“The pendulum is swinging away from classical music as an ivory-tower, elitist experience,” says Marin Alsop in Richard Scheinin’s article in Thursday’s (8/6) Mercury News (San Jose, California). The article discusses the two-week-long Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, where Alsop is artistic director. “I have managers who tell me, ‘Oh, maestros don’t do that,’” says Alsop. “They’re always trying to get me to be more maestro-like.” Scheinin writes that Alsop is “as devoted to Beethoven and Mahler as anyone, but flies wherever her musical interests take her.” Scheinin points out Alsop’s high energy and “the show must go on” professionalism, citing an incident when Alsop ditched her car in the middle of a traffic jam to get to a performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. “I grew up in an environment where I watched my parents—they never missed one concert their whole career.” The annual Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, with a new-music focus, takes place this year from August 2 to 16.
Posted August 7, 2009
