Ken-David Masur, music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
In Tuesday’s (9/19) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription required), Jim Higgins writes, “Before he talks about the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s two big hires, or its new artistic partner who will extend the MSO’s reach into the community, or even the … program … he doesn’t think you should miss, music director Ken-David Masur wants to impart his mission statement. ‘What I want to reiterate in a new way, every year, is that we believe music will change you,’ Masur said … …. The 2023-24 season, which begins Sept. 22, combines ‘really recognizable standard repertoire masterpieces,’ Masur said, … and accessible work by living composers that he thinks ‘everybody will actually enjoy.’ Opening weekend … is a microcosm of that programming approach, with Beethoven’s Fifth; ‘Be Still,’ a new pandemic-inspired composition by Daniel Kidane; Schubert songs; and ‘The Soul’s Expression’ [by] Jamaican-born contemporary composer Eleanor Alberga … The vocal works will feature MSO’s new artistic partner, bass-baritone Dashon Burton … Violinist Jinwoo Lee joins the MSO this season as concertmaster, succeeding Frank Almond … A native of South Korea, Lee had been first concertmaster of the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen … Listeners will see plenty of Ryan Tani, the MSO’s new assistant conductor, who will lead about 60 concerts.”
