In Sunday’s (2/27) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Andrew Druckenbrod writes, “On the eve of a major concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, its music director had the eyes of 200 people trained on him. But Manfred Honeck wasn’t on the podium at Heinz Hall, he was in one of the building’s reception rooms. And when he extended his arms, it wasn’t to wave a baton but to shake hands. He was greeting the patrons—members of the Friends of the PSO eager to hear the man who captains the renowned orchestra. Mr. Honeck spoke about the music the orchestra was to perform that weekend last year in Heinz Hall and later at New York’s Carnegie Hall. … It’s a pattern that the maestro has repeated on numerous occasions, and it may just be exactly what the arts organization needs in these uncertain economic times. ‘There are new and different expectations of the orchestra,’ said Jesse Rosen, president of the League of American Orchestras, based in New York City. … ‘Every conductor’s aptitude for it is different, but I think in the orchestra of today music directors see the value of being approachable.’ ”
Posted March 1, 2011
