It takes a special personality to be a conductor, to stand in front of a coterie of passionate (often opinionated), well-trained, intelligent musicians and tastemakers to lead them in performance. Maestro Victor Yampolsky is that very special personality, his instructions quirky and his music-making precise. Which is what rendered this friendly conversation with him that much…
Archives for March 2016
Who’s Dag Hammarskjold? ROCO’s 53rd world premiere has his name all over it
A composer who requires members of an ensemble to stomp their feet march-style while playing probably has interesting stories to tell. Meet tunesmith Dorothy Gates, whose Trombone Concerto was commissioned by the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra at the suggestion of principal trombonist Thomas Hultén. The work, ROCO’s 53rd world premiere commission, is based on the…