Arts groups to take part in symphony initiative
The 2008-09 Chicago Symphony Orchestra season, annouced this week, has so many important components, it's difficult to select a few to discuss here.
Before mentioning the list of guest conductors (one of whom may be in line to become music director), we should look at the orchestra's season-long artistic initiative, "Echoes of Nations," in many ways similar to the CSO's "Silk Road Chicago" project two years ago, in that it involves collaborations with other prominent Chicago arts organizations.
According to the CSO, "Echoes of Nations" will be "an exploration of music that reflects the distinctiveness and strong contrasts among different cultures." Included will be music of varying international styles from composers such as America's Aaron Copland, Finland's Jean Sibelius and the composers of ancient Peru.
Among the partners in this project will be the Poetry Foundation, with which the CSO will examine the native poetry of several countries throughout the season. Also involved in "Echoes of Nations" will be the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Art Institute of Chicago, the latter presenting special preconcert programs that will focus on music and art directly related to select CSO subscription concerts.
Also, next season's three Sunday "Beyond the Score" concerts will be tied to the initiative, with the entire project culminating in a three-week Antonin Dvorák festival in June 2009, led by guest conductor Mark Elder.
Elder is one of 21 guest conductors scheduled to appear next season. Will one of them end up as Daniel Barenboim's successor? Barenboim wrapped up his 15-year music directorship in June 2006, and the lengthy search for a replacement may be nearing its completion.
In addition to Elder, here are the guest maestros, in alphabetical order:
Semyon Bychkov, Riccardo Chailly, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, James Gaffigan, Daniele Gatti, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Bernard Labadie, Fabio Luisi, Nicholas McGegan, Ludovic Morlot, Riccardo Muti, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Steven Sloane, Michael Tilson Thomas, Osmo Vänskä, John Williams, Xian Zhang, David Zinman and Pinchas Zukerman.
The top CSO candidates on this list would likely be Muti, for whom the orchestra has reportedly shown great interest; Salonen, who is leaving the Los Angeles Philharmonic after next season; Chailly, long a favorite with many CSO players who has held several important conducting posts in Europe; plus Bychkov, Vänskä, Dutoit, Gatti and Harth-Bedoya, among those who have guest-conducted here a lot in recent seasons.
Dudamel, the 26-year-old Venezuelan sensation who had an impressive CSO debut last season, is already spoken for: he'll follow Salonen at the L.A. Philharmonic in 2009-10.
Also, Tilson Thomas is an icon with the San Francisco Symphony and would not be likely to leave there; and the list of next year's likely non-candidates includes specialists such as Nicholas McGegan (early music) and John Williams (film music), plus several newcomers such as Luisi. Gaffigan and Zhang, all three making their CSO debuts.
Incidentally, the just-mentioned Williams will provide a special Aug. 20-21 opening to the downtown CSO season when he collaborates with cellist Yo-Yo Ma for concerts featuring Williams' score for "Memoirs of a Geisha," with the performances to be recorded for Sony/BMG Masterworks.