ASO to Form Search Committee this
Spring
The Asheville Symphony announced Tuesday that Music
Director and Conductor Daniel Meyer will conclude his tenure with the ASO following
the 2017-18 season. In 2015, Meyer signed a contract extension, which includes
conducting a full 2016-17 season and a reduced schedule in 2017-18.
Meyer, who is in his 11th season with the ASO, has led the organization
through a period of unmatched artistic growth in his continuing commitment to
the rich arts life of Asheville. The ASO has expanded its audience and reach,
supports a biennial Asheville Amadeus festival, executes a thriving education
and community engagement program, and has gained a national reputation for its
artistic initiatives.
“Daniel Meyer has guided the Asheville Symphony to new heights, and we are
lucky to have had him in Asheville for as long as we have,” said ASO Board
President Irene Stoll. “More than ever, the Asheville community is engaged with
the Symphony, and we credit Daniel’s energy, creativity and spirit for that
achievement. We thank him for his dedication to our organization.”
“I am deeply proud of the talented and dedicated musicians of the
Asheville Symphony and of the bond we have formed both artistically and
personally over my tenure,” Meyer said. “Together we have attracted and can now
boast a committed, passionate following who can appreciate and support
adventurous programming alongside beautifully performed core repertoire.”
The ASO will undergo a search process to find the orchestra’s next
music director, with the goal of having that person in place in 2019. Guest
conductors will appear as part of the search for some concerts during upcoming
seasons. A search committee will be announced later this year and will include
ASO musicians, board members and general community members.
The Asheville Symphony will celebrate Meyer’s tenure in 2016-17 with
programming that includes an all-Tchaikovsky celebration, a New Year’s Eve
performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, an all-American program including
Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and a
season-finale concert that includes Mahler’s Symphony No. 1.
“I will miss the wonderful musicians and audience members who have been
such an integral part of my tenure with the ASO,” Meyer said. “I fully expect
these next two seasons as music director to celebrate what we have achieved
together in Asheville, and point us towards continued success.”
Meyer has developed new Young People’s programs for thousands of area
schoolchildren, appears as a regular guest on WCQS radio, and frequently
presents to local schools and civic clubs. His Symphony Talks at UNCA’s
Reuter Center are popular community events, during which he previews the
upcoming concert. During Meyer’s tenure he has championed works of highly
regarded contemporary composers and has invited a range of soloists from rising
stars to those of an international caliber.
Meyer also serves as the music director of the Erie Philharmonic and Artistic
Director of the Westmoreland Symphony. He began the 2015-16 season leading
concerts with the Indianapolis Symphony and the Wuerttembergische Philharmonie
in Germany, followed by concerts with the Tonkuenstler Orchestra in Vienna and
a return to the Pittsburgh Symphony. In the spring, Meyer returns to the Wiener
Jeunesse Orchestra to lead performances in Vienna and Salzburg.
“I am so fortunate to have had Daniel in place as music director when I
arrived in Asheville three years ago,” Asheville Symphony Executive Director
David Whitehill said. “He is one of the reasons I came here, and it was clear
from when I first arrived what he has meant to our organization and our
community. He has been a wonderful and inspirational partner to work with.
Daniel is a highly sought-after conductor with multiple orchestras nationally
and internationally, and I am certain the next stage of his career will bring
him exciting new challenges and opportunities.”
The Asheville Symphony Orchestra performs and promotes symphonic music
for the benefit, enjoyment and education of the people of Western North
Carolina. The ASO presents concerts in the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in
Asheville’s U.S. Cellular Center. Related organizations include the Asheville
Symphony Guild, Asheville Symphony Chorus, Asheville Symphonettes, and
education initiatives such as the Asheville Buncombe Youth Orchestra, Music in
the Schools, MusicWorks!, Spotlight on Young Musicians, Symphony Talk and
pre-concert lectures.
