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Reflections On Connections: Marin Alsop Bids Farewell To Baltimore
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The groundbreaking conductor — the first woman to lead a major American Orchestra — reflects on 14 years as music director of the Baltimore Symphony.
Transcript
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Marin Alsop, music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, steps down from her podium there tonight after 14 years of music tours, making history as the first woman to lead a major American orchestra. The final concert will feature Renee Fleming and works by Handel, Strauss and Ginastera, the world premiere by James Lee III and Baltimore spoken word artist Wordsmith. It will be broadcast live on Maryland Public Television. And the maestra, Marin Alsop, joins us now. Thanks so much for being with us.
MARIN ALSOP: Oh, it's great to be with you, Scott.
SIMON: Must be a lot of feelings coursing through you at the moment.
ALSOP: I think change is always hard. And it's really part of the existence of a music director. You know, it's important to let change happen. And after 14 years with the Baltimore Symphony, it feels like the right moment to move on and refocus my attention. I have a new post in Vienna, so I'm going to probably spend more time in Europe now.
SIMON: Yeah. Did you have specific hopes and dreams when you took up the post?
ALSOP: It was definitely not lost on me that never before in history had a woman been the musical head of a major, full-time professional American orchestra. So along with that came a certain responsibility - happy responsibility, I have to say - to try to open more doors, demystifying classical music so that everyone can access it and everyone can be included. I think about the community outreach that we've been able to achieve in terms of the OrchKids program, the idea of reaching out to audiences. I started a whole series called "Off The Cuff." We take a piece apart and talk about it to the audience or do some Q&A after so people feel more engaged and part of this creative process, which is a process that it's really inherent in being human.
SIMON: Well, a lot we want to follow up on that. But let me ask you about the recording career that you've had with the Baltimore Symphony. We're going to hear a bit of Bernstein's "Mass."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I BELIEVE IN GOD")
UNIDENTIFIED SINGER: (Singing) I believe in F sharp. I believe in G. But does it mean a thing to you, or should I change my key? How do you like A flat? Do you believe in C?
UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing) Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub.
UNIDENTIFIED SINGER: (Singing) Do you believe in anything that has to do with me?
UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (Singing) I believe in God, but does God believe in me?
ALSOP: Performing Bernstein's "Mass" - it's an experience unto itself. And it's a journey piece. And it's a piece that captures, I think, this philosophy of inclusion and embrace. It's a huge work. You know, it has probably 300, 400 people involved. So you can get a lot of members of the community engaged. And this became a signature piece for the BSO. In - I think it was 2008 or 2009, we performed it at Carnegie Hall, at the Kennedy Center, and then we recorded it for Naxos.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I BELIEVE IN GOD")
UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (Singing, unintelligible).
ALSOP: You know, this recording was truly a labor of love and a project that I've been wanting to do for many, many years. So I was really thrilled to be able to do it with the Baltimore Symphony and members of the community.
SIMON: In 2016, we met some of the young artists in OrchKids, a program that you talked about. We want to recollect a young tuba player, Keith Fleming (ph).
(SOUNDBITE OF TUBA PLAYING)
SIMON: This is what Keith Fleming said to the audience at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
KEITH FLEMING: When I was younger, I had no music experience. I didn't want to connect with people, and I didn't want to learn. Now I want to absorb more information every day. And OrchKids has taught me that.
ALSOP: I know Keith so well. He was one of our original OrchKids (laughter). And watching him today, he's going to college now. And his ambition is to create programs like OrchKids for other kids like himself, you know, that didn't have the same kinds of opportunities in life.
SIMON: Today is Juneteenth. And at tonight's gala, we mentioned the world premiere by the composer James Lee III and the spoken word artist Wordsmith. Here's a sneak peek that was recorded in rehearsal earlier this week.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
WORDSMITH: On this day of liberation, we say thanks to the many Black lives who have died and shown pride. Now we strive to subscribe to a permanent emancipation.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
WORDSMITH: The past is not forgotten when picking cotton isn't so (ph).
ALSOP: It's such a privilege that my final concert as music director of the Baltimore Symphony will be on Juneteenth. It's an occasion to really commemorate history in a new way. So James Lee is the composer of this beautiful piece called "Destined Words." And, you know, you'll hear little snippets through the piece of battle fanfares, you know, reminiscent of the Civil War. Songs are referenced like the "Battle Hymn Of The Republic," "Dixieland." There's even a prominent quote from "Lift Every Voice And Sing." It's an evocative look at the longing for freedom.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
WORDSMITH: We were destined to be great.
ALSOP: So for me, it's an emotional moment. And I'm very, very honored to be able to conclude my tenure with this piece.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
SIMON: So what's next? You have this post in Vienna.
ALSOP: Yes. I'm starting next week, a new little position as music director of the National Orchestral Institute at the University of Maryland, which I'm thrilled about working with, you know, young, fabulous, pre-professional musicians. And I'm the chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. And I start my first summer with the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia Festival. So if anybody's out in the middle of the country this summer, please come and visit there, too.
SIMON: Well, the great Marin Alsop, who - soon-to-be music director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony, of course, and continues as chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony. Wonderful to speak with you and to continue to speak with you. And take care.
ALSOP: Thank you, Scott. Thanks for all your support.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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