Saturday (9/29) on the blog South Florida Classical Review, David Fleshler writes, “As an alumnus of the New World Symphony, Zeneba Bowers has established a successful traditional career as assistant principal second violin of the Nashville Symphony. Not content to serve as lieutenant in a regiment of violins under the command of a conductor, Bowers has also struck out on her own. She founded the ensemble ALIAS, a venture in which musicians donate their services and profits go to charities. … Her dual role, her aggressiveness as a promoter and lack of concern for maintaining the often stiffly formal protocols of classical music represents an ideal promoted by the New World Symphony,” which celebrates “its 25th anniversary this season with an opening concert of Russian music led by Michael Tilson Thomas Saturday night [Oct. 6]. … Of New World’s 900 or so alumni, the largest number have taken positions in American orchestras. Among these are the Boston Symphony with six alumni, the Chicago Symphony with three, the Metropolitan Opera with three, the San Francisco Symphony with 10 and the Cleveland Orchestra with 11. Employing the largest number is the Kansas City Symphony—dubbed ‘New World Symphony West’—with a whopping 23, more than one fourth of its roster.” But Fleshler also goes on to profile other New World alumni who are striking out on their own, including violist Katie Wyatt, harpist Elizabeth Hainen, and violinist Amos Fayette.
Posted October 1, 2012
