“For the past three years, 30-year-old Christian Reif has been the resident conductor of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) and the Wattis Foundation Music Director of the SFS Youth Orchestra,” writes Lily O’Brien in Friday’s (6/7) San Francisco Classical Voice. “Now in his final season with the SFS, he will be embarking on a 17-day, multicity European tour with the Youth Orchestra beginning on June 23… Born and raised in Germany, he … came to the U.S. to study at Juilliard, followed by a two-year conducting fellowship under Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) with the New World Symphony in Miami. Q: Why did you choose to come to the U.S. to study conducting? Reif: All the good schools here offer a lab orchestra—an orchestra just for the conducting student. Q: Tell me about your experience working with the Youth Orchestra. Reif: I love the youth orchestra…. I try to foster a creative environment for them to grow and enjoy music and to learn. Q: What do you think it takes to be a good conductor? Reif: You have to have a good ear and … an emotional connection to the music…. The main job of the conductor is to inspire both the orchestra members and the audience.”
Read Symphony magazine’s coverage of recent tours by American youth orchestras here.
Posted June 13, 2019
