Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

An interview with Edo de Waart

Published 2017-05-24

“I hope I have helped give the orchestra that confidence — ‘yes, we are good,’” de Waart said this week, just before rehearsals began for Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, his farewell performances with the orchestra as music director. “Often I have said to them, ‘I don’t know if you know how good you are,’ but when I come back after being away for a while, I really hear it.”

"The Ultimate Orchestra Builder": Mark Niehaus on Edo de Waart

Published 2017-05-16

As a player, Mark Niehaus appreciated Edo de Waart’s leadership and insistence on quality. As the orchestra’s executive director, he sees the same thing. Niehaus, formerly principal trumpet, was appointed executive director in 2012. That gives him a unique perspective on de Waart’s eight-year tenure as music director. But, Niehaus said, “Our relationship actually didn’t change that much. Good choices are good choices.”

It's The Little Things: Behind the Scenes in Artist Management

Published 2017-05-05

Little things make a difference to run an orchestra smoothly. Some guest artists like hummus and crudites in the dressing room; some like coconut water. A car service picks them up at the airport. Their hotel is across the street from the Marcus Center. And Music Director Edo de Waart is happy if he has water, cookies, and bananas.

Megumi Kanda: Force of Nature

Published 2017-05-02

At 5-foot-3, she’s about the minimum height to reach seventh position (the farthest extension of the slide) on the trombone. One of the most powerful solos in the repertoire is rapidly approaching, as the MSO prepares for Mahler’s monumental Third Symphony as the farewell work for Music Director Edo de Waart. The piece was performed earlier in his tenure, and Kanda says, “There’s nothing like playing it with Edo. There’s a look he gives that just shows he trusts you and knows you can do it. It says, ‘Show me what you’ve got.’”

Filter By Category