Recipe for MSO: A mix of chemistry, relevance

Auditioning this week for the job of MSO conductor, Robert Moody says he prefers "a few new works given many performances rather than a thousand works given only one.''

Robert Moody has been a guest at the podium of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra several times in the past. Now he'd like to make it permanent.

He is auditioning this week for the job of conductor and music director to replace retiring maestro David Loebel.

Moody is music director for the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Symphony, music director for the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra and artistic director for Arizona Musicfest.

The other candidates are Mei-Ann Chen, assistant conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Wilkins, music director of the Omaha Symphony; and Alastair Willis, former associate conductor of the Seattle Symphony. All have auditioned as guest conductors this season and a final decision is anticipated next month.

Auditioning this week for the job of MSO conductor, Robert Moody says he prefers "a few new works given many performances rather than a thousand works given only one.''

Moody, 42, was born in Greenville, S.C., but has traveled extensively, including living three years in Austria. His vision for the MSO starts, he says, with the chemistry with the musicians, the MSO board and staff, the audience. Then it's a matter of discovering how to be relevant in an age of limited resources but with a mission to serve the community.

"Being the city's orchestra and the region's premiere orchestra gives us a certain amount of clout. And how do we use that to reach as many people as possible with great artistic, entertaining musical experiences?" he asks.

Staying relevant will take vision and understanding what works. "Is the Victorian era of putting on a tuxedo and playing overture-concerto- intermission-symphony -- is that coming to an end? I think so. It doesn't mean we don't play those works, it just means we don't have to follow that one format over and over."

Moody has talked with people at the Stax Music Academy, the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, radio stations and music lovers around town. "Everyone is really energized with ideas, how to place the symphony into venues that will open it up into the community," he says.

He has a plan.

"My approach leans more to finding a small handful of composers whose music I really believe in and promote those works as opposed to a shotgun approach," he says. "I would rather see a few new works given many performances rather than a thousand works given only one performance."

This weekend's showcase of Christopher Theofanidis' "Rainbow Body" is a perfect example. It's one of the most performed contemporary pieces among American orchestras because it connects with audiences.

"We're not doing our job," he says, "if we don't promote that along with Mozart."

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Memphis Symphony Orchestra, with guest conductor Robert Moody and violinist Karen Gomyo

Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 N. Main; Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre, 1801 Exeter Rd. Tickets are $15-$78. Call 537-2525 or go to tickets.memphissymphony.org.

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