Spartanburg Philharmonic announces nine finalists in search for 10th Music Director
November 8, 2021
The Spartanburg Philharmonic announces the selection of nine finalists for the organization’s 10th Music Director. In selecting the finalists, Search Committee Chair and Board President-Elect Karen Parrott stated, “we were presented with a very broad and skilled group of candidates, all of whom demonstrated a commitment to music education along with strong leadership and musical talent. It was a challenge to narrow the field, but we believe these nine conductors share the same values and forward-thinking approach as the Spartanburg Philharmonic.”
While Parrott leads the Music Director Search Committee, she is joined by other members of the Board of Directors, Orchestra Musicians, and Philharmonic staff. Arts Consultant, Henry Fogel, assisted the committee in vetting the candidates and selecting the nine finalists. As part of the selection process, the Search Committee reviewed resumes, watched hours of conducting videos, and held video interviews to get a well-rounded understanding of each prospective conductor.
Pulled from over 150 applicants, the final candidates are a diverse and talented group of conductors. They include Antoine T. Clark, John Young Shik Concklin, Kelly Corcoran, Kayoko Dan, Nadege Foofat, Jacob Joyce, Geneviève LeClair, Lee Mills, and Troy Quinn. Concklin, Corcoran, Dan, and LeClair are all scheduled as guest conductors in the current season, with Kayoko Dan already making her debut on September 18, 2021. The remaining five finalists will lead the orchestra in performances as part of the 2022-2023 Zimmerli Series classical concerts beginning next fall. The Spartanburg Philharmonic will announce the full schedule and programs in March 2022.
The candidates will submit program recommendations for the 2022-2023 season as part of their continuing interview process. “The Search Committee provided each finalist with a framework for the programs,” says Executive Director Kathryn Boucher. “We expect to see a mix of classical and contemporary works that explore a full range of styles and themes. The entire Philharmonic looks forward to sharing with our community how each conductor interprets the guidelines to make their concert unique and appeal directly to our very discerning Spartanburg audience.”
Along with announcing the 2022-2023 Season concerts in March, the Spartanburg Philharmonic will begin offering Season Tickets, with single ticket sales starting in July. The entire Spartanburg community is invited to join the Philharmonic for these audition concerts. Audience members will have an opportunity to meet the candidates after each performance. The Search Committee will announce the new Music Director in spring 2023, and they will take the podium beginning in the 2023-2024 Season, just in time for the Spartanburg Philharmonic’s 95th Anniversary.
Additional information about the Spartanburg Philharmonic and the nine Music Director finalists is available at www.SpartanburgPhilharmonic.org/musicdirectorsearch.
About Spartanburg Philharmonic
Almost a century old, the 65-member professional orchestra was founded in 1928, beginning as a volunteer ensemble and presenting organization. Widely recognized as a pillar of creativity, inspiration, and entertainment, the Spartanburg Philharmonic has a strong foundation in traditional and contemporary music. The Philharmonic is a firm proponent of diversity and inclusion and is dedicated to creating innovative and exhilarating experiences through memorable performances of well-known and rarely played works. Pieces by female composers, composers of color, and both established and contemporary composers are a regular part of concert programming, performed, for all members of the Spartanburg community
and beyond.
An arts organization whose mission is to enrich, inspire, and educate through live performances of high-quality music, the Spartanburg Philharmonic partners with a variety of community, health, and education organizations to provide opportunities for all ages and abilities to enjoy. Amongst the programs are the Spartanburg Philharmonic Youth Orchestras, offering instrumental music education to students grades 6 through 12 in 16 different schools across three counties; and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute’s Link Up program, providing a music curriculum to 4th graders throughout Spartanburg County. www.spartanburgphilharmonic.org
