Many musicians talk the talk of widening classical musics appeal – of involving younger audiences, and making the uninitiated feel welcome. Most of the time, theres little in the way of action to back up the populist line.
Charles Ansbacher walked the walk. From his founding of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra in 2000 until his death last September from a brain tumor, Ansbacher not only preached but lived the idea of making classical music accessible. All of the orchestras summer concerts were free, and they took place not only on the Esplanade but in Boston neighborhoods where orchestral concerts were an outright rarity. He spoke with passion about musics importance, and he commissioned new works with local themes. At times he seemed less like a musician than an ambassador for the idea that everyone deserves the chance to feel welcomed by musics mysterious power.
Ansbachers death left questions about how the Landmarks orchestra would continue. The organization took a big step forward in April, when Christopher Wilkins, a Boston native and longtime friend of Ansbachers, was named its second music director. He makes his first appearance in the new role on Wednesday, when he opens the Landmarks Esplanade season with an all-Mozart concert.
Speaking by phone last week, Wilkins noted that this is, in fact, the second time he has succeeded Ansbacher at an orchestra. The first was at the Colorado Springs Symphony, which Wilkins took over in 1989 after Ansbacher had led it for almost two decades. The two men stayed in touch over the years and would meet occasionally. Their relationship became much closer last year, when Ansbachers cancer made it increasingly difficult for him to handle his workload and he asked Wilkins to step in and become part of his support structure.
I was able to help make some decisions, said Wilkins, programming, personnel, where we could save some money – whatever it was.
Wilkins also began taking over conducting duties for portions of concerts, including last seasons opener at Fenway Park, a concert many regard as the epitome of Ansbachers mission. As the season went on, Ansbacher became increasingly frail, often serving as host of the concert and conducting only a small portion.
Even so, he kept up a remarkably public profile during the late stages of a debilitating disease. That, too, was fueled by his sense of mission, said Wilkins. Everyone knew [about the cancer], and there he was, front and center at the microphone, talking about Landmarks and music and community and Boston. He was an open system.
According to Wilkins, Ansbachers passing has made the past year a difficult one for the organization, simply on a practical level. It has had to move out of its previous quarters in the home he shared with his wife, former ambassador Swanee Hunt. Ansbacher never took compensation for his conducting; now the orchestra will have to pay its music director.
But the biggest challenge was, and is, how Landmarks can transition out of being so thoroughly identified with its founder. Or, in Wilkinss words, Is there a way to morph it into a board-run organization, as opposed to the charismatic leadership of Charles?
He recognizes the challenges, but explained that, unlike most other orchestras in the country, there is no need to agonize about or rethink Landmarks core mission. I think were very clear about what we are: We believe in great music and the greatest possible access for all citizens. And access, he continued, means not just putting on free concerts. Free is great, and its a beautiful symbol and a wonderful gift to the city. But we need to be proactive in engaging all of Greater Boston.
Wilkins sees his job as envisioning ways in which Landmarks can continue to dismantle the barriers that stand between the music and its potential listeners. The word I like to use is participation. If you can get people to participate in some way, some way they can actually perform with you, how fantastic is that? One of his favorite examples is a 2007 performance of Stravinskys Rite of Spring in Harlem, where 120 local public school students danced while the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra provided musical accompaniment.
So Wilkins is looking to emphasize the participatory element of Landmarks concerts. For Boston, that means that were beginning to really think about every single neighborhood – how can we develop a presence there? How can we develop a project thats meaningful on the terms of the community that were talking about?
Its a tall order, and only in the planning stages, but hell be able to fall back on the fact that this city is his turf, not terra incognita. Its my hometown and it feels like home and always has. So its not like having to go somewhere and find your bearings.
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Tags: Music, Music Masses