If you asked me what's been happening this week, this is how I would sum it up. Maestros. Mansions. Memory. Music. And Jimmy Fallon.
Our new Music Director, Krzysztof Urbanski ("just call me Krzys") arrived late Sunday evening. It's been a privilege for me to host our maestro around town, especially to venues like Lucas Oil Stadium for a photo shoot on Monday (Krzys will be appearing on the cover of the winter edition of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association's 4/c visitor guide). In between takes, Krzys got a little animated, which is easy to do inside a 66,000-seat multi-use stadium. I think he wants to conduct here too.
On Tuesday evening, we had a signature moment at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Music Director Krzysztof Urbanski, Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly and Conductor Laureate Raymond Leppard were the guests of honor at a special ISO reception at the Lucas estate/mansion in Carmel, Indiana. Forrest and Charlotte Lucas offered us their exquisite home for an evening of mingling, music, merriment and extraordinary generosity from our donors and hosts. What a trio!
WTHR's Anne-Marie Tiernon was there as well and took a moment to pull [our former Music Director] Maestro Leppard aside to ask him a few questions about Krzysztof's appointment as the ISO's seventh Music Director. As a part of her profile which will air on Friday, Anne-Marie was trying to get a handle on Krzys' preference to memorize the music in front of him. It's been the buzz lately, and she wanted a colleague to address this uncommon phenomenon among conductors.
All I heard Raymond say was "'Tis extraordinary, this gift you know! I don't know what the definition of a photographic memory truly is, but this is something very special in such a young man."
In all his humility, Krzys would admit that he might have a "good memory." But he memorizes the score only to keep an efficient rehearsal schedule. The simple reason for memorizing music seems as extraordinary as the gift itself.
Speaking of music, the Indianapolis Symphony's first rehearsal for the new 2011-2012 indoor season was held this morning and Krzys led the orchestra through Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. Krzys recently conducted this piece at the Trondheim Symphony in Norway, and a critic for the country's largest newspaper noted, "the TSO's performance of Shostakovich Fifth Symphony is the most convincing this reviewer has ever heard." Don't miss this and other mighty Russian works this weekend - you MUST hear this live.
Live - perfect segue to the final piece of news: Jimmy Fallon will broadcast his show live from the Hilbert Circle Theatre on nights leading up to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.
Lots to be thrilled about in a week - and it's only Wednesday.
Our new Music Director, Krzysztof Urbanski ("just call me Krzys") arrived late Sunday evening. It's been a privilege for me to host our maestro around town, especially to venues like Lucas Oil Stadium for a photo shoot on Monday (Krzys will be appearing on the cover of the winter edition of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association's 4/c visitor guide). In between takes, Krzys got a little animated, which is easy to do inside a 66,000-seat multi-use stadium. I think he wants to conduct here too.
This visit to the stadium prompted Krzys to ask me about all the rules of American football (being that he's a different kind of football player in his home country of Poland). Egad! You mean my two years of collegiate powder-puff football experience can actually be of use? Yes!
On Tuesday evening, we had a signature moment at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Music Director Krzysztof Urbanski, Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly and Conductor Laureate Raymond Leppard were the guests of honor at a special ISO reception at the Lucas estate/mansion in Carmel, Indiana. Forrest and Charlotte Lucas offered us their exquisite home for an evening of mingling, music, merriment and extraordinary generosity from our donors and hosts. What a trio!
WTHR's Anne-Marie Tiernon was there as well and took a moment to pull [our former Music Director] Maestro Leppard aside to ask him a few questions about Krzysztof's appointment as the ISO's seventh Music Director. As a part of her profile which will air on Friday, Anne-Marie was trying to get a handle on Krzys' preference to memorize the music in front of him. It's been the buzz lately, and she wanted a colleague to address this uncommon phenomenon among conductors.
All I heard Raymond say was "'Tis extraordinary, this gift you know! I don't know what the definition of a photographic memory truly is, but this is something very special in such a young man."
In all his humility, Krzys would admit that he might have a "good memory." But he memorizes the score only to keep an efficient rehearsal schedule. The simple reason for memorizing music seems as extraordinary as the gift itself.
Speaking of music, the Indianapolis Symphony's first rehearsal for the new 2011-2012 indoor season was held this morning and Krzys led the orchestra through Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. Krzys recently conducted this piece at the Trondheim Symphony in Norway, and a critic for the country's largest newspaper noted, "the TSO's performance of Shostakovich Fifth Symphony is the most convincing this reviewer has ever heard." Don't miss this and other mighty Russian works this weekend - you MUST hear this live.
Live - perfect segue to the final piece of news: Jimmy Fallon will broadcast his show live from the Hilbert Circle Theatre on nights leading up to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.
Lots to be thrilled about in a week - and it's only Wednesday.
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