In Sunday’s (11/24) Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska), Casey Logan writes about John Klinghammer, assistant principal clarinetist with the Omaha Symphony. “In concert, the Omaha Symphony usually performs with music director Thomas Wilkins or resident conductor Ernest Richardson at the podium, but [at a recent educational concert dubbed ‘Mission Imagination’], Klinghammer held the baton. He stepped forward at the introduction of Adam Goss, the symphony’s head of education and community partnerships, and immediately launched the orchestra into composer Antonín Dvorák’s Slavonic Dance No. 15. The room swelled with the sound of 40 musicians in harmony, kids bobbing in place and mimicking Klinghammer’s arm movements as he conducted…. A few years ago, Klinghammer … approached Wilkins, the music director, with a request. He wanted to learn the craft. They meet when Wilkins’ hectic schedule will allow it.… ‘He is more human as a conductor than he was when we first started,’ Wilkins said. ‘Sometimes when conductors get on a podium … they take on whatever this “maestro” persona is supposed to be, and in the process they put up a wall between them and the people they’re actually trying to make music with.’ Now, he said, ‘John smiles more, for example.’ ”
Posted November 26, 2013
