St. Louis Symphony's Andre Raphel Smith Likes Role Model Role
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The following is excerpted from an article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Dec. 27, 1992. St. Louis Symphony's Andre Raphel Smith Likes Role Model Role By Paul A. Harris come to everyone. And, because ofthis ap Andre Raphel Smith will allow that the preciation ofhis own opportunities. he has road leading from a Durham, N.C. public "Music is an avenue taken a prominent role in the St. Louis school to the Powell Symphony Hall podium for kids to go places Symphony's community outreach pro is not an easy one. Having made that jour grams. When he lectures and teaches in St. ney' the St. Louis Symphony's thirty-year they otherwise might Louis schools. he brings classical music to old assistant conductor wants to let young not be able to go." area students as well as serving as a role sters in the city's public schools know that model for them. successes like his are certainly possible ones. Smith believes it is critical that classical "It is very important for young people to music in particular, and the arts, in general, see that those who do not grow up in the do not disappear from the public schools. most affluent environment, but who work "Music is in great danger in the schools. One hard and apply themselves, can make it." ofthe reasons is that manypeople fail to see Smith began his musical career as a trom what music can do {or kids. For example, bonist. at age 11, and he traces his interest when I was in high school, I knew kids {or in classical music to the PBS series ofbroad whom the main reason for staying in school cast concerts byconductor Andre Previn and was the band. What we need to remember the Pittsburgh Symphony ["Previn and the is that music is an avenue for kids that helps Pittsburgh"] that he watched in the early them to go places they otherwise might not 1970s. As he honed his skills on the trom be able to go. Through music they can ex bone, however. he began to set his sights on perience emotions and grow in ways that the conductor's role. other things - even sports- might not al "I was always very taken with the low them to. That's something that has conductor's ability to communicate not only slipped past many of us - or that We have with the orchestra. but with the audience as just forgotten." well," he explained, "to bring the composer's When he decided to become a conduc intentions across." tor, Smith didn't want to become an icon Smith spent ten years in school. He did - to be stereotyped as a 'young African his undergraduate work at the University of others have obviously opened a lot ofdoors American conductor.' "We all know that if Miami and earned his master's degree at for younger people such as myself. I can I weren't a good musician I wouldn't have Yale. He was awarded the Bruno Walter honestly say that, if anything, people have been hired bythe Symphony," he says. "But, Memorial Scholarship to Juilliard. where he been more open to me because I'm an Afri considering what's going on with America's received an advanced orchestral conducting can-American - because they were happy youth these days, it's very important for me certificate. and he holds a diploma from to see someone who was well-prepared and to remember that these kids need African Philadelphia's Curtis Institute ofMusic. musical. They wanted to give a young per American role models. At the same time. I Soon to begin his third season with St. son a shot." need to be careful not to skew the {act that, Louis. Smith has also conducted the Hous Smith acknowledges that having an op first and foremost, I must be a good musi ton Symphony, the Savannah Symphony portunity to conduct a symphony orches cian, and that everydaywhen I wake up, my and the Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia. tra - even on the college level- does not first goal must be to be a better musician." Although young black conductors have re cently risen to prominent roles in several American symphony orchestras. in assistant SYMPHONIUM CONTRIBUfORS or associate posts, the only black who is cur April 27 to August 9, 1993 renty the music director ofa major Ameri can orchestra is James DePreist of the Or Heal. Denton Ross. John Gordon egon Symphony. Among some black con Frazier. Sandra Rivers Smith, Grace Hobson ductors, especially those from older genera Freeman, Peggy V. Walton. George E. tions. there is a perception that racial dis Gilbert, Mathilda Young, Florence B. crimination occurs. Smith had this to say Happe. Patricia A. Hopper, Kenneth W. about whether he had felt discrimination: AND MANY THANKS Kennedy, Mr. & Mrs. Matthew W. "Each person's experience is going to be dif to Atty. Alan Z. Lefkowitz for Lorberbaum. Nora Bailey volunteerlegal assistance ferent. For me it (race) has only been to my Morgan, Mr. & Mrs. Willie D. ldvantage. Conductors like Henry Lewis Morrison, Laura J. [formerly music director of the New Jersey Pilot, Ann Hobson Symphony] and Denis de Couteau [music director of the San FranciBco Ballet1. and 5 Fa111993 GA n;WAYS - Continued from Page 1 Clarinetist Eley Leads and critics alike, but their impact was having studied for what he said was forty Double Life eclipsed bythe fascinating prospect ofhear years. ing Farrakhan in this unexpected role. He "In manyways, itwas an astonishing per Duringthe Pittsburgh Symphonys spring did not disappoint. formance, and not only for the degree of tour to California,we had a too-briefchance Writing in the New York Times, music technical refinement, which was surprising. to chat with clarinetist Marcus Eey. Living critic Bernard Holland reported: "Can Louis Farrakhan played with mostly sure tone, now in Studio City, California, Mr. Eley not Farrakhan play the violin? Godbless us, he mostly in tune and with rhythmic incisive only enjoys a significant career as a per can. He makes a lot of mistakes, not sur ness. former, but he is currentlyworking for Rico prisingly for a man who had virtually aban "More remarkable was his personal fire. International, which makes reeds and other doned the instrument for 40 years and has At times it turned into athleticism, even accessories for clarinets and saxaphones. Al only owned one since 1974. Yet his sound roughness. But Farrakhan understands what though reeds made by Rico are used by stu is that ofthe authentic player. It is wide, deep being a soloist means, and this generated dents and jazz performers worldwide, the and full ofthe energy that makes the violin thoughts about where such poise comes companyhas developed a prototype reed for gleam. His thrustingsense ofphrase has mu from and just how far it can carry an ama professional symphonic use. In his capacity sical power to it, even though some of the teur in so specialized a situation. as a Rico representative, Eiey met with clari erratic movement kept Mr. Morgan and his "InFarrakhan's case it carried him far. He netists from the Pittsburgh orchestra to show musicians scrambling at times." had everyone's attention, and not just be them samples ofthe new product. Expanding on Holland's enthusiasm, cause ofthe novelty. One got the sense from He also brought along programs from Gordon Sparber ofthe Winston-Salem Jour this playing that he could do anything he set two recent recitals - one, on April 23, un nal writes: "The most interesting perfor his mind to. And if he has set his mind to der the auspices ofthe Irvine Valley College mance of the evening - and the one that the violin to inspire black youths to pursue School of Fine Arts - which he performed had thoughts erupting like firecrackers this dying art, he will surely get results." with pianist Lucerne DeSa. Included on the was by Louis Farrakhan, who played the Plans for the next Gateways Festival are varied program was the 1986 Sonata by Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. alreadyin progress. Musicians interested in David N. Baker (Indiana University). "Farrakhan said that he has picked up the participating should contact Armenta On May 14, Mr. Eley, violist Karen Baine, violin, an instrument from his youth, only Adams Hummings, as soon as possible, at: and pianist Mark Neiwirth made their de in the last two years. Violinists spend their 2012 Milford Street but, as the California Trio, at the Weill Re lives refining such concertos, yet here was a Winston Salem, NC 27107. cital Hall, in Carnegie Hall, New York. That man with the confidence to do it after not Tel: (919) 788-7711 program included the world premiere of a work by Carl Byron. Marcus Eley, whose playing has been de From SYMPHONIUM's Mailbag ... scribed by critics as "expert, songful and straightforward" with "fine control of dy A newsy letter from violinist Nora Bailey but that you had created - singlehandedly namics and smooth handling of the Lorberbaum (formerly ofthe EI Paso Sym - a musical community where there had instrument's different registers," has per phony) arrived along with materials from been nonebefore. Dr. de Lerma agreed with formed throughout the United States, in the '93 Detroit Symphony/Unysis African me completely. I knowthat it's been true for Europe and China. He is a graduate ofIndi American Composers Forum, and aspeech, mylife, in mycase, and 1'd never have known ana Universityand attended the Hochschule "Thoughts on Black Music History," given about Detroit [Composers Forum) but for fur Musik as a student ofAlfred Prinz, prin in April at Lawrence University (Appleton, the work ofSYMPHONIUM." cipal clarinetist ofthe Vienna Philharmonic.