“One might assume an orchestra conductor spent his childhood raised by parents or guardians who were composers and classical musicians. One would be wrong in the case of Andrew Crust,” writes James Luksic in Wednesday’s (11/24) Lima News (OH). “The Lima Symphony Orchestra’s music director had familial ties with only one music-maker: his stepfather, Terry, who performed in bands. Nevertheless, … ‘I credit my parents with exposing me to a range of styles—from Nina Simone to Mozart to Led Zeppelin to Vivaldi,’ said the 34-year-old Kansas native…. It was his dad’s old trumpet that became the ‘natural, economical’ go-to instrument for Crust, who [picked] up a French horn along the way.… He [earned] a master’s degree at McGill University [and] studied music education at Wichita State University…. When Crust arrived in Lima for good circa February 2020, his connection to the community was instant, according to Elizabeth Brown-Ellis, executive director of LSO.… Ultimately, Crust thinks it is imperative to work with orchestras that have the right priorities. ‘What kind of programming is relevant and powerful to the local audience? How do we reach young people? Is there potential for growth?’ he asked. ‘All those things I found in Lima.’ ”
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