“The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s conductor for the past eight years will step down at the end of [next] season, the organization announced Thursday,” writes Chelsea Boozer in Friday’s (5/25) ArkansasOnline. “Philip Mann, who joined the symphony in 2010 as its maestro, will finish out the 2018-19 season and then pursue international conducting opportunities. Christina Littlejohn, the symphony’s chief executive officer, said Thursday that the organization and its board will not start looking for a replacement right away. Instead, they plan to evaluate their organizational options. ‘We want to make sure we are truly serving Arkansas and want to take some time to see what an orchestra of the 21st century really needs…. What’s best to really serve our audience here and be innovative and provide us with the most flexibility?…’ Littlejohn said. The organization plans to look at different models across the world…. Mann will stay on as the orchestra’s first ‘music director laureate’ … Mann was described by Kiril Laskarov, the orchestra’s concertmaster, as ‘an inspiring leader, an extraordinary musician, and a devoted colleague.’… Mann came to Little Rock from the San Diego Symphony in 2010 where he served as the assistant conductor” and was a League of American Orchestras’ American Conducting Fellow.
Posted May 29, 2018
