In addition to deciding to deciding to integrate into the life of the city, the Memphis Symphony has made an adventurous choice for music director.
She (that's right) hails from Taiwan.
The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, seeking a rising star as its new conductor, on Monday named Mei-Ann Chen to be its fourth music director.
Her three-year contract with the MSO starts with the 2010-11 season.
Members of the search committee said last year that they were looking for an "up-and-comer" to be the musical leader of the symphony. Chen's impressive résumé includes jobs in Portland, Ore., Atlanta and Baltimore.
Born in Taiwan, she has lived in the United States since 1989.
She holds a doctor of musical arts degree in conducting from the University of Michigan.
She was the first student in New England Conservatory's history to receive master's degrees simultaneously in violin and conducting.
In 2005, she became the first woman to win the Malko International Conductors Competition.
During her five-year tenure with the Portland (Ore.) Youth Philharmonic, she led its sold-out debut in Carnegie Hall and received an ASCAP award for innovative programming.
In other words, she has great American training, and long experience with making a symphony orchestra work in the context of a heartland American context. Unlike many conductors, she also knows what it means to be an accomplished performer at an orchestral instrument, and would have put in significant time in the orchestral trenches as a player at New England. She knows how to work with young people and parents, which may well be her greatest long-term asset.
Three cheers!
The right person, in the right place, at the right time, can have a huge impact for good on the culture, for a long, long time. Good wishes go her way, and here's hoping all hands pull together to create a success for that city.
An earlier post about Memphis Symphony can be found here.
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