The 2010-11 season is under way...

I launched the 2010-11 season with two orchestras and things are going swimmingly.

On Sept 18, 2010, the Round Rock Symphony began it's 3rd season with a program called Cowboys & Panoramas. The crowd went nuts - they loved it. They should have, because the orchestra played with heart. The rhythmic difficulties of Aaron Copland's Four Dances from Rodeo were no problem, and the musicians of the RRSO accompanied the singing cowboy in my own Four Cowboy Songs (sung by Bryan Bolzenthal) like real collaborative artists - listening and responding. Tarik Ghiradella gave us a three-movement fantasy on American poems called American Panoramas. Full of thick textures and crunchy harmonies, and oozing with emotion and angst, the piece gave the audience and orchestra alike something complex to ponder - something completely different from the other pieces on the program. John Williams' Cowboys Overture followed, and we closed the concert with a medley of western film themes, during which music students from the R.R.I.S.D. orchestra programs joined the pros on stage.

Bryan Bolzenthal singing my Four Cowboy Songs

Less than two weeks later, on October 1, 2010, I conducted the Astoria Symphony's season opener. Going into our 8th season together was thrill, especially under the circumstances. As musical artists, we always want the best working conditions we can have, including ample rehearsal time, sufficient numbers in the string section, and plenty of lead time to prepare. Well, we had none of those, and we still emerged victorious. Times are tough, and the Astoria Symphony, like many arts organizations, is feeling the pinch. Strapped for cash and charged with opening the 8th season with a flash, we chose to perform a program of film music and popular classical pieces. The orchestra had only one rehearsal and the music was not a breeze. The concert included a tribute to great film composers, Rossini's William Tell Overture, Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite, Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachmusik, music from La Vita e Bella, Offenbach's Barcarole, Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro," a salute to John Williams, and more. For the John Williams suite, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Orchestra joined the Astoria Symphony on stage in our third "side-by-side" performance together. It was a blast. The concert was a huge success, and I give all of the credit to the incredible musicians of the Astoria Symphony who accepted the challenge, faced the stress, and selflessly produced beautiful music. They are amazing people. Special credit goes to Brent Chancellor, who conducted the Rossini and Grieg, and Megan Pachecano and Allyson Herman, who sang the Barcarole. Allyson also sang O Mio Babbino Caro, and many in the audience told me later that it was the highlight of show.

So much hard work goes into concerts like the two I mention above - and many people work behind the scenes and remain unacknowledged. The musicians and I certainly enjoy the applause and recognition by the audience, but the boards of directors, house staffs, backstage helpers, and many more people work to make great shows and then stay in the shadows. I could name 200 people who I am grateful to, but the gold medal winners as far as I'm concerned are Judy McLeod, president of the RRSO board of directors, Beverly Mintz, executive director of the RRSO, Alex Lauren, president of the Astoria Music Society, Alison LaFerlita, executive director of AMS, and the teachers who were involved in making these events happen. You are all saints!


And then there's Taylor, my amazing wife. She keeps me sane, takes care of me, and makes sure I am where I am supposed to be, when I'm supposed to be there. She tolerates me during the lead-up to the events. Typically, I'm a nervous wreck, wracked with anxiety, working around the clock, not sleeping, and generally creating a disturbance in the home for at least 2 weeks before each concert - in this case the whole month of September. Taylor takes it all in stride and never punishes me for it. I am so lucky she married me!

Why I Love New York City

Residents and visitors either love New York City - or hate it.

I've heard every argument against NYC, and many of them have merit. "It's too crowded." "It's too noisy." "It smells bad." "I hate snow." "It's so expensive."

Most of those apply at times, but NYC is a truly great city...many say "the greatest city in the world." If you are an artist of any sort, you have to love it. The [artistic] amenities cannot be matched anywhere in the world. If you are a sports fan, a foodie, a health nut, or a lover of things exotic and interesting, you also have to love New York City. If you are not any of those things, you probably love it anyways.

Here's a typical week for me (last week):

Last weekend I went to a Yankees game with my best friends MJ and BTA. We also went to Ellis Island to hunt for records of BTA's relatives, ate a fantastic dinner in Little Italy, enjoyed Greek food in Astoria, Queens, and tore up the Lower East Side (a few times).

On Wednesday, I went with my great friend Heather to the Bronx Zoo, the largest metropolitan zoo in the USA. I saw lions, and tigers, and bears (yes, you can say the next line on your own). And gorillas. You can get right up next to gorillas at the Bronx Zoo...

The next day President Robert Sirota of the Manhattan School of Music hosted a BBQ for school staff on his rooftop terrace - 18 stories above the city and overlooking the beautiful Hudson River. Eating good food, drinking fine wine, and looking out at the mighty Hudson River (and Riverside Church and Grant's Tomb) on a beautiful sunny day in June...a good time was had by all.

A few days later, Taylor and I went to Lincoln Center to watch American Ballet Theater perform Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. It was beautiful, as always. One of the great treasures of New York City is Lincoln Center with it's multiple theaters. The Metropolitan Opera House, where ABT performs, is the most magnificent.

The Metropolitan Opera House

Me and Taylor at intermission

Two days later, I found myself in Brooklyn Bridge Park (in Brooklyn, under said bridge), conducing a "flashmob opera" for American Opera Projects, Make Music NY, and Sing for Hope. Three singers, a pianist, and I performed scenes from Gregory Spears' Paul's Case (you may remember I conducted this opera back in March.

I am a bike nut, so I rode my bike there, then over the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan where we performed two more shows (in Columbus Circle and Central Park). All performances were exactly as we hoped - interesting, quirky, and unexpected (by the bystanders, at least). More on this soon.

Today I woke with a hankerin' for a solid breakfast, so I wandered over to Tastee Korner on the corner of 31st Street and 30th Avenue in Astoria, and had a serious breakfast for $5.25.

After breakfast I rode my bike over the Triborough Bridge (now known as RFK Bridge) to Ward's Island (the whole island - almost - is a park), then over the Harlem Foot Bridge (AKA Ward's Island Bridge) into Manhattan, through Central Park, and to my office on the Upper West Side.

Flowers on the bike path on Ward's Island.

The view south from the Harlem Footbridge - the East River

Tonight I played softball with my colleagues from MSM. Tomorrow I will take a swim in Flushing, NY, ride my bicycle on Long Island, and eat Egyptian food before Taylor and I go to New York City Ballet to see the premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen's new violin concerto/ballet. On Tuesday, I'll be attending the New York Philharmonic.

Seriously. This is a typical week. I love this city.

The Triborough Bridge to Queens, from Ward's Island - my commute home.

Two Symphony Seasons End with a Bang

May 2010 was exciting for me. The Manhattan School of Music's production of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro (of which I was associate producer) received much acclaim, the Astoria Symphony's 7th season came to a close with a resounding bang, and the Round Rock Symphony wrapped up its 2nd season. To read about how great MSM's Marriage of Figaro was, click here.

The Astoria Symphony performed its final concert of 2009-10 in collaboration with the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts orchestra. The first half of the program included Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture and Hanson's Second Symphony (conducted by Grant Gilman, this was the highlight of the concert in my opinion).

Grant Gilman conducting the Astoria Symphony

The second half of the program was comprised of a selection of pieces with the Astoria Symphony and the FSSA orchestra seated side-by side. Seated next to an adult professional, each student experiences the high level of musicianship and professionalism that go into an Astoria Symphony concert, and conducting this large and enthusiastic group of players is a lot of fun for me too. I owe thanks to Ken Lieberson, the FSSA's orchestra conductor for wanting his students to have this experience, and for helping to coordinate the big events.

Silas Huff conducting the combined Astoria Symphony and FSSA Orchestra

The Astoria Symphony's 7th season was an important milestone for the organization because it demonstrated our ability to come back from the economic turmoil of the 2008-09 season, during which some concerts and events were canceled. The ever-evolving board of directors met the challenges that season 7 offered and conquered them. For 2010-11, our goals include expanding the board further, reaching new audience members, and achieving new levels of musical excellence. For a sneak preview of our 2010-11 season, click here.

On May 22, the Round Rock Symphony wrapped up its 2nd season, and the final concert was also huge success. The performance was the culmination of a week-long conducting workshop with Maestro Peter Bay, music director of the Austin Symphony. Thirteen conductors came from all across America to learn from him and to take turns conducting the Round Rock Symphony.

Maestro Peter Bay instructs a participant on the podium

The RRS board of directors put a lot of time and care into making the conductors feel at home and welcome in Round Rock, and all the conductors commented on how great and supportive the RRS board is, and how lucky I am to have them. They're right! The workshop will happen again next year, and it will grow quickly as word of the quality of this workshop spreads through the tight-knit conductor world.

Participants learn the art of Tai Chi from Sumi Komo

What goes into organizing a conductor workshop? More than you can imagine. For every concert we book space, hire players, and market the event, but on top of that we had to recruit students, double the orchestra's rehearsal time, rent classroom and studio space, organize airport pick-ups and drop-offs, hire auxiliary teachers (thank you Sumi and Eric!), and make sure all the participants know their way around town and have ground transportation. On top of that, the RRS board decided to have a dinner and Austin Symphony concert excursion, host a welcome brunch for the conductors, and feed the conductors and the orchestra every night at rehearsal.

Maestro Peter Bay looks on as one participant conducts

There are many people to thank for their efforts during the Round Rock Symphony workshop and final concert, but in nutshell, thank you Judy, Beverly, Scott, Cathy, Tobey, Randy, Sumi, Eric, Brent, Brooke, Matt, Mayor McGraw, and anyone else I forgot - thank you a thousand times! These people were - collectively - caterers, hosts, taxi drivers, navigators, gophers, rehearsal set-up folks, teachers, mail clerks, camera operators, cover conductors, triangle/cymbal/violin players, venue organizers, librarians, equipment movers, fund-raisers, check-writers, box office staff, ushers, house managers, and post-concert party people. They are all truly amazing, and their combined effort made a beautiful workshop and final concert.

It was an amazing process, and though I am thoroughly exhausted from a month of non-stop musical activity, I am as energized as I've been in a long time. The day after the concert, I flew to Washington D.C. to meet my wife Taylor for a little down-time getaway. We took a stroll in Georgetown and inadvertently ended up on the Francis Scott Key Bridge, then in the Dumbarton Oaks Gardens (the garden that inspired Igor Stravinsky to write his masterpiece by the same name). I was beginning to think it an amazing coincidence until I turned a corner and ended up in front of a store called "Appalachian Spring" (like Aaron Copland's masterpiece).

These are not coincidences - they are signs! Music is everywhere, even when I'm trying to get a break from it!

How Many Maestros Does It Take To Screw in a Light Bulb?

This is a PRESS RELEASE for the upcoming conductor workshop that I have organized with the Round Rock Symphony in Texas...

“How Many Maestros Does It Take
to Screw in a Light Bulb?"

April 22, 2010, Round Rock, TX—If you have ever wondered about the punch-line to the joke “How many maestros does it take to screw in a light bulb?,” you are in luck. For one week in May, orchestra conductors from all over America will converge in Round Rock for an orchestra conducting workshop organized by the Round Rock Symphony. The classes, taught by lead faculty Maestro Peter Bay (music director, Austin Symphony), will help the young Maestros learn score preparation, body movement, musical interpretation, and rehearsal techniques. The week-long workshop culminates in a public concert on Saturday, May 22, at 8:00 p.m., which will take place at the C.D. Fulkes Auditorium (300 W. Anderson Avenue, downtown Round Rock). Round Rock’s own Maestro, Silas Nathaniel Huff will conduct. In addition to the public concert, one of the rehearsals with the conductors-in-training will be open to the public on Thursday, May 20, 6:00-10:00 p.m. The rehearsal, which will happen at the Wingate by Windham Hotel ballroom (1209 North I-35 at Palm Valley Boulevard), will be a rare glimpse into an orchestra’s rehearsal process, and an opportunity to hear young conductors receiving feedback from a renowned Maestro.

The Round Rock Symphony’s concert on May 22 will feature four masterpieces from different periods from the classical to the twentieth century: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute Overture, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Coriolanus Overture, Antonín Dvořák’s “New World Symphony,” and Aaron Copland’s Quiet City. The concert will also feature Amy Burgus performing the English Horn solo and Josh Davies performing the trumpet solo on Quiet City.

“Conducting the music of four hugely famous composers like these is a great honor and a daunting task, akin to handling paintings by Delacroix, Degas, Van Gogh, and Dali,” says Maestro Silas Huff, music director of the Round Rock Symphony. “We will survey the last 200 years of history through majestic, moving, and joyful music—it’s the best way to reflect on history and the human condition.”

Tickets for this concert range in price from $15 to $20 (all RRISD students and any child 12 & under is free), and may be purchased by cash or credit card at the door, or via credit card online at www.RoundRockSymphony.org. The box office opens one hour before the performance.

The concert will be the culmination of a week-long workshop for professional and aspiring orchestra conductors, with the venerable Maestro Peter Bay as lead instructor. Twelve conductors are coming from Salt Lake City, Miami, and New York, among other places, to study the concert repertoire under the guidance of the Austin Symphony’s long-time Maestro. According to Bay, the students will not only learn about score study and identifying musical problems, they will also “go deeper…to learn about the art of interpretation.” In addition, they will take a variety of body movement classes in order to better understand physical methods of communication.

“The art of conducting is very cerebral, but also relies on a person’s ability to express ideas with the hands, face, and torso,” says Maestro Huff. “Conductors often are very talented musicians who have little training in the art of moving a baton through space and communicating with the body. This workshop will fill in some of those gaps.” In addition to music and conducting techniques classes taught by Maestro Bay, the workshop participants will study ballet, yoga, the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi, and Alexander Technique, a tension-diminishing method that promotes efficient use of the body.

Participant Joseph Choi, Associate Conductor of the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra (KY) says, “The Repertoire for this workshop consists of pieces that are in constant demand for workshops and auditions, and we can use this time to brush up our skills, meet other conductors, and recharge our conducting batteries for the coming season.”

“I was inspired by Maestro Bay years ago,” says participant Adam Torres, a former music student at UT and candidate for Masters Degree in Orchestral Conducting at Colorado State University. “I am honored for the opportunity to learn from and work with him in Round Rock.”

Paul Davis, Conductor of the Webster University Symphony Orchestra in St. Louis, MO, is another ex-Longhorn. “As a UT alumnus, I am enthused to return to the Austin area to be part of this workshop…and eager to work with the Round Rock Symphony, Maestro Huff, and Maestro Bay.”

The public is invited to watch the final workshop session of the week, during which participants take turns conducting the Round Rock Symphony in a rehearsal of Dvořák’s “New World Symphony.” Each conductor will have the opportunity to create music, hear feedback from Maestro Bay, and make adjustments to their style and technique. This session takes place on Thursday, May 20, 6:00-10:00 p.m. in the ballroom of the Wingate by Windham Hotel, where the workshop participants are staying. Admission to this special workshop event a $5 suggested donation for onlookers.

To learn more about the event visit www.RoundRockSymphony.org, or contact the Symphony at (512) 264-5368 or info@RoundRockSymphony.org.

The Round Rock Symphony, a start-up non-profit corporation, needs angels to support it. Music lovers who want to support the Round Rock Symphony by sponsoring or underwriting a concert, or by advertising in a playbill are invited to contact the Symphony at (512) 264-5368 or info@RoundRockSymphony.org. To learn more about supporting the Round Rock Symphony, call or visit www.RoundRockSymphony.org/support.htm.

How Can a Volcano in Iceland Affect a Concert in NYC?

As an orchestra conductor, I'm not terribly tuned in to events that happen around the world. Certainly I'm aware of major world events, tragic and joyous, but my work generally suffers no impact when something goes wrong elsewhere on planet Earth. Until Eyjafjallajökull...

If I had been in Europe when the volcano erupted, or if I were going to conduct a concert in Europe, it would be clear how it impacted me. But I was in New York, planning a concert in New York. The problem is: that the sheet music I need is in Europe.

"Seriously? You can't find the music in America?" No. On May 8, the Astoria Symphony is scheduled to perform Jean-Baptist Lully's Triomphe de l'amour Ballet Suite, a rarely performed piece from the early Baroque period. It's so rarely performed that there is only one edition of the parts commercially available, and it's published by Doblinger, and there isn't a single copy anywhere on Earth, except in Europe (that I know of). I'm told by multiple sources that there is virtually no way I can receive the parts on time, unless I spend a ton of money and don't mind the orchestra sight-reading at the first rehearsal. And I have to get really lucky for the parts to arrive before the first rehearsal. I'd have to be quite lucky for the parts to arrive before the concert, for that matter. Ugh.

"Why didn't you order the music much earlier, before the volcano erupted?" Besides the fact that I didn't know the volcano would erupt, and that it would keep planes on the ground for weeks, or that the parts didn't exist anywhere in America, I wasn't entirely sure the concert would happen because the Astoria Symphony is waiting for funds to arrive from the State of New York. It was a perfect storm.

"Have you called [someone you think might have the parts]?" Yes. They don't have the parts.

"Have you ever looked on IMSLP Petrucci Library?" Yes. There are no parts. And have you seen the score? Only an early music specialist could read the parts, even if they were available.

"Why don't you just change the program?" The concert theme is "triumphant love" and this Lully suite is the cornerstone of the whole program - the concert is billed as "The Astoria Symphony presents Le Triomphe de l'amour."

"What are you going to do?" Laugh. And then I'll substitute something by Tchaikovsky and have a really funny story to tell the audience in the pre-concert lecture.

The lessons I learned are: A) do not wait to order your music for a concert that is happening in less than a month, B) do not rely on funds from the State of New York for a concert, C) do not expect that a volcano in Iceland will have no impact on your concert in America, and D) do not program obscure music that is not in print in your hemisphere. And never do all three!

The DCA - NYC's blessing to the arts

Being a music director of a professional orchestra is a lot of fun, but it's not all waving a stick and taking a bow. There is the extremely important and mildly unpleasant task of raising money to support the orchestra to think about constantly. Opera, ballet, and symphonic music are among the most rewarding art forms that exist, but they are also among the most expensive to produce. And expensive art requires a lot of money.

The Quick History of Funding Symphonic Music

A long time ago, "classical" music - that is to say fancy, expensive orchestra music - was the domain of the aristocracy only. Royalty and other aristocrats funded classical music out of their deep coffers because, well...because they could. Churches did the same. A duke might throw a party and hire an orchestra to entertain the guests. An archbishop might order up a grand cantata for a special occasion. Or an emperor might order an opera house built and an opera company formed to entertain all the aristocrats of his domain. All performances were funded complete by the richie-rich who ordered the performance(s). Some wealthy families hired orchestras to live in their palace like servants and be at their beck and call at all times. They would often hire a composer and conductor to be their composer-in-residence (in those days "in residence" had an entirely more literal meaning). The Estherhazy family had Franz Joseph Haydn living in their house, for example. He wore a uniform, and was an employee of the house. This type of music became a luxury of the upper class, a stigma that classical musicians are still trying to eschew.

As democracy took hold in the 18th & 19th centuries, this structure slowly collapsed. As education improved, the European classes structure faltered, and the gap between the wealthy and the lower class closed, the system of paying for and creating symphonic music, opera, and ballet evolved. "High art" was no longer deemed the property of the upper class.

In some countries, governments took up the torch and paid for it out of tax money. In other countries, the private sector, consisting of remnants of the aristocratic class and "new money" folks made wealthy in the industrial revolution, funded these expensive art forms with limited assistance from the government because they recognized its importance to society.

Today - in America - opera, ballet, and symphonic music are funded mostly through the generosity of individual donors, private foundations, and corporate sponsors who know that by subsidizing this art we improve the quality of life in America and help make the general populace more educated, sophisticated, and...(is civilized the right word?). Wealthy people and companies like MetLife, Credit Suisse, Target, and JPMorganChase support the arts in America because they know it's good for business, good for America. They fund nearly 40% of the expenses incurred by arts organizations. HERE are the people who support the NY Philharmonic, for example. Ticket sales and other "earned income" fund another 40%.

But it's not enough. The government chips in a bit, and that support is crucial to thousands of arts organizations. According to the League of American Orchestras Quick Orchestra Facts, orchestras are funded in this way:

• 39% private donors (individuals and corporations)
• 33% concert income (ticket sales)
• 15% endowment
• 8% other earned income (CD sales, tuition, services, etc.)
• 5% government support.

It is this government support that is on my mind today. As I help fill out the application for the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs funding that generously keeps the Astoria Symphony alive, I am grateful that New York City has such a thriving arts community, such an affluent and generous populace, and a government that recognizes the arts as a vital part of what makes the City great. I believe firmly that the arts help make a city great. Think of any great city in the world and guess what - it has a thriving arts scene.
Thank you, NYC DCA, for helping New York City have the greatest arts community in America (the world?). We are truly fortunate to have you.

Hiking, Opera, and Upcoming Events

A wild month of music-making culminated this past weekend with the final performance of the new opera Paul's Case. In February there were two fund-raising events (one in Manhattan, one in Texas), and in March I conducted in California, hosted an international conductor workshop in NYC, organized and conducted an amazing Astoria Symphony concert, and music directed Paul's Case. When the final performance of Paul's Case ended on Saturday, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. I can rest now, I thought.

I decided to go for a long hike on Sunday. Nothing is more relaxing than a long hike in beautiful country. Taylor, my good friend Heather, and I all piled into Heather's car and drove to Cold Spring, NY, to explore Hudson Highlands State Park. It's beautiful. We planned a nice, medium-difficulty, 5-mile hike. We wanted to relax and take in the beauty. Well...

We got lost. Somewhere three to four miles north of Cold Spring but south of Breakneck Ridge we just got lost. We followed trail markers until there weren't any more, then we relied on the sun and my trail map to figure out where we were, but it just didn't happen. So we wandered. We were never scared because in that area of NY State you just can't walk very far without encountering a road or some man-made structure eventually and that's what happened. We found Lake Surprise Camp (appropriately named "Surprise!"), and a nice guy (from Queens!) was there fixing the place up, preparing for the summer season. He directed us to the main road back to Cold Spring.

The hike back to Cold Spring was 5 miles long, on top of the 5 we had already hiked. I suppose we could've called a taxi at to pick us up at camp, or we could have hitched back to town from the main road, but we were so dead-set on doing it ourselves that we just walked. Our quick hike in the woods turned into an all-day adventure. Our feet hurt. Hips, ankles, knees, backs, too. When we got back to Cold Spring we downed a pizza, a couple beers, and 3 ice cream cones in record time.

OK, so I'm not fully rested now. I went back to work at the Manhattan School of Music on Monday fully exhausted and in need of a break. But I'm ready to take on the world regardless.

Upcoming things I'm producing and/or performing in:

• Friday, March 26, 6:00 pm: APAC Fundraiser, Studio Square, Astoria. For info, click here.
• Saturday, April 10, 8:00 pm: The Forte String Quartet, Church in the Gardens, 50 Ascan Ave. Forest Hills, Queens. For info, click here.
• April 29 & May 1, 8:00 pm: Lost Dog New Music Ensemble, Waltz-Astoria & Tenri Cultural Institute. For info, click here.
• Saturday, May 8, 8:00 pm: Astoria Symphony, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, 35th Avenue & 35th Street, Astoria, Queens. For info, click here.
• Saturday, May 22, 8:00 pm: Round Rock Symphony, C.D. Fulkes Auditorium, 300 West Anderson Ave, Round Rock, TX. For info, click here.