DEAR READER, AMBASSADOR
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VA N CO U V ER S Y M PH O N Y O RCHE S T R A’S M A E S T RO CO N T EM PL AT E S HIS L A S T SE A SO N AT T HE HEL M B Y DAV I D G O R D O N D U K E
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s we approach the end of the Bramwell Tovey era at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, it’s natural to speculate about the maestro’s plans. After a decade in Winnipeg and nearly two here on the West Coast, will he want another music directorship? Or, is he planning the sort of career Leonard Bernstein created after the New York Philharmonic as a globetrotting conductor? Tovey has always enjoyed plum assignments away from home. The New York Phil loves him; he performs for enormous crowds at the Hollywood Bowl; he has a longstanding relationship with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, and he’s been working a fair bit in Australia. In recent seasons, Tovey’s also conducted the Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia orchestras, and he recently led Walton’s fl ashy Belshazzar’s Feast at the ultra-prestigious Tanglewood. There’s more than conducting to his career; Tovey as composer has been regularly producing remarkable works. Lenny Bernstein famously said, “To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.” Freed from administrative yokes, will Tovey fi nd just a smidgen more time for composing—even if it’s on planes to here, there, and everywhere? We hope so. .
Friday, September 22nd is the 18th and fi nal time that I’ll lead the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s opening night of the season. It’s been quite a ride. As I prepare to step away, I can’t help but ruminate on the feeling of surrendering the reins and the responsibility of such a renowned organization. In one respect, it’s a great relief. Being the person most identified with the VSO has its moments of awkwardness. Dashing to the corner store to buy groceries, unkempt and unshaven, only to be engaged in conversation by a subscriber desperately keen to chat about Sibelius’ underperformed symphonies (welcome to my life) is kind of funny, but perhaps not to be missed. But, most of the time, it’s an enormous honour to be recognized around town and to be surrounded by such enthusiasm for the value of VSO’s contribution to our city. At the Orpheum, audience members experience the fruits of our labours, the sum of the parts, the quality of sound, the mélange of colours as our musicians bring a composer’s score to life. Standing on the podium, I hear all that too, but there is even greater beauty in the details. This orchestra is a community of real people with extraordinary talents dedicated to making the VSO the Grammy and Juno Award-winning ensemble that has toured China, Korea, the United States, and Canada since the turn of the millennium. Memories like snapshots: I see Marcus Goddard, assistant principal trumpet, with Jocelyn Morlock, one of the VSO’s two outstanding composers; I see violinist Rebecca Whitling, whose group Standing Wave has done more for Canadian composers than almost any other chamber ensemble in the country; Nick Wright, our brilliant new concertmaster, who was in a titled chair at the London Symphony Orchestra before joining us; Beth Orson, our English horn player, with whom I fi rst worked in New York in the ‘80s. Each musician has a fascinating backstory. That’s the thing about live performing arts—whether theatre, dance, opera, or music—the performers are the people that, through their artistry and dedication, inspire us. They bring to life the work of composers, authors, choreographers, and other creators, and then they call us together to witness moments of beauty and revelation that stay with us our whole lives, challenging, giving truth and meaning to those unspoken narratives within each of us. Artslandia celebrates the performing arts in our city in countless ways, the foremost of which is directing the community’s focus to the wellspring of cultural excellence in our midst. Our go-to destination for information and insight into myriad performing arts presentations, Artslandia has added a welcome honour and new dimension to my parting season by selecting me as their 2017–18 ambassador. I look forward to sharing my thoughts in the months ahead. Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 concludes with one of the most powerful and life-enhancing passages in all of music. I’ve chosen this work for my fi nal concert as VSO Music Director on June 18, 2018. Words will fail me that night. Best to let the music speak for itself… In the meantime, very best wishes for the year ahead to Vancouver’s world-class performing arts community. It’s a pleasure to serve as your ambassador and, like everyone else, I’ll enjoy everything on offer in company with Artslandia.
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