In my role as executive director of the Community Arts Council, I regularly have the opportunity to engage in conversations with some pretty impressive people about the role the arts play in our community.
Most often these people generously share their insights and lessons learned from their experiences as artists and cultural workers.
One such recent conversation was with Lucas Waldin, this weekend's guest conductor of the PGSO's Gala Concert on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Vanier Hall.
Lucas' presence on stage with our beloved local symphony orchestra is part of the organization's process to "audition" a new music director throughout the current season.
Lucas is a talented and versatile conductor with an eclectic international background. He has a passion for education and outreach, and is currently Artist-in-Residence and Community Ambassador with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. This was a tailor made post that allows him to focus on establishing strong ties with the community through outreach initiatives.
From where I sit, that's music to my ears. As so many of our local arts and cultural organizations are currently working hard to fully integrate and engage with broader sectors of the Prince George community, the idea of potentially working in the near future with an arts partner like Lucas seems really enticing.
The program and concert that Lucas will be directing is an interesting one. Not only is it the PGSO's big event for the fall season, but the repertoire featuring works by Brahms, Mendelsohn, and Sibelius, all steeped in the Romantic era tradition of big orchestral sound, will also give Lucas a chance to shine in the role as maestro.
While chatting with Lucas on the phone, I asked him about his role in Edmonton and how well he feels his experience will translate here in Prince George. He made some really interesting points about how Edmonton and Prince George are both relatively isolated communities in their geographic locations, and that, in both cities, the local orchestra plays a huge rule in contributing to the cultural fabric of the city, in bringing in new music and performers, and specifically how it validates the community as genuinely having a veritable performing arts scene.
When I shared with Lucas some of the challenges I sometimes encounter in ensuring that the arts are given a top priority in the community, I could tell from his voice that he does not feel daunted by these, but rather, motivated to jump right into the deep end.
I asked Lucas what was drawing him to the position at the PGSO, which would also mean moving his family to Prince George. He indicated that while he does not yet have a connection to BC, his personal and professional journey here in Western Canada is the manifestation of a goal to fully appreciate Canada as a nation, after being raised in Toronto and educated in the U.S. at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and then continuing his post-grad professional development in Paris and Berlin. "I really have developed an appreciation for the kind of community where there are a lot of hard working folks, and energetic and visionary people, " said Lucas. " If I were to be offered the position in Prince George, I would want to make sure that I am attending all kinds of community events, even those that are not directly related to my role, including fundraisers for local charities, civic events, opportunities to identify and nurture local musical talent, and just being fully engaged as a local citizen."
I told Lucas that, for example, we have a very active and vibrant service group culture in Prince George, and he replied that he would be sure to mention that to his wife, who is an active Rotarian in Edmonton.
One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was about the need for us to continue finding ways to introduce younger audiences to performances and cultural events. Lucas identified how classical music has over time started to evolve into a museum culture, as compared to a couple of centuries ago when concerts were often four-hour long extravaganzas of new works which were greeted by excited and enthusiast crowds, eagerly anticipating the first performance of say Haydn's latest Symphony, or Mozart's newest opera. New musical works back then were treated in the same manner in which we now anticipate the latest installation of a blockbuster movie franchise. This contrasts to our contemporary classical music scene in which orchestral music can at times be treated like sacred artifacts.
We both acknowledged, as an example, the issue of people applauding between movements, and how in big cities one would not dare applaud for the first movement of a virtuosic piano concerto for fear of being shushed, whereas here in Prince George, if people like what they just heard and feel compelled to show it, they show it! Lucas indicated that the music director does have an obligation to educate audiences about repertoire, and optimal ways to experience it, but this is about having the right skills to manage a performance so that people will want to come back for more.
So I am one local resident who is really keen for this weekend's PGSO concert. If there happens to be a red carpet, I will be walking down it con moto because I want to hear some of the great masterworks of 19th century repertoire, and enjoy watching an energetic, intelligent and dynamic individual - and potential new community arts partner - share a magical moment with us all.
