{"id":4063,"date":"2010-02-15T12:30:44","date_gmt":"2010-02-15T20:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/?p=4063"},"modified":"2013-02-07T20:13:30","modified_gmt":"2013-02-08T04:13:30","slug":"former-pyp-conductor-named-md-of-memphis-symphony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2010\/02\/15\/former-pyp-conductor-named-md-of-memphis-symphony\/","title":{"rendered":"former PYP conductor named MD of Memphis Symphony"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mei-Ann Chen, currently Assistant conductor of the Baltimore Symphony, has been named the new Music Director of the Memphis Symphony<\/a>! Congratulations to Mei-Ann!<\/p>\n

Here’s the press release from the Memphis Symphony:<\/p>\n

Mei-Ann Chen Appointed Fourth Music Director of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rising star begins tenure with the MSO in the 2010-2011 Season
\nMemphis, TN — The Memphis Orchestral Society announces the appointment of Mei-Ann Chen as the fourth music director of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.\u00a0 Selected by a twelve member search committee comprised of MSO musicians, board members and community leaders, Ms. Chen\u2019s appointment was also unanimously approved by the orchestra\u2019s Board of Directors.<\/p>\n

Regarded as a rising star among young conductors, Ms. Chen will begin a three-year contract with the MSO effective with the 2010-2011 season. During her inaugural season, Chen will conduct ten weeks of concerts as a part of all of the MSO series including the First Tennessee Masterworks Series, the Memphis Symphony Pops, and the Paul & Linnea Bert Chamber Series.\u00a0 She will conduct twelve weeks in each of the remaining two years of her initial contract.<\/p>\n

Ms. Chen will come to Memphis on February 22, 2010 to celebrate her appointment with Memphis Symphony Orchestra family, community leaders, and members of the media.\u00a0 The afternoon event at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts will feature details regarding the orchestra\u2019s outstanding 2010-2011 season as well as remarks from Ms. Chen herself.\u00a0 More details on this event are to be forthcoming.<\/p>\n

Ms. Chen, currently Assistant Conductor and League of American Orchestras Conducting Fellow with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, was one of four candidates vying for the position left vacant when Maestro David Loebel announced his departure in 2008 after serving for 10 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could not be more elated to have such a renowned conductor join our great orchestra and community,\u201d said Michael D. Uiberall, Chairman of the Memphis Symphony Board of Directors.\u00a0 \u201cWe look forward to her leadership and infectious enthusiasm toward music making.\u201d
\n“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the Memphis Symphony Orchestra as its\u00a0next music director,\u201d comments Mei-Ann Chen.\u00a0 \u201cI see my time in Memphis as\u00a0a terrific opportunity to contribute to the cultural life of the orchestra\u00a0and to the greater community. Together, the orchestra and I will introduce new ideas and exciting music\u00a0that will inspire and engage all\u00a0who come in contact with\u00a0this wonderful orchestra.”<\/p>\n

\u201cMei-Ann Chen\u2019s artistry, her relentless pursuit of excellence, and her understanding of how an orchestra needs to be truly relevant on and off the concert stage are all reasons she was the search committee\u2019s selection,\u201d states Ryan Fleur, President and CEO of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
\n“After two years in the search process and hearing four wonderful candidates conduct this season, we are very pleased and excited that Mei-Ann Chen will be joining us,\u201d comments Paul Bert, head of the MSO Music Director Selection Committee. \u201cMei-Ann has a great passion for music and the role it can play on the concert stage, in community engagement programs, and especially in our education system. She sees music as a celebration of life and something that can bring people from all backgrounds and age groups together to share great music. We feel very fortunate that we are able to have Mei-Ann, a true rising star, lead our orchestra in the coming years.”<\/p>\n

\u201cThe musicians of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra are thrilled with the announcement of Mei-Ann Chen as our next music director,\u201d said Susanna Perry Gilmore, concertmaster of the MSO.\u00a0 \u201cWe look forward to working with Mei-Ann as she brings an exciting combination of artistry, energy, leadership, and vision to Memphis which will help the orchestra grow on many levels.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Memphis Symphony site [Link<\/a>]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mei-Ann Chen, currently Assistant conductor of the Baltimore Symphony, has been named the new Music Director of the Memphis Symphony! Congratulations to Mei-Ann!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":303,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[299,2],"tags":[1569,339],"class_list":["post-4063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-conducting","category-the-orchestra-world","tag-baltimore-symphony","tag-music-director"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa8kC-13x","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7536,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2012\/04\/25\/short-seasons-and-saint-saens\/","url_meta":{"origin":4063,"position":0},"title":"short, seasons, and saint-saens","author":"Charles Noble","date":"April 25, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This week's classical series program is quite an interesting one, at least to me. It begins with a symphony of Aaron Copland that is still seldom performed, the Second Symphony (also known as the Short Symphony). It's a slight, three movement work, which could be compared to neoclassical works of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "appreciation"","block_context":{"text":"appreciation","link":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/category\/music\/appreciations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/copland-286x400.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":188,"url":"https:\/\/www.nobleviola.com\/wordpress\/2007\/02\/02\/dallas-symphony-names-music-director\/","url_meta":{"origin":4063,"position":1},"title":"new appointments","author":"Charles Noble","date":"February 2, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Dallas Symphony Appoints Zweden Jaap van Zweden, a 46 year old Dutch conductor (who was the youngest concertmaster in the history of the famed Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam) has been named as the next music director for the Dallas Symphony. Read the details here. 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