Letter from the Conductor

Dear Rockford Symphony Family,

I am thrilled to be with you as a Music Director Finalist – I’ve been so looking forward to making music with your wonderful orchestra with this program that combines three loves of mine: the Silk Road, Shakespeare, and ballet. If you’ve ever seen Yo-Yo Ma’s award-winning Silk Road Ensemble in concert, you’ll know the musicians come from every corner of the globe, each bringing their own unique traditions of music, culture, and style. The fusion of styles represents something far larger than its parts, something I experienced first-hand on several tours with them. Not everyone speaks English – we have had to have translators with us – but we connect through the universal language of music. Sharing global cultures, learning from, and inspiring each other, has given me some of the most meaningful musical experiences of my life. These musicians are all solo artists in their own right, and one of my continued joys has been collaborating with them individually in concert with orchestras. The Persian, folk-inflected “Ascending Bird” was composed by two Silk Road Ensemble musicians, Colin Jacobsen and Siamak Aghaei. It’s a piece we often played as an encore on tour. Everyone joined in – the very essence of Silk Road sharing – what a menagerie of instruments! We are playing the version for strings and percussion. When the Silk Road Ensemble’s star tabla player Sandeep Das approached me with a concerto, I was at first skeptical, then intrigued. Skeptical, because I couldn’t fathom how two small drums could possibly hold interest and attention in a concerto setting for a 25-minute piece, intrigued, because if anyone could pull this off, it would be Sandeep. The concerto, composed by Dinuk Wijeratne, is genius – these drums talk! – what a showcase for these versatile and impressive drums. I hope you enjoy this unique music combined with Sandeep’s amazing artistry and infectious energy. “Romeo and Juliet” is one of those timeless stories that I have connected with throughout my life. In my teens I was all about trying to sneak over to my girlfriend’s house, and I resonated with Romeo’s strong, misunderstood emotions. Today it’s fascinating observing my 15-year-old stepson faced with these age-old challenges. Playing trumpet in the pit for a performance of West Side Story (a modern version of R&J) when I was 14 was life-changing, as it pushed me towards a career in music. The power of Prokofiev’s music resonated deeply while cheering my mum’s appearances with London City Ballet in the character roles of the Nurse and the Queen. I’ve programmed Prokofiev’s glorious music in concert many times, and my bucket-list wish of conducting a full production with a major company was finally realized a few years ago with the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. About 15 years ago, I was invited to conduct selections from the ballet for an outdoor summer concert and was asked to tell the story in between the movements. I realized with horror and shame that I had never read Shakespeare’s original! I put that right quickly, and the narrative you’ll hear tonight is a revised version of that night. I encourage you to let yourselves be swept up in the emotions and richness that Prokofiev gives us through your fantastic orchestra. It’s a wonderful journey!

Alastair Willis