MTT mentee gets a Midwestern orchestra
OrchestrasThe Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony, Chad Goodman, has been named music director of the Elgin Symphony in Illinois, succeeding Andrew Grams.
Goodman has also been, for the past five years, Assistant Conductor to Michael Tilson Thomas and Esa-Pekka Salonen at the San Francisco Symphony.
photo: Carolyn Buhrow
So happy to read this post which is how I learned that Chad Goodman has been selected as the new Music Director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. What brings this news close to my heart is that the Elgin orchestra is one of the first I had performed with as far back as the late 1980s. The Elgin orchestra was already chosen as one of the most successful orchestras in the state of Illinois. Robert ‘Bob’ Hanson was their long time charismatic leader, and we shared very special musical moments together. Chad is equally charismatic, brilliant musician, and a respectful, respected and passionate ambassador for their podium. I wish him success as he leads this splendid orchestra into the next years of the 21st century.
Great comment – feels so ChatGPT…
So happy for Chad and so proud of him. Bravo Maestro!!!
San Francisco Symphony does not have an Assistant Conductor. He may have been one of several anonymous cover conductors or assisted MTT on a private basis from time to time. A small exaggeration going on.
He was assistant conductor of the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra from 2016-2018. The 90 member orchestra is located in Los Altos, south of San Francisco. Maybe that’s the confusion about his background.
The un-woke mob should be happy about this one. “Chad Goodman” is the name you might come up with if you invented the most generic white man imaginable
ESO is a very good orchestra which can rise to the occasion in concert. Management there is, however, know nothing. Andrew Grams, chosen by an even more know nothing previous administration, was a nobody and did relatively little in Elgin but polish his resume. Elgin needs someone who will participate in the wider Chicago music scene and this will define how they are accepted. Again, management knows nothing. We simply don’t have any idea how Milquetoast will do in this new role.
N.b.: “Mentor” was never derived from a verb. It was a man’s name, in the Odyssey.