippeddisc.com, “OSB” seems to be the top-notch classical stuff around the country. It is not even among the top 5 institutions now a days. The best without any dispute is the sao paulo symphony, that had been from 1997 till 2006 under Minczuck direction (Associate). By the way, SP symphony demanded the retest for all musicians on 1997. On the other hand, the orchestra management could provide a incredible new concert hall for 1.800 people with and outstanding acoustic, plus musical direction with well-know MD such Alsop, Tortelier and Neschling, but above all the best fee that any concert musician can receive in the south hemisphere perhaps. I’m glad they performed the retest 20 years ago. Probably it is out of sense for european standards, but until 1997 a position in State Orchestra was like any other bureaucratic position in any public company: “people that pass a test, in order to do not need to do any effort in their lives, since everything is guarantee for life”. After 1997, they had never performed any retest or similar. Among it’s musicians the concertmaster Emmanele Baldini, ex-concertino of Scalla Milano. Horacio Schaffer, ex-concertmaster of viola of Essen Philharmoniker. Ilia Laporev ex- cello of G. Mahler chamber. Ovanir Buosi, ex clarinet of Southbank Sinfonia and London winds. Just to mention a few names that could find places in any other orchestra in the world.

By the way, R. Minczuck was MD in Canada during the last decade, and just before New Mexico. Now He is back to Sao Paulo as MD of the opera house. No restest was even cogitated for the opera musicians. It is time for Slippedisc to stop chase Roberto Minczuck, unless the blog turn to be accurate about Brazil classical scenario. Cristina Ortiz is a great pianist, but had been living outside Brazil for many decades. She is not the only resource about the retest of OSB musicians.

Karl Grossemund says:

Dear Norman,

I think you have to review your methods. For many years I have been following you but lately I noticed that your level of criticism became very nonpolitical correct, apparently, you lost your grounds. Is very clear to me that you dislike Mr. Minczuk, or perhaps you are doing that on a mandate. You keep posting that Mr. Minczuk is a controversial maestro with the OSB, which is very untrue and was fabricated by people that failed to follow his lead.

You never, never mentioned in a single post of yours, the accomplishments achieved by Mr. Minczuk to bring the OSB up to the international standards. When he was the music director of that institution, things were flowing, including sponsorship/support from many private institutions. OSB is a private orchestra not public as many think and required sponsorship to operate. When Mr. Minczuk left the OSB (he was not fired, he simply did not renew his contract) that orchestra became an institution with no credibility and went “unofficially”bankrupt, not been able to survive. It’s is all over the media in Brazil, you missed that.

According to statements at the time, Mr. Minczuk left the OSB to dedicate his time 100% to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, at the end of a successful long term with that Orchestra. You just ignored that, perhaps you did not get paid for good stuff. It seems to me that you are more into the trash side of the world of art. Back to the OSB,

Now, you did ignore Mr. Minczuk’s accomplishments in Calgary, leaving the Calgary Phil as one of the best orchestras in North America. I am not making that up, just do your own research and get updated. Your posting saying that Mr. Minczuk got a job is disgusting, poor, misinformed and of really bad taste, he simply got ONE MORE orchestra to conduct and work with, and again, through a very fair process. The NM Philharmonic Orchestra does have a reputation and a name, and selecting Mr. Minczuk will even boost their standards.

Mr. Minczuk is a very well respected conductor in Canada and in North America, including in your own country, the UK. You also failed to post the Mr. Minczuk replaced a conductor (apparently your protege) that raped and sacked the finances of the municipal orchestra of the city of São Paulo. You failed not mention that Mr. Minczuk was carefully selected to reinstate the image of that orchestra. You failed in so many ways. I guess my best advice for you, is to get back to your principles, or, just retire. Your postings towards Mr. Minczuk are poor in so many ways and does not match with the real world of music.