2021-2022 Annual Report

Nothing can match the magic of a live performance, no matter if you’re a first-timer or a lifelong patron. With the return of live performances at Symphony Hall and Tanglewood in 2021-2022, what was it like being on stage again?

In my experience playing in an orchestra, it is never as fulfilling as when the hall is full of excited patrons. It reverberates our sound and fills our hearts to look out at the audience. I love picking one or two people to “play for” …. maybe one day it will be you!?

Under the direction of Andris Nelsons, the extraordinary artistry of the BSO continued to reach new heights. What was one of your highlights from 2021-2022?

I cannot tell you how rewarding it is to play on tour. In 2022, we returned to Japan after a multi-year pause due to the pandemic. We brought large programs with us, and the audiences were grateful and excited to see the BSO in their country again. We felt like rock stars! I hope the summer 2023 European Festival Tour will include some “Friends of the BSO.” I have greatly enjoyed getting to know our donors and patrons on tour. It’s truly a special bond we all share.

Symphony Hall is an indelible part of Boston’s civic identity—a place where everyone can feel welcome. How does our BSO community come together from your perspective?

We, along with our donors, volunteers, and audience members, share a common interest: music. We make/share it, and they consume/enjoy it. This year, we’ve been trying to introduce new elements and sounds to the stage at Symphony Hall. It has been a challenge to learn some of these pieces and perhaps equally a challenge to hear them for some audience members. This is an essential aspect of an orchestra’s evolution. At some point in Bartok’s career, he had to gain a “first performance.” We need to allow for that event to happen for contemporary composers.

Given your extensive experience with the BSO, you have seen the orchestra and organization continue to grow and evolve. How has the orchestra changed over the past two decades?

I have noticed quite a sea change in the last five years. It’s exciting to see young players in our sections. I will be getting two new members in the bassoon section alone. (That’s half the section!) Our section has stayed the same for 23 years. New players bring energy. Young musicians are taught outreach early in their education. I had to learn community engagement after I joined the BSO; outreach and audience engagement weren’t part of my schooling.

What excites you as we look toward the future of the BSO?

Bringing in younger audience members and inspiring young listeners to enjoy and understand classical music is critical to our future. Given my 20-year involvement with education and the BSO, I look forward to a robust and re-energized Education Department.