Cockapoo at the Symphony

Maestro Marcelo Lehninger, Music Director

New West Symphony

The Cockapoo, her husband and her mother attended the opening night of the New West Symphony's 18th season Friday night. It was also the debut as Music Director of our new, fabuloso Conductor, Marcelo Lehninger.

Marcelo conducted one of our concerts last year, a last minute stand-in for a European conductor who couldn't get through our visa process (thank you Homeland Security for protecting us against symphony conductors and their batons...you never can tell...) He is young, cute, full of energy and enthusiasm, and a wonderful conductor. Maestro Boris Brott, who ended his long tenure with our orchestra at the end of last season, is sorely missed for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that he is a wonderful conductor and a great guy, but he was ready to move on and has been doing lots of conducting in Europe as well as his normal duties in Canada.

Marcelo is just a treat. Wagner's Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg was their first piece and at the conclusion we gave Marcelo and our terrific orchestra the first of several standing 'Os'. Marcelo could not conceal his delight and his face was lit up with an indelible smile. The second selection of the evening included segments of Barber's Violin Concerto, Opus 14 with Maestra Anne Akiko Meyers playing one of her TWO STRADIVARI. She was (and i hate to overuse this word, but there is no other) FABULOUS and so is her violin. Tall, lithe, gorgeous, she was almost as tall as our Marcelo when he was standing on the podium (i will say no more about height, size definitely does not matter in this context). Seeing Marcelo and Ms. Meyers, as well as the incredibly talented members of the orchestra was like seeing a group of music prodigies gathered for an evening of music for their own enjoyment: they obviously loved each other's company and the music they produced proved it. The Barber was followed by another standing 'O' and Ms. Meyers was returned to the stage a couple of times before she motioned with her bow that she would play an encore. She announced that she would play 'Over the Rainbow' and i wish all of you could have heard it. I think Judy G would have been satisfied to listen....

Anne Akiko Meyers and one of her Stradivari

after intermission, where there was NO WINE on sale (hope that is not a trend), Marcelo and the orchestra returned to play selections from Dvorak's Symphony #8 in G Major, Opus 88. it was wonderful, also, i'm obviously running out of superlatives. if you live in Ventura County or the West end of Los Angeles, you can hear this concert tonight at Thousand Oaks Performing Arts and tomorrow in Santa Monica.

because of my husb's mobility problems, we leave immediately after the final piece so that we can avoid jostling crowds and traffic jams. as we were leaving, in the midst of yet another standing 'O', the audience broke out into laughter and i think Marcelo may have kissed Danielle Belen, our concertmistress, another FABULOUS violinist. i'm not sure, will have to check with friends up the street who are also season ticket holders.

for those who aren't current ticket holders, tickets for individual concerts are now on sale and the next one is scheduled for the wknd of 2 thru 4 Nov, Verdi, Puccini and Mendelssohn with Dina Kuznetsova, Soprano.

join us! people of all ages and all descriptions attend in all three venues (Friday concerts take place at Oxnard Perf Arts on Hobson Way). i'm of the levis and sandals ilk but some people dress up--you'll fit in, no matter what.