[Dixielandjazz] Baltimore Symphony hires Ms. Alsop over Musiician's Objections

[Steve barbone]

Caveat : NOT OKOM . . . BUT GREAT READ IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE SAGA.
You go, girl!!!! 

Cheers,
Steve Barbone


Baltimore Hires Director Over Objections of Musicians

By DANIEL J. WAKIN Published: July 21, 2005 NY Times

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra said yesterday that it had closed a deal
with Marin Alsop, announcing that she would take over as its music director
in 2007 on a three-year contract.

Ms. Alsop will spend 14 weeks a season with the orchestra. Her contract also
calls for recording projects and a European tour. She will conduct for six
weeks of the 2006-7 season as music director-designate.

She becomes the first woman to be the music director of a major American
orchestra, but her appointment was fraught with controversy. A majority of
the orchestra players objected to ending the search, which began late last
year, so soon. It became clear that many of the players felt Ms. Alsop did
not possess what they considered sufficient musical stature for an orchestra
of Baltimore's quality and history.

At a news conference, in her first comments since the controversy began, Ms.
Alsop sought to play down the orchestra members' objections.

"I'm really putting it behind me already," she said. "I feel that the
measure of our future together is going to be our success. And as soon as we
have success together, I think we'll be married for a long time. I really
think that it was a cathartic moment for them to express their concerns."

In a meeting yesterday morning with the musicians, she said, she tried to
lay out her artistic vision. The meeting, she said, confirmed that they have
an "excellent relationship and that this was really nothing personal."

"A lot of musicians expressed their support," she added, "and I think that
we're over the big hump. I will just continue to be myself. You know respect
is something you earn. It's not something that you can ever demand."

She said she was proud to be the first woman to lead a major orchestra.
"Hopefully this will break a little bit of a pattern not only for women in
orchestras but for women in other fields as well," she said.

Ms. Alsop, 48, a New York native, is music director of the Bournemouth
Symphony Orchestra in England and has led the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.

She also has a number of recordings to her credit, certainly part of her
appeal in an age of decreased recording projects for orchestras.