“St. Charles East High School senior Alex Carroll admitted that he was somewhat nervous before stepping onto the conductor podium at Orchestra Hall in Chicago,” writes Eric Schelkopf in Wednesday’s (5/29) Kane County Chronicle (Illinois). “He used that nervousness to his advantage in making his conducting debut. On May 19, Carroll led the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras’ world-renowned Symphony Orchestra through a performance of Aaron Copland’s ‘Hoe-Down’ from the 1942 ballet ‘Rodeo.’ … Carroll was the recipient of CYSO’s 2018 Doug and Sharon Carroll Conducting Fellowship (no relation). He was chosen as conducting fellow by CYSO Music Director Allen Tinkham … Throughout the season, he met with Tinkham to complete an independent study curriculum focused on developing his skill as a conductor…. Carroll, who is graduating … on June 2, plans to attend Northwestern University for a degree in double bass performance…. ‘The thing I really love about this instrument is that I’m not limited to any genre…. I play a lot of jazz as well,’ said Carroll [who is] co-principal bassist in CYSO’s top ensemble, Symphony Orchestra…. After getting a taste of conducting, he … said, ‘This is something that I would love to pursue.’ ”
Posted May 31, 2019
