It seems fitting that Timothy Verville took a phone call as he drove just outside Music City as he drove to Columbus recently. For such a young orchestral conductor, Verville’s life has been filled with a musical passion, including guest conducting stints in such far-flung locales as Japan, Panama and Russia.
His experience also includes currently serving as music director and conductor of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra in Marietta, with a population slightly larger than Columbus and an orchestra slightly smaller than the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic.
Verville, in his early 40s, will be the second candidate to take the Philharmonic baton for its 7:30 p.m. Saturday concert in the ensemble’s continuing season labeled as Maestro — all to find a replacement for David Bowden. Bowden retired as artistic director in July after leading the Philharmonic for all its 35 years.
“I still think orchestral music still needs to be a lot more approachable,” Verville said, sounding a bit like Bowden, who highlighted everything from Alan Hovhaness’ whale music to a Beatles tribute band. “We need to continue to find ways to show and remind people that it’s more than something you hear in an elevator or in a department store.”
Verville will aim to do that with a program he has labeled “Made In America” that features Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” by Antonín Dvořák. Verville, who seems to have a gift for musical history and also making composers real to today’s audiences, mentioned that the Czech-born Dvořák was not all that different than most visitors when, in 1892, he came to America, since he was so excited to see Niagara Falls — and be inspired to compose about it.
“Things like that give us a story to tell,” he said, emphasizing that orchestral concerts can be well-rounded experiences. “And I believe that, with music, you have to bring audiences along with a story.”
Verville’s story is that he is attracted to the local professional ensemble partly because of its long-celebrated community support and its openness to varied programming.
“Even if you serve something as wonderful as steak all the time, you’ll eventually tire of it,” Verville said.
Yet, he acknowledged that presenting varied programs means taking risks.
“Multiple times, if I have been presenting something new to an audience,” he said, “I give people permission not to like it.”
In fact, he said his post-concert chats in the lobby are about more than merely greeting people or glad-handing and “certainly not to stroke my own ego,” as he put it.
“I’ll ask them what they thought (of the performance),” he said. “And I’ll ask them to think about why they maybe didn’t like it. … Because I think sometimes audience members can feel pressured to clap (after a piece).
” … But I think you have to give them the freedom to start building and analyzing and understanding on their own terms what music they like and what music they don’t like.”
Verville then will use such feedback to consider future programming.
The conductor’s home in Powder Springs, Georgia, is filled with music. Wife Yeeli plays piano. His 11-year-old son is in band at school and is learning to program music into video games. His 9-year-old daughter plays violin in a youth orchestra concert slated Sunday afternoon that a proud father is determined to attend.
“So I’ll be getting up pretty early Sunday to make it back in time,” he said.
Emma, the family’s friendly English cream golden retriever, has yet to join the musical bandwagon or fall in love with Verville’s choice of tunes. He laughed when asked how she reacts to his orchestral music.
“Oh, Emma?” he asked. “She just sleeps through it all.”
About the concert
Who: Guest conductor Timothy Verville with the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic presenting a program he has titled “Made In America”
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Judson Erne Auditorium, 1400 25th St. in Columbus.
Information and tickets: thecip.org
