“Yaniv Attar is completing his first season as music director of Whatcom Symphony Orchestra, and by all accounts (particularly financially), the year has been a success,” writes Margaret Bikman in Thursday’s (5/1) Bellingham Herald (Washington). “Although the symphony’s concert on Sunday, May 4, is sold out, Attar and WSO Executive Director Thom Mayes hatched the idea to open the symphony’s rehearsal Friday, May 2, to the public…. Here are some of Attar’s thoughts about the past year…. ‘The orchestra has grown tremendously this season and, on a personal note, I have grown a lot as a conductor. I feel great chemistry and connection with the group…. I have lived mostly in big cities…. People approach me on the street to tell me how much they have enjoyed the orchestra this year, so it feels really nice to be in such a tight, music-loving community.… We are adding a seventh concert [next] season. As a large orchestra, we tend to focus on the big orchestral works, and I didn’t want to neglect some of the Baroque and early classical music, so we are adding a chamber music concert…. It is important to play that repertoire for the continuous growth of the WSO.’ ”
Posted May 2, 2014
