Orchestra asks: why do we need a music director?
NewsIn many conversations over the past four years, musicians of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra have been asking themelves, ‘Do we even want a music director? And if we do want a music director, why do we want a music director?’
Ultimately they decided, ‘yes, we want an inspiring conductor… who could communicate with the skeptics that symphonic music was important.’
The decision that they reached was to appoint a former violinist in the orchestra, Geoffrey Robson, who has been acting recently as interim artistic director and an associate conductor. In one form or other, he has been a member of the orchestra for 15 years.
He said: ‘I envision my role in the community as a connector, bringing the community closer together, making it more inclusive. I will be a music director who is approachable, willing to listen and able to recognize and implement good ideas. I will build collaborative partnerships and help others sprout creative relationships of their own.’
A new model for the maestro role?
The Tulsa Symphony has been without a music director since its inception in 2006. (It is the successor to the failed Tulsa Philharmonic.) Yes, new models for music directors are needed.
The Tulsa Symphony is a great comparison here, as I suspect the Tulsa and Arkansas symphonies have many similarities (e.g., ~8 classics concerts per season, presumably similar demographics). And they routinely get well-known American conductors (e.g., Gerry Schwarz and JoAnn Falletta next season).
I assume the Tulsa Symphony baked into its charter that the music director duties would be shifted elsewhere. That might be quite a change for an orchestra that’s been doing business differently.
Arkansas Symphony actually has over 20 concerts on the schedule for next season. They’re a little busier than Tulsa but it’s still a good comparison. Both orchestras get high caliber soloists and conductors.
Why does an orchestra need a conductor? Hmm, why does a football team need a coach? Why does an organization need a big picture person? Maybe that person needn’t be the time beater, but by default the said person is placed in the position to hear and see everything better than anyone, and is the organization’s most public figure.
Until workers’ councils start running organizations, and we get rid of (male dominated) hierarchies, bosses will have to continue to exist as they serve a purpose.
Sure, Orpheus in NYC doesn’t have a conductor / music director. And that’s why it sounds how it sounds…
The Vienna Philharmonic does not have a music director, yet they are a rather good orchestra. Historically, the London Symphony Orchestra has not had a music director for most of its existence, and when Rattle leaves, the top conducting gig (which goes to Pappano) will be entitled “Chief Conductor”.
Why the urge to say something just for the sake of it?
It may work, it may fail, it may end being meh….like the conductors – some are fabulous, some are terrible, some are meh… Let’s see what happens.
Yea, Geoffrey!
I just wish I was still out there. I always enjoyed working with you (and you’re a great violinist, too!)
Arkansas, that’s a meat and potatoes symphonic zone if there ever were one.
The orchestra would be a bit loony to bump Beethoven from their programming, as some northern orchestra programmers are chewing at the bit to do. Go ahead, try another click-clack-bang-oink-oink-waaa-boom piece based on the sounds of memories of a mosquito’s cries, but that’s not gonna get tickets sold or grocery stores to sponsor. In Arkansas, just give them what most concertgoers worldwide want: an overture, a concerto, and a big symphony.
Sighs matter.
Walmart Co. is not an average grocery store. If the symphony gets sponsored by Walmart, it could hire extremely talented musicians around the world.
I’m sure that you had fun stringing those noises together, but I hope you’re aware that there is a great deal of contemporary classical music that utterly fails to answer to that caricature of yours.
Gerry, what’s your connection to Arkansas? You clearly aren’t familiar with any of ASO’s programs of recent times. You can drop the stereotype.
The ghost of Otto Klemperer just laughed at this. Not just smile sardonically, but actually laugh.
Geoff Robson is a fine musician who is on his way to a really fine career. His colleagues ALWAYS love making music with him…in any and every role he takes on.
He will continue to make a very big impact on the musical life in Arkansas.
I remember Geoffrey from the London Conducting Workshop- when we were both participants about a decade or so back. Nice chap- good luck to him in Arkansas.
Where did you get this from? Wasn’t this a typical music director search that was just prolonged by covid? Was there ever a chance they wouldn’t hire a conductor?
Of course, every orchestra needs a music director. Where else would all the young Finns find work? And when that wave passes, the female tsunami is coming!
A music director is more than a maestro.
A new model? It reads like an American job description.