Art Chowder September | October, Issue 17 | Page 48

Art Chowder:
So you’re basically pruning
the branch?
PrEU: Someone else can prune. I’ve done
my pruning! Someone else might do it
differently. Musicians always need new
inspiration, and it’s tough to provide them
with a miracle a day.
Art Chowder:
What do you consider your
greatest accomplishment while here?
PrEU: There are several because I was put
into a position where a lot of things were
happening without me really doing, but
maybe helping. For instance, when I arrived,
the Fox Theater was going to be demolished.
But with the right people, the right board,
the right sponsors, the right administration,
the Spokane Symphony saved it. If I played
my part in choosing and talking to the right
people, that’s good. I think saving this
theater was a game changer for us.
Hiring though … I don’t usually take credit
for things, but for that I do. Because I
found Mateusz Wolski and convinced him
to audition. I had a role in hiring him, and
that was another game changer. If there’s
to be a lasting legacy, that is probably one
of them, given that he stays. Together, the
Fox Theater and Mateusz were big game
changers for the sound of the orchestra as a
whole, and for the string section in general.
Another thing is that we were always on
the forefront of what orchestras do, as far
as being innovative. I think we were always
a bit ahead of our time in Spokane. We
are not this backwater town that most of
America may think we are. We’ve always
pushed the boundaries — always rethinking
what we do, and presenting it in new ways
in order to stay relevant and approachable.
I try to be approachable myself, to change
the assumption of what people think an
orchestra is: only old people attending,
conducted by an old person, and it is all
stuffy. All these things we know people still
think after all these years. It’s not an easy
wall to tear down, but I think we’ve been
giving it a good shot. I mean, we’re just
people who work really hard to make good
music for you.
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ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE
Photo credit:  Nancy Crawford