In 2000 I guest conducted the China National Symphony in Beijing. The 1st trumpeter, Dai Zhonghui had studied at USC and consequently spoke English. So we got to talking and began a friendship which has continued since through the magic of email! He now also conducts and was recently named the "permanent conductor" of the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. Shenzhen is a city of a mere 14 million just across the bay from Hong Kong on mainland China.

Zhonghui invited myself and the talented composers, Jim Stephenson from Chicago and Joel Hoffman from the Cincinnati Conservatory to come to Shenzhen last week to witness and comment upon the premier of a new work for chorus, children's chorus and orchestra commissioned by the local government and composed by Wang Ning, a highly respected composer in Beijing. There was a symposium following the performance where noted chinese musicians (along with us Americans) gave their opinions about the work. Personally, I enjoyed the music very much. I expressed my appreciation for the magnitude of governmental support lavished upon the orchestra but warned them of the possible danger of becoming lax on audience development. The large hall was only half full. Since the orchestra doesn't desperately need ticket income like we do in the States, there is this danger of not working on filling the house with sufficient energy. Government support or no, our purpose is to play FOR PEOPLE!

We were treated royally. The Director of the Orchestra personally drove Jim and me to get a Chinese massage after a round of sightseeing. The food (of which there was always too much) was delicious, although occasionally there'd be a dish that was a "yuck!" like marinated lamb's head…….

Shenzhen was the 1st region in China to allow capitalism in. The result is astonishing–skyscrapers, Gucci, Prada, luxury hotels and so on. They seem to like to trumpet their wealth. America better lookout!!!!

For 17 years, my wife Marsha and I spent our summers in the lakes district of New Hampshire where I was the Music Director of the New Hampshire Music Festival. We'd load up our Subaru–dogs, cats and all and head up to the woods where the combination of natural beauty, making music with good friends and renewing relationships couldn't be beat. 

In 2009, I resigned as Music Director and much to my delight, the Board of Directors recently asked me to be the festival's Conductor Laureate. Now our futures are linked in a permanent way. 

This past summer I conducted the first half of the Festival season as part of its 60th Anniversary celebration. It was like no time had elapsed since I was last there. The orchestra, which is made up of very talented musicians from all over the country played their hearts out and there was such an outpouring of good feeling.

There  were many musical highlights but I'll mention just one–Lukas Foss's "American Landscapes" with guitarist, Jason Vieaux. Lukas was my "boss" when I was the Associate Conductor  of the Milwaukee Symphony years ago. He was such a talented and marvelous man and it felt so good to conduct his music and re-connect with him through his witty, naughty and clever music. This piece is dynamite and Jason was the perfect soloist, solid, creative and dynamic.

Long live the New Hampshire Music Festival!

How wonderful it was to conduct the opening concerts of Symphony Silicon Valley's 10th Anniversary Season. I've been going out there annually ever since its inception and have come to know everyone rather well. The musicians, staff and public are like old friends now.

On this occasion, I had a chance to finally perform David Amram's marvelous "Triple Concerto" WITH DAVID on the piano and Pakastani flute. Dedicated to the spirit of jazz, the jazz, wind and brass quintets plus full orchestra make quite a remarkable racket! It's quite a trick to coordinate and balance all these elements but we managed very well and the audience loved it.

I also had a chance to conduct Holst's "The Planets" for the first time in 20 years, so it was like a new experience. As "popular" as this work is, what struck me on stage was how serious it felt. The richness, brilliance, mystery, serenity, color and power really seemed "great" to me, in the way that all the "great" works do. I loved the added sonority of the bass flute and bass oboe. It's a pity more composers didn't write for them. And the off-stage female choir at the end is so special.

The choir director, Elena Sharkova came up with a novel solution for creating a truly gradual and long diminuendo to the close. She brought a ton of scarves and had the ladies and young girls hold them away at first and gradually bring them in towards their mouths as they sang which muffled the volume ever so slowly. It was perfect! Plus, since they didn't have to get softer with the voice, it was easier to stay on pitch, which they did completely! Cool, huh? Bravo, Elena!