6 newportbeachindy . com NOVEMBER 10 , 2023
LOCAL FOCUS
Maestro for a Day : My Conducting Debut with Pacific Symphony
By Christopher Trela | NB Indy What ’ s on your bucket list ? Maybe you want to walk the fabled Camino de Santiago , visit all 50 states , or shoot a hole-in-one at Pebble Beach .
For many years I had one seemingly unreachable goal atop my bucket list : Conduct the Pacific Symphony .
Every year at their annual gala , the Pacific Symphony holds a live auction that includes exclusive trips , fine wine collections , and other items . Oh — and one other thing : the opportunity to conduct one piece at a Pacific Symphony Pops concert at Segerstrom Concert Hall .
I play violin and was concertmaster of my high school orchestra , which I occasionally got to conduct , so I know my way around classical music . And I ’ m a pretty good air conductor and can ’ t resist keeping time to familiar orchestral music . But to conduct the third largest orchestra in California was a longtime dream .
I have been attending the Pacific Symphony gala for many years , but never bid because the conducting opportunity usually goes for upwards of $ 20,000 — a little out of my reach .
However , at the Pacific Symphony Gala in March of 2020 , my situation was a little different . Armed with a high-balance credit card , I was prepared to finally bid on the conducting opportunity , although I set a limit to what I would bid .
When the time came to bid , my bidder paddle went up and continued to go up as I outbid others vying for the same precious item . Eventually one paddle remained up — mine !
Yes , I had finally won the opportunity to conduct the symphony . I began to picture myself on stage , soaking in the applause as I led the symphony . One week later , the pandemic shutdown forced the cancellation of all indoor arts events , from plays to concerts .
My conducting debut was put on pause as I waited out the pandemic . Weeks turned into months turned into years as the pandemic protocols prevented me from taking the podium . The Pacific Symphony staff kept in touch with me ( including President John Forsyte ) as we waited out the pandemic .
Finally , my conducting debut was set : June 10 , 2023 . The final Pops concert of the season , and the first with the new Pacific Symphony Pops conductor , Enrico Lopez-Yañez .
The symphony chose a fun piece for me to conduct : “ 76 Trombones ” from “ The Music Man ,” one of my favorite musicals . They gave me a link to the
Christopher Trela conducting the Pacific Symphony / Photo by Doug Gifford
music so I could practice at home .
As part of my prize package , a conducting lesson was arranged with Pacific Symphony Music Director Carl St . Clair , whom I have known for years having interviewed him many times . We met in his dressing room prior to a Pacific Symphony concert . We went over the finer points of conducting while reminiscing about his 30 + years as music director .
After about 30 minutes of watching him demonstrate and then trying to repeat his seemingly effortless conducting , I came close to achieving a passable conducting technique .
Then came the night of my conducting debut .
The symphony provided eight box seats in the Concert Hall for my friends to attend the concert . I showed up early to get a few tips from Enrico , who proved to be a charming and charismatic conductor . He brought me on stage so I could get a lay of the land including where to walk to the podium .
I had my own dressing room , and the symphony furnished a bottle of champagne and a box of elegant chocolates . And , to my surprise , a conductor ’ s baton with an engraving that read “ Maestro Christopher Trela , Guest Conductor , June 10 , 2013 .” My name was also listed in the program as guest conductor . I certainly felt like a celebrity .
I was to conduct the first piece on the second half of the concert , so I watched the first half with my friends . At intermission , we all went to the VIP reception for dessert and photos .
I then made my way back to my dressing room , donned a special jacket I wore for the auspicious occasion , grabbed my baton , and was escorted backstage near the stage entrance .
Enrico welcomed the audience back to the concert and explained that the symphony auctions off an opportunity to conduct one piece of music , with the proceeds going to the symphony ’ s education and programming funds .
He introduced me by saying something about me being the concertmaster of my high school orchestra , and then “ please welcome Maestro Chris Trela .”
I walked on stage all smiles , shook Enrico ’ s hand , walked to the podium , shook the concertmaster ’ s hand ( yes I knew the protocols ), ascended the podium , turned and bowed to the audience , turned back to the orchestra , and away we went .
As the music started , I realized the musicians were very close to the podium — closer than they appear from the audience . I felt comfortable and confident as I kept time with my baton , glancing around at the musicians , cuing them ( probably needlessly ) and relishing my time in the spotlight .
As the piece came to an end , I finished with a flourish , then had the orchestra stand . I applauded them , then turned to the audience and bowed , soaking in the applause . I descended from the podium , shook the concertmaster ’ s hand , shook Enrico ’ s hand and we strolled backstage .
The experience was exhilarating and exciting . It was so much fun I was ready to do it again — but alas , not that night .
I returned to my seat to watch the rest of the concert . Afterwards I accompanied my entourage for the evening next door to the Westin Hotel lobby for celebratory drinks — and to enjoy the box of chocolates !
But wait — the experience does not end here .
The symphony held an outdoor gala in June of 2021 , with the Pacific Symphony performing for the first time in more than a year . At that gala , the symphony again auctioned off numerous exclusive items . One of them caught my eye — the opportunity to have dinner with Carl St . Clair and Pacific
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