“Boston-based conductor Richard Pittman has suffered a severe stroke,” writes Lawrence A. Johnson in Wednesday’s (6/10) Boston Classical Review. “Longtime music director of the New England Philharmonic and Boston Musica Viva, the 85-year-old conductor was stricken in March. (His illness is wholly unrelated to Covid-19.) While Pittman continues to recover, his recuperation is both ‘challenging and slow,’ according to NEP…. The two organizations are responding differently to the situation. Noting Pittman’s essential involvement with Boston Musica Viva from its beginning, BMV is not planning a fall season. A released statement by BMV president Richard Cornell and executive director Robert Pape stated ‘Due to these challenges … we will not be announcing any future programming now. Instead, we are taking a step back to evaluate how we might best fulfill our mission of advocating for living composers and their music in this rapidly changing world.’ The New England Philharmonic … plans to continue with a 2020-21 season, with details to be announced in the coming months. ‘We believe the best way for us to honor Dick is to continue the mission and high standards that he has fostered in the NEP over the last 23 years,’ said NEP president John Kessen.”
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