Did Birmingham make the right choice?
NewsThere is quiet satisfaction in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at the speed with which they picked Kazuki Yamada to replace Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla as music director.
Yamada, 42, has greatly enthused the players in his three years as principal guest conductor and is musically well equipped for the job.
He will also bring – or so we are told – the promise of tours to Japan, the platinum level of status and profitability for an orchestra. All of this augurs well.
But was it the best choice in the circumstances?
Yamada lives in Berlin with his family and has another job in Monte Carlo. With Corona restrictions stretching as far ahead as the eye can see, and Brexit piling up further travel difficulties (a key reason for Mirga’s exit), might it not have been prudent to appoint a young British-based conductor who could be sure to turn up, whatever Covid and Brexit dictate?
There was a party in favour of Alpesh Chauhan, music director of Birmingham Opera, locally born and loyal.
Others under consideration were Mahler-winner Finnegan Downie Dear and Marta Gardolińska and Gergely Madaras.
Time and vaccines alone will tell if the players called it right. And if they received the best advice.
Sounds like a lack of commitment here for the home orchestra here, flitting around in a pandemic – and then trips in Japan?
I think you need to consider that Kazuki Yamada has been principal guest conductor for some time, Berlin is not a million miles away and travel restrictions are being amended. Yes he has other posts but many conductors take on several roles at the same time and he is greatly admired by both the orchestra and audience alike. We were sad to hear that Mirga is leaving but the travel is not her main reason (I suspect) – she has two very young children to take care of and her responsibilities as music director in Birmingham are significant. I feel that the CBSO has made the best choice for the furure and hope that we will see Kazuki for many years. I have certainly not heard or seen the latter three you mention and yes Alpesh would have been welcome but would he have wanted this as well as his other Birmingham post?
Welcome to Kazuki and good luck
Having been at that season opening concert last night… wow. They have definitely made the right choice. Unbelievable energy, joy, passion and happiness all round.
Can’t let Covid restrictions rip away the joy of music forever just to ensure a conductor “turns up”.
I too was at that concert and it was great, so I’m looking forward to future concerts. I also heard RhineGold recently, conducted by Alpesh who has a glittering career ahead of him and I think doesn’t actually need the CBSO at this point.
What I hear in Norman’s comments:
“Britain First. Keep the foreigners out.”
Think you will find that sentiment exists only inside your head.
Norman, I have no idea where you are getting this information from. As someone that was present in CBSO meetings, not one of the names mentioned in this article (other than Yamada, obviously) was mentioned. The latter 3 have not even worked with the orchestra yet so it’s ridiculous to even speculate that they were under consideration. This is absolute garbage journalism with no foundation in fact whatsoever.
Plus Rattle going Munich.
Brexit will clearly have longer lasting effects on culture than Corona.
I wish Kazuki all the best. Recent CBSO appts have worked out pretty well. Hopefully he’ll enjoy a long stay in Birmingham and we’ll look back and all these Covid-based doubts will be of historical interest only. As a Brummie I do think appointing Alpesh could have helped increase the diversity and age range of those attending CBSO concerts but happy to leave the decision to the experts. Booked 3 CBSO concerts in Oct/Nov – just happy at the prospect of live classical music locally and regularly again.
Let no one think that this appointment has been welcomed by everyone involved with the CBSO. There is a significant group of players, management and trustees that believe the orchestra has been very badly managed (artistically and administratively) over the last few years. Yamada’s appointment is likely to quietly fizzle away, an appointment many of us believed was untenable in the first place.
The lack of vision in terms of making key artists and artistic appointments relevant to the wider public by promoting and showcasing British talent has caused many of us great concern. Unfortunately, the current CEO is unable to grasp this reality and it is his lack of understanding of what the public wants that is creating damage and management division.
Unless there is a major change, the outlook is bleak. The new Culture Secretary is unlikely to be as flexible or sympathetic to arts funding as Dowden was.
If what you say is true, at all, then it is problematic. What do you propose would make a difference?
Frankly, it is not plausible, as you suggest, that Yamada’s appointment will fizzle away when it has just been announced!
Whether or not Yamada is the right choice is now academic but if the alternative names mentioned here need a job how about looking up the M6 to Manchester? The Halle is badly in need of dragging itself into the 21st Century as its Autumn/Winter season will attest. The CBSO has been fortunate in its choices, the Halle less so. 21 years of ever more larghissimo conducting hardens the arteries of more than the audience.
Way back in the early 80’s, I was running EMI Classics UK and was fortunate to be asked to be on the jury of the Harvey’s International Conductors Competition in Bournemouth with the BSO. Kazuki Yamada, in his 20’s was one of the contestants, and even though he did not win (surprisingly for me!), I will remember to this day, his conducting of Bartok’s Dance Suite, red hot, exciting and so assured. The CBSO have done well to get him.