In Sunday’s (10/2) Seattle Times, Michael Upchurch writes, “There’s more than one newcomer on the Benaroya Hall stage this season. The arrival of French conductor Ludovic Morlot to head Seattle Symphony is the biggest news, of course. But the principal chairs for flute and cello have also recently been filled, by Demarre McGill and Efe Baltacigil, respectively. … Demarre (de-MARR-ay) McGill, the former principal flutist with the San Diego Symphony, replaces Scott Goff, who has retired after 42 years with Seattle Symphony. … McGill says it has been fascinating to play works he hasn’t performed before. ‘It doesn’t happen all the time. After you’ve played a number of years in orchestras, you’ll find the same old friends in the repertoire.’ With works by Dutilleux, Varèse, Zappa and Gulda on Morlot’s playlist, McGill has been feeling he’s a student again. … The new principal cellist of the Seattle Symphony, who hails from Istanbul via Philadelphia, is more wry in manner than McGill—but still good company. … When Baltacigil, 33, toured [Seattle] with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2007, he instantly fell in love with the city. ‘It was May or June,’ he recalls, ‘and it was brilliant weather and amazing people and excellent food. And maybe one of the best concert halls in the U.S. In my opinion, Carnegie [Hall] and Benaroya are definitely the top two.’ ”
Posted October 5, 2011
