In Thursday’s (10/15) Chicago Tribune, John von Rhein writes, “At his first news conference after being named the 10th music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in May 2008, Riccardo Muti spoke of deepening the CSO’s engagement with the community during his tenure. … Addressing the annual meeting of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association on Wednesday, Chicago’s maestro of the moment revealed several initiatives he has planned with the orchestra once he settles into his new post in September 2010. And one of them involves at-risk youth. The most innovative is programming designed to give juvenile offenders and youth at risk opportunities to participate in music as students, performers, composers and audience members. The basic idea, said the 68-year-old Muti, is to contribute to the development of a positive self-image among participants, counteracting the stigma of having served in detention facilities. … The initiative will be undertaken in partnership with several area organizations already serving incarcerated youth through the arts, added Muti, who begins a two-week series of CSO subscription concerts Thursday.” Muti also unveiled the Sir Georg Solti Conducting Competition and Apprenticeship, which “will offer a conductor at the start of his or her career financial support and the chance to study with Muti and other CSO conductors.”
Posted October 15, 2009
