A little something

People often ask me “what’s the best thing about being a conductor?”  Is it the screaming girls, the unfettered power, the great music you do on outdoor gigs, the constant praise and flattery, the almost unlimited vacation time, the glamorous air travel, the way...

Walter Weller

There are many reasons we don’t do reviews here at Vftp…. First and foremost, there’s the whole pot/kettle or glass houses issue. Second, I don’t want to write a glowing assessment of one conductor only to run into an old mentor or friend who then asks me why I...

Back from the dead

I’ve had a couple of friendly nags for a report on my last trip to Pendleton to conduct Mahler 1 with the OES. What do you say about a 10 day trip with 16 rehearsals and 6 concerts with two different orchestras rehearsing or performing in 8 different venues? What do...