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June, 2013
“ My dad is a musician, my uncle is a musician, my grandfather was a musician. They put you on an instrument when you’re four years old and you don’t really have a choice. It just sticks with you the rest of your life. ”
F
or those who expect a symphony con-
I applied, and something clicked. And you go
destined. “It was chosen for me,” he said. “My
ductor to embody the intense musical
through all the process, you have to send your
dad is a musician, my uncle is a musician, my
genius of the great composers with
resume, you have to send DVDs, and they call
grandfather was a musician. They put you on
the charm of an international man of mystery,
people around to check up on you. I got lucky
an instrument when you’re four years old and
Bohuslav Rattay does not disappoint. That is, if
to be invited, one of the last five, and came
you don’t really have a choice. It just sticks with
one imagines a baritone James Bond playing
here in October (2012) and did the concert and
you the rest of your life,” he said with a smile.
the bassoon and being partial to motorcycles
it seemed like I clicked with the orchestra.”
“I don’t think that I’d be good at anything else anyway, so it’s probably for the best.”
and table tennis. Rattay’s excitement about his three-year conAfter a grueling, two-year search involving
tract with EPSO is palpable. “I’ve been guest
After completing his studies at the Prague
applications, interviews and auditions, The
conducting quite a bit, so I’ve been on the road,
Conservatory of Music, Rattay came to the
El Paso Symphony Orchestra has found its
kind of living out of my car, so I’m finally looking
U.S. in 1993 as a graduate student, study-
Maestro in Bohuslav Rattay. The 40-year-old
toward something that will feel like a home,”
ing at Rice University and the Peabody Insti-
Czech native will become the seventh conduc-
he said. “I know this is a big organization and
tute of Music. He has become known for his
tor in the symphony’s 82-year history.
I can help them fundraise money. The people
groundbreaking concert programs, which have
are cool and nice. It’s a cool city; it’s small but
featured visual elements and audience discus-
big. It’s kind of the gem of West Texas.”
sions. The Maestro will continue to conduct
“We as conductors, running around the world
symphonies in Midland, Michigan and Lake
or United States, scan the applications and see what’s opening, and it’s usually chairs
As a little boy in Prague, a city known for its love
moving from one to another,” Rattay said. “So
of music and the arts, Rattay’s path was pre-
94 94
Charles, Louisiana during his tenure in El Paso.
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