Florida Orchestra takes search on the road

A team will travel to Amsterdam to observe one of the candidates to replace departing music director Jahja Ling.

By JOHN FLEMING

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 11, 2000

[Publicity photo.] Eri Klas, 61, is widely respected in Europe, has been a guest conductor in the States and “is intrigued with the idea of Florida,” says the orchestra’s executive director.

This weekend the Florida Orchestra's search for its next music director begins in earnest in Amsterdam, where two management staff members and two musicians will check out a candidate for the job. He is Eri Klas, an Estonian conductor, who will lead his Finnish orchestra, the Tampere Philharmonic, in a concert Tuesday night at the fabled Amsterdam Concertgebouw.

It's premature to begin handicapping possible music directors, but Klas would seem to fit the bill. He is widely respected in Europe, has gotten good notices when guest conducting in the United States and might be interested in having an American orchestra of his own.

"Rather than wait, we're going out to become proactive," said Florida Orchestra executive director Leonard Stone, who is leading the Amsterdam contingent. "With this trip, we're going to establish the way in which we're going to view a conductor. Rather than wait for them to come here and figure out if they're right for the post and are truly interested, we're going to figure out as much as we can before we invite them here to guest conduct."

In March, music director Jahja Ling announced that he would be stepping down after the 2001-02 season, after 14 years in the job. The 33-year-old orchestra has had only one other music director, Irwin Hoffman.

Who comes next is the most important artistic decision the orchestra can make. It will have a decisive influence not only on musicians and symphonygoers but also on the Tampa Bay community, given the orchestra's central role in the area's cultural life.

Because things are planned so far in advance in the symphony orchestra business, the deadline is tight for lining up prospects to succeed Ling.

"Unfortunately, we didn't know about Jahja's decision until March, and by then this coming season was already a done deal," said artistic administrator Jeff Woodruff, the other staff member going to Amsterdam. "We didn't, of course, plan the coming season with the idea that we were looking for a music director, so only one or two of the conductors coming this season might even remotely be considered a candidate."

Typically, when an orchestra is looking for a music director, it books likely candidates to guest conduct. This season, only Michael Christie and Jeffrey Kahane could conceivably be up for the job, and they weren't booked with that in mind. The 2001-02 season is probably the earliest that Klas or any other prime candidate would be here.

"There's no chance of hiring somebody who has not conducted this orchestra," Woodruff said. "Unless something unforeseen happens, that means it's going to be the following season when we're going to have an opportunity to invite candidates here to stand on the podium in front of this group of people and see what happens."

Ultimately, the musicians have the biggest say in choosing the next music director, though he or she will be hired by the board of trustees. Two musicians on the search committee, cellist Sasha von Dassow and percussionist Kurt Grissom, are going to Amsterdam to take a look at Klas.

At this early stage, it's somewhat unorthodox for a regional orchestra to be mounting such an ambitious, costly expedition to view a potential music director, but Stone would clearly like to avoid the marathon that the search process can become. Suitable candidates seem to be in short supply these days. Three of the most hallowed U.S. orchestras -- New York, Boston and Philadelphia -- are searching for music directors. Minnesota, Indianapolis, Houston and others are also on the lookout.

"It's possible this could shorten the search," Stone said. "The longer the search, the more expensive. These things can run on and on. Does this mean this will be the only trip we would make? Not necessarily. Could this short-circuit the search? Possibly."

Stone even mentioned the possibility of bringing Klas in for a special concert this season if the search committee members were bowled over by the Estonian maestro. However, because the orchestra's 36-week season is already "stuffed full," according to Woodruff, who puts together the complex schedule of rehearsals and performances in three different halls, that would take a few logistical miracles, not to mention fundraising to pay for the extra services.

Money is a pivotal consideration in any search for a new music director, who would be expected to sign at least a three-year contract. Ling is paid an estimated $250,000 a year.

"For sensible budget purposes, one would like to stick within the range of Jahja," Stone said. "I expect there will be people who say this is an opportunity to try to get someone less expensive. Then there will be people who will say go out and get the best talent you can and don't let a few dollars stand in the way."

So who is Eri Klas, and how did he end up on top of the orchestra's wish list?

Stone, who joined the Florida Orchestra last winter, has been involved in five music director searches during his career. He first heard of Klas when he was still executive director of the Calgary Philharmonic, whose highly regarded music director, Hans Graf, is rumored to be in line to fill a vacancy at one of the leading American orchestras, perhaps in Houston.

"When it became clear to me in Calgary that Graf was going to discuss his exit strategy, I started doing some snooping around, started calling people in the industry I respect and agents and record people," Stone said. "I said, "Give me the name of somebody middle European, somebody who has got good command of the broadest repertoire, somebody who is mature.' (Klas') name kept on popping up."

Klas, 61, was born in Tallinn, Estonia, and has compiled an extensive musical resume in Europe, including guest conducting the Berlin Philharmonic. He has championed Estonian composers, including Arvo Part, and has conducted premieres by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke.

He is well-known in Finland as music director of the orchestra in Tampere, the country's second-largest city, and principal guest conductor of the Finnish National Opera. He is also music director of the Holland Radio Symphony Orchestra. He has done a lot of guest conducting in the United States, including engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra.

"He has an unbelievable repertoire, from Bach or earlier to the most modern things," said Mariedi Anders, Klas' San Francisco-based manager. "There's nothing he hasn't conducted. Matti Salminen is probably the most famous bass in the world today -- he's Finnish, and I represent him, too -- and he thinks Eri Klas is one of the best conductors he has ever worked with. He adores him."

Florida Orchestra officials have had several phone conversations with Klas, who speaks English. "I think he is intrigued with the idea of Florida," Stone said.

Still, the American Sun Belt is a long way from classical music-loving Europe.

"We want to have a very frank discussion with him about this situation, about this particular orchestra and the cultural climate here," Woodruff said. "Is he genuinely, seriously interested in us? He's asked a lot of questions about how old the orchestra is, how many players are under contract, how big the halls are. He's asked all the pertinent questions. The fact that Jahja is our music director, I think, was a big plus with him. Jahja has enough of a reputation that another conductor would assume it's a decent orchestra."

In Amsterdam, Klas is conducting the Tampere Philharmonic in Sibelius' Symphony No. 2, Strauss' Four Last Songs, with soprano Camilla Nylund, and an overture by Estonian composer Veljo Tormis.

In a rehearsal and then the concert Tuesday, Stone and company will be able to observe Klas' stick technique and podium manner, but they're most interested in the intangibles.

"What I look for in a conductor is when he walks on the stage, how does that orchestra respond to him before he makes music?" Stone said. "Do they give you a signal that the leader is there? A good conductor is inspiring. I'll be watching the orchestra players' faces a great deal. That will tell me a lot."

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