Conservatory
Needs Kevin Noe
To
the Editors:
I
am motivated to write because of the overwhelmingly positive student
response to conducting candidate Kevin Noe, who performed with the
Oberlin Orchestra last Sunday night in Finney Chapel.
The penultimate candidate in a grueling search to replace current
conductor Paul Polivnick, Mr. Noe demonstrated, during his week-long
interview, that he is exactly what this conservatory needs to invigorate,
and further the advancement of, the orchestra program and the conducting
department.
In a program that highlighted the technical virtousity and sensual
orchestral colors of Fallas Spanish dances and Putss
1st Symphony, as well as the demanding Ginastera harp concerto,
beautifully played by Nuiko Wadden, Mr. Noe performed as a gifted
and mature musician, with a refreshing spontaneity and musicianship.
the utmost confidence of experience and talent, and the energy and
enthusiasm of the not-yet-old,. The orchestra has rarely sounded
so fine.
While the performance of the orchestra provides ample testament
to the effect of Mr. Noe, it is the enthusiasm of the players themselves
that is, ultimately, the most compelling consideration in this job
search that requires not just technical excellence, but the innovative
conceptual energy necessary to continue the ever-developing advancement
of the orchestra program.
Conservatory musicians are traditionally ruthless in their criticism
of the orchestra and its conductors, not, primarily, because of
the musical experience or the skill of the stick-holders, which
is almost always, by definition, not an issue, but because of the
inherent conflict between responsibility (six hours of rehearsal
and extremely demanding repertoire) and reimbursement (one credit
hour).
Given this reluctance, it is rare that a conductor, even an excellent
one, can excite, inspire, motivate, and compel an orchestra to a
dramatically different musical level. During the course of the dress
rehearsal, that is exactly what happened. One could sense an exponential
growth of confidence and unity from the orchestra, stemming directly
from the capable and enthusiastic podium.
Mr. Noe maintained a sense of purp ose remarkable in any strata
of the musical world, demanding and keeping an intense focus even
as he stepped through the orchestra to speak to the clarinets, or
ran to the brass to discuss a phrasing issue. He spoke knowledgeably
about every instrument family; every detail he mentioned bore compelling
musical fruit. And after a grueling workout, which, even pre-spring-insanely-hot-weather,
had everyone sweating, the ensemble spontaneously and sincerely
and concertedly applauded his work for several minutes
before he stopped what sounded distinctly similar to the student
response at the end of a McMillin or Hood or Plank or Blodgett or
Care class in order to illustrate in a final allegory the importance
of the forthcoming concert.
If he spoke more from the podium than most conductors, he certainly
made good use of his words; more often then not, he kept the orchestra
laughing. And he was able to bring a certain emotional presence
to the entire ensemble with a sincerity that one very rarely experiences,
particularly in a 105-member symphony orchestra. Coupled with his
clarity of gestures, he and the orchestra began to move distinctly
in the direction of functioning as a single virtuosic musician playing
an exquisite instrument. The performance was not without minor flaws,
of coursethe material was considerably difficult, and the
amount of preparation was, as always, not overwhelmingbut
the level of musical connection created last week is one with which
few orchestras are acquainted, and was, for the audience, magical.
Kevin Noe is young. It is true. But while each of the conducting
candidates demonstrated technical brilliance, and some, particularly
Imre Pallo, brought a strength and purity to the podium that only
years of experience can provide, Mr. Noe is undeniably capable of
excelling at Oberlin. And when one considers the forthcoming losses
the Conservatory will suffer next year of Wendell Logan,
(who will retire after 30 inexpressibly influential years), and
William Marvin (one of the most universally beloved and respected
professors who was inexplicably denied tenure after single-handedly
transforming hundreds of students interest in music theory
over the past seven years) two of the most definitively excellent
professors in recent memory, it begins to appear crystal-clear that
Rock knows what it is talking about.
OBERLIN NEEDS KEVIN NOE, reads the boulder facing the
Conservatory administration.
We do.
James
Blachly
College senior
|