“The Portland Symphony Orchestra has narrowed its search to replace Robert Moody as music director to four finalists, and all will be in Portland to conduct during the orchestra’s 2017-18 concert season,” writes Bob Keyes in Tuesday’s (2/14) Portland Press Herald (Maine). “Carolyn Nishon, PSO executive director, announced the finalists and other details of the next concert season Tuesday …. The four finalists are Ken-David Masur, assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony and artistic director of the Chelsea Music Festival; Daniel Meyer, music director of the Asheville Symphony and the Erie Philharmonic; Alexander Mickelthwate, music director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra; and Eckart Preu, music director of the Long Beach Symphony, Spokane Symphony, Stamford Symphony and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.… Each candidate will conduct one classical concert and two pops concerts during their auditions…. Masur will conduct Brahms’s Symphony No. 1 … and a Pops program of songs from Oscar-winning movies…. Meyer will lead … Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ … preceded by a Rodgers and Hammerstein tribute the month before. Mickelthwate will conduct Beethoven’s piano concerto No. 5, ‘Emperor,’ … and a dance-oriented pops program…. Preu comes to Portland … to conduct Johann Strauss’ ‘The Blue Danube.’ … His pops program celebrates Gershwin.”
Posted February 15, 2017
