panic patrons since Novo assumed the directorship. But Novo believes the current influx of Latino conductors itself is encour-
aging. “Being a Latin American or Hispanic, now there are role models,” he said. “Now you can tell there is a lot of Hispanic
Carlos Miguel Prieto, music director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
talent in the conducting world, and people can tell you it’s there. The fact that Hispanic conductors and composers are pretty much accepted because we have some very good examples makes it easy for us, because we don’t have to fight as much.” More than ever, as classical music works to entice new listeners, it will be essential for a music director to be a cultural leader in the community, a proselytizer-in-chief for the art form. Just as Yo-Yo Ma became a figurehead for Asian classical musicians a generation ago, and singers like Leontyne Price and Jessye Norman carried the flag for African-Americans in opera, Hispanic conductors may have a similar ability to reach kids from Paraguay to Portugal: they may see someone on the podium who looks like them, who speaks their language, who comes from their same country, and be inspired.
Benjamin Ealovega
BRIAN WISE is an editor at WQXR Radio, New York’s classical music station. He writes about classical music for BBC Music Magazine, Listen, and other publications.
Astral Artists 2013 –2014 ROSTER
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Nikki Chooi, violin Caroline Cole, harp Lionel Cottet, cello Sara Daneshpour, piano Romie de Guise-Langlois, clarinet Jordan Dodson, guitar Luosha Fang, violin Adam Fry, bass-baritone Kathryn Guthrie, soprano Angel Hsiao, flute Jasper String Quartet Eunice Kim, violin Ayane Kozasa, viola Andrea Lam, piano Christine Lamprea, cello Born Lau, viola Kristin Lee, violin Pallavi Mahidhara, piano Benito Meza, clarinet Alexandre Moutouzkine, piano Ilya Poletaev, piano Yulia Van Doren, soprano Varshavski–Shapiro Piano Duo Jonathan Wintringham, saxophone Dizhou Zhao, piano
ASTRAL ARTISTS provides the nation’s most gifted classical musicians with invaluable career guidance, performance opportunities, collaborations with world-renowned musicians, and introductions to presenters, managers, and conductors. Astral reaches nearly 15,000 people annually through its acclaimed concert series and community engagement programs. Notable Astral alumni include soprano Angela Meade, bass-baritone Eric Owens, pianist Simone Dinnerstein, and the Chiara String Quartet.
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PHOTO Eunice Kim: Claire McAdams
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