Mélisse Brunet

photos courtesy LexPhil

Little did Melisse Brunet know that when she stepped in to replace a last-minute cancellation as guest conductor of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra in May that within months, she would be confi rmed as their next Music Director, bringing to an end the lengthy three-year search that had been interrupted and prolonged by the pandemic.

Originally invited here from Iowa where she was the fi rst woman in 100 years to hold the position of Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Iowa – School of Music, Brunet was engaged to conduct LexPhil’s 2021-22 season fi nale.

However, during the week she was in Lexington, the rapport that the musicians experienced with her quickly developed into a mutual one. “I immediately felt that the musicians wanted the very same things that I strive for: musical excellence, creativity, emotion, and being respectfully challenged. Not all orchestras want to improve and create great art, but I felt both these inclinations with them,” Brunet said. Despite the fact that Brunet was neither a candidate nor a fi nalist for the vacant conductor position, the musicians and the attending audience last spring were unabashed about their enthusiasm for her.

So much so that Search Committee Chair and Philharmonic Board President Carol McLeod could not ignore the requests she was receiving to reconsider Brunet for the job. Responding to these sentiments and seeing the connection and charisma for themselves, the search committee responded decisively. McLeod said that the overwhelming and spontaneous support of the musicians for Melisse’s musicianship and leadership in rehearsals, as well as the positive response of the audience at the concert, were factors that helped cement their decision. The engaging personality of Melisse and her immediate connection with the community and musicians couldn’t be overlooked. McLeod explained, “At intermission, patrons were asking me, ‘Why can’t she be our Music Director?’” For Allison Kaiser, Executive Director of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra (who is responsible for the dayto-day operations of the organization), there were many

reactions when she knew the long search for a conductor was over. “My first thoughts were of excitement, relief, success, the prospect of greater stability, and the ability to resume long-term, artistic planning,” Kaiser said. “After spending some time with Melisse, I realize that we have selected a co-leader that has infectious enthusiasm and will be a vital thought partner for all the facets of our organization.” In turn, Brunet commended the LexPhil for their ability to react and move with speed in the hiring process. “Too often our arts organizations are afraid of risk, but risk is art and risk is business,” she recently said in happy response to the no-time-to-lose approach of the Search Committee. When asked to elaborate on this, she said, “Risk implies potential failure, and this is why organizations and businesses are not always prone to take a risk. However, the best art is often created by taking risks! Some harmonies in the Beethoven symphonies made people at the time jump off their seats, but audiences today don’t even blink or notice them. Beethoven took risks and made great art. The most visionary artists, organizations and businesses take risks, try to think ahead of their time and act outside the box.” Brunet considers that LexPhil has already been taking risks and thinking outside the box with their programming, venues, new concepts for concerts. In particular, their championing the creation of new music through the longstanding Composer-in-Residence program, which will be revamped and continued. The programming for the upcoming 2022-23 season has already been decided, but for 2023-2024 Brunet looks forward to setting her own course and, while building on the programming and history of the organization, she plans to introduce a few innovations. Among these will be inviting soloists at the start of their careers to perform with the orchestra and introducing audiences to underrepresented composers. She also aims to form unique partnerships with other artists and other organizations in Lexington. Brunet recognizes that outside the concert hall, there will be many opportunities to partner with both arts and nonarts organizations, but for this first year of her five-year contract she will focus on getting to know her orchestra. In doing so, she will better know in which direction to lead them as a team. Brunet sees herself as having many goals, but paramount is helping to keep making LexPhil organically relevant in our community, and that includes presenting more contemporary new works, multimedia concerts and fostering new artistic collaborations. She sees herself as continuing to evolve the programming by bringing “the delights and powers of orchestral music to all. But at the same time being aware and sensitive to the community needs.” Recognizing that many Lexingtonians have a taste for the more traditional works, she sees her future programming as reflecting all the wants of the community and plans to unite citizens with beloved classics while at the same time introducing them to new discoveries.

Since LexPhil’s founding in 1961, Melisse Brunet will be the fifth Music Director and is the first woman to hold the position. In a field where less than 10% of conductors are women, Brunet hopes she is seen as an inspiration to younger female aspirants.

Brunet will continue in her teaching position at the University of Iowa School of Music and Iowa City will be her primary residence, but she will be in Lexington for extended periods, working with the LexPhil prior to performances. “Nowadays, it is very unusual that a Music Director only holds one position, and that is the case for all levels of orchestras,” she said. “The organizations I work for understand and respect each other, and they know how they each benefit from the richness and experiences I am exposed to and then bring back to each position.” She is quick to add that “working with a well-organized staff team also helps.”

Lexington will have their second opportunity to see Brunet conduct the Lexington Philharmonic when they perform Limitless at the Singletary Center on Thursday, October 2022, this time as their official Music Director.

Lexington can witness Brunet’s energetic style in person on February 18th at the Singletary Center for Continous Variations. Save the date for The Power of Influence on April 29th at The Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center and BLOOM on May 20th at the Singletary Center. There will also be additional opportunities for audience and community alike to meet and connect with Melisse at events throughout the 2022-23 season and these will be published to LexPhil’s website www.lexphil.org. •

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