In Friday’s (5/27) St. Petersburg Times (Florida), John Fleming writes, “Music director Stefan Sanderling will not be renewing his contract with the Florida Orchestra at the end of the 2013-14 season. Orchestra musicians were told of Sanderling’s decision by board of trustees chairman Thomas Farquhar during a rehearsal Thursday afternoon at Mahaffey Theater. The board learned the news at its annual meeting Thursday night at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Tampa. … ‘He’ll be with us for the next three years, which gives us a good chance to do a proper search for a new music director and have a smooth transition,’ [orchestra President Michael] Pastreich said. Sanderling, 47, music director since the 2003-04 season, was not available for comment. … With Sanderling on the podium, the orchestra concentrated on the standard repertoire, primarily because of the conservative taste of its audience, but also because the symphonies of Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner and the like are a forte of the German music director. His conducting of works by Shostakovich is another strength. Some of his contemporary programming has been successful as well, such as this month’s brilliant performance of the Doctor Atomic Symphony by American composer John Adams.”
Photo by Rosalie O’Connor
