An update from Ted Kuchar

I hope that summer is treating everyone well. It seems impossible that August is 1/3 over. My summer has been busy and interesting, but RCO Music Director, Theodore Kuchar, has had a REALLY busy and interesting summer. Last week he was kind enough to write an update on what he's been doing. The guy lives an interesting life. I am posting his update here.


From T. Kuchar:
After a very pleasant time in Reno, collaborating with my friends Ruth, John, Jim, Scott and Corey Cerovsek, in two NCMF-related events, the summer was finally to begin. Ahead of me awaited Cleveland (the Kent/Blossom Festival, The Cleveland Orchestra's educational orchestral training institution where I have been teaching and conducting annually for the past six summers), the National Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela in Caracas, for two weeks, then the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in South Africa for three weeks (one of my favourite locations in the world, with programs devoted to Liadov, the Chinese Erhu, Rachmaninov, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, Rossini and Tchaikovsky) and, after returning home for four days, Tel Aviv - four concerts devoted to Tchaikovsky's Third Orchestral Suite, a new work commissioned by Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic by that country's foremost young composer, Avner Dorman which has been performed by the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics recently, and Dvorak's "New World" Symphony and, immediately after the concert, to catch a 12:40am flight to New York, straight to Reno to begin our new season. I will save the next four weeks (Reno, Fresno, Munich and the Czech Republic for our next correspondence!

After the very enjoyable week in Reno, going to Cleveland is an annual tradition and commitment which I always look forward to. In the back of my mind, I eagerly awaited Cape Town and Tel Aviv ... but Caracas for two weeks? I had been there once before, four years ago ... and was less than enthusiastic other than because of the excellent repertoire which awaited - Smetana's complete "Ma Vlast" and, in the second week, Dvorak's Carnival Overture, Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto and the Copland Third Symphony.

The two weeks which I had dreaded the most, with the National Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, in Caracas, was a period which was the most professionally satisfying and educational I have had in recent memory.

The orchestral life of Venezuela has been the most significant topic of conversation in the musical world for the past several years, more than the existence of any major symphony orchestra or opera house in the world. "El Sistema" ("The System") was devised, and to the present moment, directed and controlled by Jose Antonio Abreu, for over 30 years. Today, "El Sistema" involves over 200,000 Venezuelan musicians, ranging from beginning students from underprivileged environments being given a new beginning on life through music education to the talk of the musical world, the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, whose members are all products of "El Sistema".

My first week finished with the most satisfying account of "Ma Vlast" I have done. With the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, we have performed this on subscription concerts, on tour in Europe and the USA and have made a well-regarded CD for Brilliant Classics. The first four days in Caracas were a revelation. Any Czech orchestra has this work in its blood and memory. Rehearsing this work must be a delicate process, never to "offend" the knowledge and experience of the Czech musician. I love rehearsals much more than concerts - that is where the real work is done! It was such an invigorating experience, taking an orchestra whose technical level is as good as any, and teaching the work "from scratch". A memorable concert!

Over the free weekend, a former student of mine, now the principal flute instructor in "El Sistema", asked me to come and hear his students. Little did I know that this was to be a concert by the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, playing Bernstein's Symphony No. 2 "The Age of Anxiety" and Richard Strauss' "Alpine Symphony ... both on one program! My curiosity was at a peak - I read everything from the international press, but how could it resemble a Cleveland Orchestra, a Berlin Philharmonic, or a Janacek Philharmonic? If I go to my grave tomorrow and must remember three memorable concerts from my lifetime, this would certainly have been one of them. I have no explanation other than "El Sistema". Simply phenomenal! I had very pleasant meetings with Gustavo and Dr. Abreu afterwards. Gustavo was so excited that the Copland Third Symphony was being played in Venezuela that his final words to me were "I'll see you at the concert on Thursday".

The Copland Third Symphony has brought the greatest orchestras in the world to shame. I remember suffering with it in Cleveland. The Fresno Philharmonic did a legendary job with it last year. The orchestra felt that there was so much "teaching" happening that they asked if I would agree to add an extra rehearsal on Tuesday evening - no problem! They also added sectional rehearsals, which I always conducted. By the time the concert had ended, I was very proud of this orchestra. Such an incredible work ethic! Afterwards, we discussed future plans, including a longer relationship. We agreed that I would conduct their 80th Anniversary Concert in May, 2010 and several tours in October-November, 2010. I left Venezuela with the most pronounced musical memories.
I am now at home, in my wonderful Fresno residence, for four days before South Africa. During the past two days, I have watched my garden suffer, terribly, in the 110+ temperatures. From 7:00 pm onwards (at 6:00 pm the sun is too strong), I am standing with the garden hose, long into darkness. I don't know how these plants survive, and many haven't. We will next be in contact after South Africa, on August 30.