The hottest young conductor on American TV
mainOpening the year on NBC’s Today program was Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, ‘the lightining baton from Lithuania’. Mirga is one of three Dudamel associate conductors at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
‘Am I one of the luckiest guys on the planet to watch this?’ cries NBC’s Harry Smith. Watch the segment here.
Or here.
We’ll be hearing a lot more of Mirga before the month is out.
her next concert in Europe: https://www.facebook.com/events/1529148620731774/
No, this is her next concert in Europe:
https://cbso.co.uk/event/schumanns-piano-concerto
I do not know the conductor at all, but any occasion to hear Beatrice Rana should not be missed. She is a real musician to watch.
To watch? I try to go to concerts to listen. The only time I’m tempted to “watch” is when the conductor’s actions seem impervious to what I’m hearing.
You “watch” a career.
Lebrecht’s final sentence is because this is the woman lined up to take over the CBSO.
Not “lined up”, exactly – but under serious consideration by the players of the orchestra. As is at least one other young-ish conductor. Nothing is decided at present.
I hope so. The video and her ‘conducting’ is an embarrassment.
The CBSO musicians (who have previously identified the potential of the current chief conductors of the Berlin Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and Boston Symphony) have actually played under her direction. I think I’ll defer to their judgment.
The CBSO musicians are in difficult times right now. They can hardly be compared to the orchestra five or ten years ago, say. Christopher Morley wrote an article on the situation not too long ago: you might enjoy reading it (unless you already have).
Seriously: did you actually hear their “Parsifal”? Their Beethoven 9 at the Proms? Their recent Mendelssohn discs under Gardner? They’re in superb shape as an ensemble, arguably playing at a higher standard than under Rattle – which is exactly what Chris’s article (which was actually expressing valid concerns about the interregnum between music directors, with no reflection on the standard of the orchestra) said. You’re right however, that his views are always worth taking seriously: you’ll doubtless be familiar with what he said about Ms Grazinyte-Tyla here:
http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/review-summer-concert-cbso-symphony-9734334
But in any case, that’s irrelevant to the question in hand: they can certainly be compared to the orchestra 5 or 10 years ago because in most cases they’re exactly the same people. Player turnover in the CBSO is low. Many of the musicians who’ll be forming an opinion on this conductor were playing in the orchestra when it appointed Rattle. Still more were directly involved in hiring Oramo and Nelsons. They know what they’re talking about and their track record in identifying young conducting talent is unparalleled. Though of course nothing is decided yet, whatever anyone says.
Thank you for such a detailed, and promising, reply.
Mr. Smith must be deprived of a lot to consider himself “one of the luckiest…”.
My dilemma is to puke or yawn.
Understandable, but if you love music, surely the problem is whether to laugh or cry?
I’m torn between primal screaming and puking.
NBC’s Harry Smith is an idiot, and the headline above another drop in the ocean of professional prostitution and sheer hostility to the art form, in which classical music is about to die. The rats can swim, the art can not. The end.
That’s the point. There is no problem with being a lively person as a conductor, think of Lenny. But, If that is all you have to offer, it is way too less. It looks great, but it is not deep at all.
Someone very lively and lacking musical depth is an assistant to Dudamel? Shocking.
Liveliness and looking good need not exclude musical depth. I know Mirga and she is anything but shallow. And how much “depth” is a young twenty-something conductor required to show before she’s written off by sarcastic arm-chair blog conductors? If Harry likes to salivate, that’s his problem and doesn’t reflect on her.
There is no way to know about real musical personality because, like all the over-hyped “stars” of our time, she conducts at the level I play the violin. Oh, and I am not an armchair conductor but a professional with over 30 years experience. When I started no one of discernment had any interest in conductors under 50 because it’s a slow burn. Now real knowledge is not optional, it is positively damaging to chances of success. Very sad situation because the result is the music sounds boring and I cannot imagine why anyone buys tickets for concerts of our supposedly great orchestras. And of course people with ears do walk away.
They do walk away, but where can they go?
“Oh, and I am not an armchair conductor but a professional with over 30 years experience”…….yes, but a professional what, and 30 years experience of what? You sound like one of those people who say “I have been doing this 25 years………..” when what they mean is I have been doing the same thing for 25 years without movement of development.
Wisdom and quality is not the prerogative of the “old”
Let us hear what this young woman can do, allow for mistakes and misjudgements but accept that there will be tremendous enthusiasm, a keen musical understanding and a capacity to communicate her ideas to both orchestra and audience.
The miserable old buggers can sod off………………
“Wisdom and quality is not the prerogative of the “old””
Actually, particularly in the conducting profession, it most of the time is. Wisdom comes with experience and that comes with time. but to understand that one needs to have it.
“Let us hear what this young woman can do”
Absolutely, let’s hear, but the TV format was not suitable for that. It only showed, that’s how that format works, the most superficial aspects of her.
I only hope, that that young woman does find enough counter forces, that actually allow her to focus on her musical growth. The game is not in her favor, actually the game is not in favor of any musician.
agreed – well said!
I meant for that to be for Ellingtonia by the way!
Thank you, Student. You are wise.
Gee, we have a cranky and uncharitable lot here today.
Wasn’t sure what “hot” meant…
TOP DEFINITION
HOT
I. One who is:
a. gorgeous
b. pretty
c. beautiful
d. cute
e. attractive
II. One who you would:
a. lick
b. suck
c. nibble
d. flirt with
e. have sexual relations with
III. One who makes you:
a. flip
b. crazy
c. nutty
d. pass out
e. drool
f. fantasize
g. (if girl) wet
h. (if guy) hard
The intern in my history class is such a(HOT chick)hottie I get (if chick)wet / (if guy)hard just looking at her.
I look forward to watching this young woman’s conducting career flourish. She has a bright future. The real embarrassment is Harry Smith. We Americans have had to suffer him long enough. It’s not surprising NBC hired him. When NBC wants to appear cultured they go to him so the audience forgets about the constant nonsense they usually put on the air. This story was a nice break from tradition of NBC segments about Halloween decorations, dog grooming, celebrity fluff interviews and a round table discussion of what’s “trending.”
“The HOTTEST YOUNG conductor” is nominated.
What are the other nominations in the categories:
-COOLEST YOUNG conductor
-HOTTEST OLD conductor
-COOLEST OLD conductor
and also what is the specialist price for
-best conductor MUSICIAN
(only the blind, sorry, the visually challenged, may vote)
Mr. Lebrecht, please investigate!
Ms. Gražinytė-Tyla (tough name for making it to a granite stone on Hollywood’s walk of fame), if you have such journalist-friends, you don’t need enemies. Good luck. May the force of music be with you.
Being lectured on the qualities that make a great conductor, by people who form judgments on conductors based on a 2-minute TV promo clip..
…priceless.
She is the real deal. A diamond in a sea of clowns.
time will tell. I need to go, get new popcorn.
He’s realllly the hottest! I love this tv serie, it’s really good. I also enjoy some other actors from different series, like, the actor that plays Dexter. Visit my website: