“For many music lovers in the community, the name Luis Haza has become synonymous with the Coastal Symphony of Georgia,” writes Lindsey Adkison in Wednesday’s (11/29) Brunswick News (Brunswick, GA). After five years as music director, Haza “will officially relinquish the title in April. He will hand the duties off to a new conductor, Michelle Merrill,” who is currently associate conductor of the Detroit Symphony. “Merrill is originally from Texas and has been touted as a ‘rising star.’ … Merrill studied conducting under Paul Phillips at Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts…. Merrill will work with the orchestra’s general manager, Jorge Pena, to help create the musical program for the 2018-2019 season … ‘working with these great, high-quality musicians to see what we can do to expand the repertoire and … maybe adding more American music in,’ … she said…. Merrill is also excited about getting involved in the community…. ‘I think it is really important for cultural leaders to be inundated with what’s going on locally…. I want to work with people in the area and get their ideas too on how we can expand the symphony and take it to new heights.’ ”
Posted November 30, 2017
