Vizireanu
The Columbus Indiana Philharmonic has announced six music director candidates, including at least two who have conducted internationally, from a pool of 147 applicants, for concert auditions in the 2022-23 season to replace retiring artistic director David Bowden.
Consequently, the season theme is “Maestro,” with five male candidates and one female. Season tickets go on sale today at thecip.org.
Two other conductors will lead the Philharmonic as simply guests apart from the finalists. One of those, Roger Kalia of the Evansville Philharmonic and other ensembles, is well known to Columbus audiences since he was a popular music director of the mostly volunteer Columbus Symphony Orchestra here a decade ago and also an Indiana University post-graduate student.
Back then, the local Symphony included several musicians who also played with the Philharmonic. He is scheduled to conduct the 2023 SALUTE! concert.
One of the six finalists, Charles Latshaw, is the former assistant conductor of the Philharmonic and conductor of the Philharmonic Youth Orchestra 15 years ago.
Though all six finalists have positions in other cities with other ensembles, it is common in orchestral circles for music directors/conductors to lead several orchestras at once, even in different states. For instance, until 2016, Bloomington’s Bowden also led the Carmel Symphony Orchestra and the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra. He still is the leader in Terre Haute and will remain that after he retires from the Philharmonic after the upcoming May 27 SALUTE! to veterans outdoor concert (his and Philharmonic personnel manager/wife Donna’s technical retirement date actually is in July).
Donnie Robinette, Philharmonic executive director, recently mentioned that a programming committee already has detailed all compositions for all the new season’s concerts.
“Our candidates’ ideas for programming are similar to what our community surveys have said,” Robinette said in a news release. “It is also a genuine reflection of their personalities as well. Our programming committee worked with the candidates to develop the next season with both our traditional season subscribers and new patrons in mind.”
Here is the new season and the conductor candidates and two guest conductors:
- Sept. 17: Symphonic Dances. Led by Sergey Bogza, music director and conductor of the Millikin-Decatur (Illinois) Symphony Orchestra.
- Oct. 22: Made in America. Led by Timothy Verville, music director of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra.
- Nov. 19: Taking Flight. Led by Isaac Selya, founder and artistic director of Queen City Opera and one who has conducted internationally.
- Dec. 10: Holiday Pops, led by guest conductor Brian Eads, former music director of the touring production of “Les Miserables.”
2023
- Feb. 4: Clash of the Titans, led by Vlad Vizireanu, among the team of conductors of Only Stage in London, England.
- March 25: Golden Days, led by Charles Latshaw, former assistant conductor of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, current music director of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and the Grand Junction (Colorado) Symphony Orchestra, and former artistic director and conductor of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra in Indiana.
- May 6: Rhythm and Blues, led by Carolyn Watson, the new music director of the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra in Indiana.
- May 26: SALUTE!, led by guest conductor Roger Kalia, former music director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and current music director of the Evansville Philharmonic and other ensembles.
