Philharmonic Music Director Stepping Down

I found out this morning that Lawrence Leighton Smith is leaving the Colorado Springs Philharmonic after next season.

Larry's leadership has been incredible for this orchestra and this community. His loyalty to the musicians, especially during the very turbulent past few years, has been immeasurable. My first introduction to Larry came when I was a freelance writer for the Colorado Springs Independent. I was hired to do classical reviews and previews. Not only did Larry always take my calls, he and I would frequently engage in lengthy philosophical conversations about composers. He has done so much for this orchestra.

But then, we get to see Mahler 9 this weekend, and we have all next season to appreciate him!

Here's the full press release:

Lawrence Leighton Smith will hand off the baton after 11 years as music director of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and its predecessor, the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra. Smith announced his decision at a rehearsal for Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 on Wednesday night.
“I feel it’s time for something different for everybody,” said Smith, who has led
the Springs’ only professional orchestra since 2000. “In the professional arena, this is my longest stay anyplace.”
“Larry is giving us two years notice,” said Nathan Newbrough, the Philharmonic’s president. “And that’s great, because the shoes he leaves us to fill are enormous.”
“He’s been the perfect person for this orchestra,” said concertmaster Michael
Hanson. “He’s the experienced musician and steady person we needed to take us through turbulent times.”
The most turbulent time of all was the bankruptcy of the Colorado Springs
Symphony Orchestra in January 2003. Smith’s announcement that he would stand by the musicians was a major impetus behind the decision to form the Colorado Springs Philharmonic that spring.
Now that Smith feels the orchestra is ready for a different pair of hands, the task
begins for Newbrough and others to find Smith’s replacement.
“The search is a long and thoughtful process that’s extremely rewarding for the
orchestra and the community,” said Newbrough. “Right now we’re in the process of
assembling a group of musicians and community representatives to commence the search process.”
“A conductor search is an exciting opportunity for an orchestra to find out about
itself,” said Hanson. “It’s a marriage of personalities. Each new person brings something different, and the orchestra responds differently and sounds different for everyone.”
Smith plans to take some time off come the summer of 2011 – but not too much
time off. “I have some guest-conducting coming up,” he said. “I have a lot of composing on my plate. As long as I hang on to my marbles, there’s no lack of things to do.”
Asked about highlights of his music-making in Colorado Springs, Smith
mentioned the 2006 performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and the 2007 performance of Dvorák’s Symphony No. 6 as two that stood out.
“But I’m not leaving for two years,” he said. “There are some highlights I don’t
know about yet.”

NEA chair announced

Oh, COPPeR blog--my apologies for the lack of posting. It's not for lack of activity, that's for sure. The academic calendar is in my blood, it seems. Perhaps that's why the end of every semester feels so hectic. I'll give a longer local arts update next week, but nationally, we in the arts finally have the answer we've been waiting for:

Rocco Landesman has been appointed chair of the NEA.

Tony Kushner's ringing endorsement in the article linked above makes me think this is a very good thing, although I am a little nervous about his money-making background. Will a big-time Broadway producer be able to connect to the small community arts groups that rely on NEA funding? One thing's for sure--his leadership will shake things up. He doesn't seem like one to hold back.

Robert Lynch in Colorado Springs

Robert Lynch, head of Americans for the Arts, was in town yesterday to give a speech at the 30th annual Arts, Business, Education Consortium luncheon. He stopped by COPPeR in the morning to tell a group of us how Americans for the Arts develops broad-based arts advocacy nationwide.

Bob Pinney, The Rest is Silence

The Colorado Springs theater community lost a shining star this past weekend. Bob Pinney, actor, teacher and friend, passed away quietly.

Beth Clements-Mosley remembers him:

The world that died with Bob Pinney was vast and colorful, rich and elegant… and much of it was private - quietly lived moments both tragic and excellent.

I was privileged, as many of us were, to be part of that wonderful world, and to have Bob in ours. In each line of Shakespeare I recite, in my awareness of gesture, Bob lives. Each time I enunciate ‘FOR-GET’ rather than ‘fergit’, Bob’s voice, ponderous and gravelly, is heard again. In my life as an actor, moving from role to role, in my telling and retelling of stories, my fond recounting of stage disasters and profound moments, Bob will always be present, informing my journey. In my understanding of what it is to be loved though one’s family is far away, to live alone but not to be lonely, Bob is there.

My experience with him as a young actor taken under his wing, groomed and nurtured, is not unique. Always the teacher, Bob loved new talent and did whatever he could to encourage and advocate it. He was always one of my strongest supporters and biggest fans, and I, among many others, adored him. I remember being shocked during Dracula (Theatreworks, 1991) when Bob, playing Van Helsing, actually cut his finger every night with a hidden Exacto blade to tempt the Count (Rick Zahradnik) with his blood. He spared himself nothing in his quest to offer the audience everything.

Bob spent his 70th birthday in a tent playing King Lear, a role he had yearned to inhabit for many years; it was my great honor to share that experience with him. The entire run was amazing, but that night was… magical: the air was electric. At the moment Lear was cast out onto the heath, one of the most powerful scenes in English-speaking theatre, as the first storm cue sounded, real thunder began to rumble in the distance. As Bob raged and wept, imperious and heartbreaking, the rest of the cast stood amazed as lightning blazed across the sky and rain pounded the tent… for exactly as long as the scene went on, relenting the instant he left the stage. I will believe for the rest of my life that Shakespeare was there with us that night and that the storm was Bob’s birthday gift, a reward for a life spent in devotion to the theatre.

Over the last few years it became clear that his poor body was no longer able to house the enormity of him. During the Scottish Play in 2005 there was a terrible moment in which, playing the Porter, marvelous as always, he was unable to find his way off the stage, frantically feeling his way along the curtains to find the exit. Those of us backstage realized what was going on and reached out from behind the blacks to grab his hands and guide him; later the understanding of it wrote itself across our faces as we all looked at each other and tried not to know the truth: the great instrument was failing. He bore it with grace and without fear, exceeding his doctors’ expectations and offering more comfort than he required... and then, quietly, he was gone.

He was a huge talent, a tireless mentor, a dear friend, a gracious host and a wonderful chef who showed his affection with corned beef and cabbage or gourmet birthday cakes. He understood sorrow and offered comfort whenever he could. He was fervent in his praise, generous with advice, gentle but truthful in his criticisms, blunt in his admonishments. I was fortunate to have almost two decades with him – countless moments to cherish, too numerous and precious to recount here. I loved him, and ache to think of never hearing his laugh again.

He was… extraordinary.

Your cause of sorrow must not be measured by his worth, for then it hath no end.
– Macbeth

Week in Review

Things I've found inspiring this week:

National Poetry Month officially kicked off with the release of Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Aaron Anstett's project. The Poetry While You Wait booklet features 40 local local poets. The books are being placed in waiting areas and lobbies. Want a copy? Stop by COPPeR's offices to pick some up--just promise to distribute them at your hair salon, doctor's office, mechanic, vet, or any other place people wait. Table tents and posters featuring poems from the booklet are also being disseminated at restaurants, businesses, and in storefront windows. KRCC is also airing high frequency, daily poems from the collection read by the poets themselves.

When you stop by our office (corner of Colorado and Tejon in downtown Colorado Springs, across from McKenzie's in the Plaza of the Rockies), you can also visit the beautiful and serene Call and Response exhibit in the Fine Arts Center MODERN. The exhibit features a number of lovely poems on beautiful handmade paper. There's also an interactive walll where you can contribute your own poetry.

Kevin Johnson, your friendly PeakRadar.com manager, took a great art-lunch tour this week. Check out his posts on twitter by following on @PeakRadar.

This morning I stopped by Celebration Place in the Citadel mall. They have expanded their gallery space into the now-vacant Steve and Barry's across the hall. Pieces from the 47th Annual Young People's Art Exhibition (this week it's K-1; high school entries go on display next week) are now in the huge Steve and Barry's open space. It's a completely refreshing, unexpected place to see artwork. Kudos to the Citadel for letting Imagination Celebration program the space--it seems to me that this could serve as a great example to all the vacant storefronts in malls, downtowns and strip-malls across the country. If you're in the Citadel, make sure you stop in.

These are just a few reminders that art can be found everywhere. It is deliberately and delightfully planned, as above, but it is also in the landscape of the built and natural environment. It is in the design behind our home decor. It is in the clothes we wear. It is in the stories we tell each other and the way that we can make each other laugh.

I'm off to celebrate the life of a person who understood that. Timber was weird, wacky and wonderful. The lesson to the rest of us? Acknowledge the weird, wacky and wonderful inside you and all around you.

Timber Kirwan, Artist and mischief-maker

The Colorado Springs arts scene suffered another devastating loss yesterday. Timber Kirwan, beloved local artist and downtown icon, took his own life. His whimsical creativity resulted in beloved parties as Santa-con. He created geodesic domes and light installations and had a fondness for fur and costumes. He was a wonderful friend, a jovial person, and his creativity had a real impact on our arts community.

Please click here to join the Friends of Timber group on Facebook.

All of us here at COPPeR send out sincere condolences to all of his friends and family. A strong and vital arts community depends not only on strong arts organizations, but individual artists. Timber was the perfect example of a deeply creative person who naturally brought people together through his artistic expression. He is instantly, deeply missed.

Dealing with suicide is very painful. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal thoughts, please know that you are not alone.

Two Pikes Peak Region arts publications fold

Sad news in my inbox today:

Springs Magazine ceases publication after 27 years of serving arts community.

Colorado Springs-Sunrise Publishing, Inc., publishers of the Springs Magazine and Bon Vivant announced today that both magazines ceased publication effective March 31, 2009.

According to publisher Michael Gardner, "It was a wrenching decision. In our 27 years of publication we've been through a number of lo cal and national downturns but this most recent recession has been different in many ways. As much as associate publisher Sharon Friedman and I wanted to continue serving the region's arts community the economics of doing so just weren't there."

"I know there are other venues for our advertising customers but I still feel bad about not being there for them," said Friedman, who is also Director of Advertising. "I've worked with many of our clients so long that they are like family and I'm going to miss them terribly. I feel so grateful and honored to have been able to have served them for so long."

Springs Magazine was the region's oldest and largest monthly magazine devoted to championing the arts. It would have been 28 years old this May. Bon Vivant, its sister publication, was a high-end four-color slick stock direct mailed publication also focused on local art and artists.

"I know everyone is saying print journalism is an artifact of another century, that the Internet is the future. We considered transitioning to an online platform, like many papers are doing, but frankly there are still too few successful models. The Internet may be publishing's future but it's not here yet," said Gardner.

"It's been an incredible ride," said Gardner. "I'm very proud of the stories we've done along the way, the message we've helped to deliver, that the arts are a vital foundation for a successful community."

"It's hard to imagine doing anything else," said Friedman, a sentiment echoed by Gardner. "I believe we still have ink running in our veins. Even though we won't be publishing news about the arts we still plan to actively support those who are making it," said Gardner.