The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra has a new Musical Director

Posted on by Thor

The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s international search for a new Music Director was announced in the spring of 2013. Over 12 months, a committee comprised of orchestra musicians and community members spent over 2000+ hours to screen a slate over more than 275 candidates from around the world to choose five finalists, who each conducted a classical program during the 2014-2015 season.

The finalists were,  Alondra de la Parra, Steven Jarvi, Eric Jacobsen, Dirk Meyer, and Leslie B. Dunner. On May 4th, patrons of the Philharmonic were invited to the Plaza Live Theater for a Sneak Peek to find out who would conduct the orchestra for the next season. As at the Academy Awards, a single sealed envelope sat on a music stand at center stage. Emily Lindahl was kind enough to be sure I found a seat up front to sketch from. As we bustled through the crowd, she let slip that HE was the perfect choice as conductor. So the list was whittled down to four finalists in my head now. If Orlando wasn’t ready for a female conductor, would they be ready for an African American conductor? I didn’t get to see every conductor perform, so I am unqualified to decide who should lead the Orchestra into the future. But I was certainly impressed with Alondra and Leslie, the conductors I did get to sketch.

 After much pomp and circumstance the envelope was opened and the tympani drum roll began. Eric Jacobsen‘s name was announced and the Philharmonic brass section played regal music from the balcony. Hailed by the New York Times as “an interpretive dynamo,” conductor and cellist Eric has built a reputation for engaging audiences with innovative and
collaborative programming projects. As co-founder and Music Director of
adventurous orchestra The Knights and a founding member of genre-defying
string quartet Brooklyn Rider, he may take credit for helping to ensure
“the future of classical music in America”. (Los Angeles Times).

David Schillhammer., the Philharmonics Executive Director sat on stage opposite Eric and together they announced the upcoming season. Eric must have some loose ends to tie up because there were quite a few concerts where a guest conductor had to fill in.

Mark Your Calendars! The Music Director Debut will be on Saturday October 24, 2015 at 8:00pm at the Bob Carr Theater. Eric Jacobsen will conduct and Joyce Yang will be on piano. Music Director Eric Jacobsen and the orchestra embark on
their musical journey with two concerts featuring Van Cliburn silver
medalist Joyce Yang, and a banquet of masterpieces spanning four
centuries.

BEETHOVEN  Leonore Overture No. 3

TCHAIKOVSKY  Piano Concerto No. 1

GABRIEL KAHANE World Premiere

RAVEL  Daphnis et Chloe: Suite No. 2

 For more information about all the other concerts coming up this season, be sure to check the Orlando Philharmonic web site.

Rimma Bergeron-Langlois rehearsed a stunning Sibelius Violin Concerto.

Posted on by Thor

As part of the Music Director Candidate search, Leslie B. Dunner, conducted the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. I sketched an open rehearsal on March 20th at the Bob Carr Theatre. The Bob Carr used to be a Theatre but new orange letters were put up announcing it as a theater. Theater is the English spelling while Theatre is used everywhere else. There is no difference in meaning. Some Americans make distinctions, for instance, that a theater is a
venue while theatre is an art form, or that a theater is a movie theater
while a theatre is a drama venue. If that is the case, the Bob Carr had been demoted since the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center opened, from an art form to a venue.

When solo violinist Rimma Bergeron-Langlois walked on stage, she smiled at the Director and took her place standing in front of the violin section. I knew immediately that this would be an amazing rehearsal. She was relaxed and ready. Leslie B. Dunner is the final Music Director Candidate to conduct the Philharmonic. The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s international search for a new
Music Director was announced in the spring of 2013. Over 12 months, a
committee comprised of orchestra musicians and community members spent
over 2000+ hours to screen a slate over more than 275 candidates from
around the world to  choose five finalists, who each conducted a
classical program during the 2014-2015 season. The orchestra plans to
announce its new Music Director in Spring 2015. The finalists were, Alondra de la Parra, Steven Jarvi, Eric Jacobsen, Dirk Meyer, and Leslie B. Dunner.

After the first half of the rehearsal was over and the orchestra was taking a break, Michael McLeod came over to say hello. He joked with me that Denise Sudler had noticed that I had sketched her at my art opening at Maxine’s and that she hadn’t granted consent allowing me to sketch her visage. I countered that there was plausible deniabitity. She is just 1/2 inch high in the sketch, it could very well be Wendy Wallenberg who had posed several times to try and get in the sketch. I first met Wendy when I sat on stage in the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre and sketched the audience. She was in the front row. I’m surprised she didn’t get up and stand on stage in front of me to block my view of the audience. She missed that opportunity.

Back to the rehearsal. Rimma’s loose sweater flowed and her pony tail bobbed as she performed. The Sibelius concerto was complex crisp and uplifting. It is amazing how so many instruments can blend their sounds to express a universal joy that is greater than any single sound. Yet the violin rejoiced in it’s liberating sound. There is a magic in experiencing a live orchestration like this. There were some fits and stops as Leslie inspired subtleties from different instruments. He was all about precision and purity of performance. Michael felt that Leslie was doing an amazing job conducting. I haven’t seen all the conductors perform so I don’t feel qualified to judge. I did see Alondra de la Parra conduct and I was swept away with her playful vigor. Only the musicians truly know which conductor inspired them to give their all. If you want to see what audiences are saying, you can find #OPOsNewMaestro. Let the voting begin.