The search for a new music director for Hartford Symphony Orchestra will take place during two seasons, 2009-10 and 2010-11, and will include seven guest conductor appearances. Four candidates in the 2009-2010 season and three candidates in the 2010-2011 season. Each of these candidates will be with us in Hartford for approximately a week for rehearsals, performances and other engagements.
HSO Music Director Edward Cumming will continue to lead the orchestra through the conclusion of the 2010-11 season in June of 2011. His successor is expected to be announced by January 2011.
The Purpose of the Music Director Search Blog
The Search Committee is comprised of members of the HSO board, musicians, staff, and community leadership. We are seeking input and feedback from many key constituencies and are also forming our own judgments and opinions based on our direct experiences with each candidate. We believe that feedback from the public and the community is a vital part of this process. The orchestra exists because of the support it receives from the community – through ticket sales, attendance at our education and community programs, and donations to the orchestra. The community is vital to our future health and prosperity and, as such, plays an important role in this process. We are seeking feedback from many sources – the public, the musicians, board members, our donors…everyone who plays a role in making the HSO what it is.
We find it useful to receive feedback from both those who experience each candidate directly, as well as those who might know candidates in other communities and roles. We do hope that as the Hartford community gets more comfortable with the blog, we will see more and more comments from individuals who are in our audiences experiencing what each candidate brings to the table.
We will keep the blogs open for each candidate until we complete the search process. As more candidates come to Hartford, we would expect that there will continue to be opinions and thoughts on those who have come previously.
