The Beat Goes On
Highlights of Marin Symphony ’ s Upcoming Season
By Lily O ’ Brien
© Marin Symphony
The Marin Symphony is entering its 16th season under the baton of Music Director Alasdair Neale . Some of the new things to look forward to this season are a new choral director , a new principal cellist , and a fresh new logo and advertising campaign . Marin Arts & Culture chatted with maestro Neale about what ’ s coming up .
MA & C : What can we expect musically in the new season ?
Alasdair Neale : The season itself I think has a mixture of new and familiar repertoire . I am personally excited about doing “ Don Quixote ,” which is the only significant Strauss piece that I haven ’ t done . Strauss and Stravinsky on the same program are strange bedfellows , but they have certain things in common , in that they are both , in this case , master storytellers . Both “ Don Quixote ” and “ Firebird ” are some of the well known pieces by those composers , and I have paired each of those pieces with a couple of miniature gems from both Strauss and Stravinsky — the “ Serenade for Winds ” and “ Scherzo à la Russe .”
MA & C : Are there any new concerts this year ?
A . N .: Yes — we are restoring the family concert [ which had been dropped for a couple of years ] for the orchestra , which is very important to me because of our renewed commitment to education , and I ’ m very happy to be part of . I ’ ll be conducting it , which is the first time that I have done that in Marin . There ’ s also going to be a side-by-side appearance with the youth orchestra in that concert .
MA & C : Tell me about the new choral director .
A . N .: I ’ m just delighted to welcome Kevin Fox into the Marin Symphony family . He has had a great track record , most recently with the Pacific Boychoir
Academy of California . He comes from a singing background and I know that he is going to be working with the chorus on technique . I think he ’ s going to bring a lot of great ideas to the chorus and develop it , and I ’ m looking forward very much to working with him towards those ends . I think it will be terrific .
MA & C : What prompted the new logo and advertising campaign ?
A . N .: I think it comes from a general feeling that even after 63-64 years , the Marin Symphony is not nearly well enough recognized in its own county . I think we need to be more on people ’ s radar — it ’ s such a treasure that we have and I don ’ t think enough people are aware of it .
MA & C : How do you make your choices for the season ?
A . N .: Well it ’ s not an especially structured process . I don ’ t sit down
10 Marin Arts & Culture