“Is Eugene ready for genius? I can’t wait to find out.”
Those are the words of Eugene Symphony board member Mathew Shapiro, talking recently about Alex Prior, who takes over as conductor in the fall for Francesco Lecce-Chong.
But first … a little fun in the sun.
Prior, 32, will lead the orchestra in two outdoor shows – including the Monday, July 28 concert at Bohemia Park in Cottage Grove – to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Eugene Symphony.
Principal flutist Kristen Halay is virtually awestruck to have someone of Prior’s skill-set onboard.
“It’s a level of genius, a level of passion and heart that’s so exciting and vibrant, and so deep that it’s going to forever change the landscape of this orchestra and the community,” Halay said.
From England, Prior was just 17 when he was appointed assistant conductor of the Seattle Symphony. He rose to become music director of the Edmonton Symphony at 22.
“When I heard this job was open, I was all about it. I thought, my goodness, to be part of this incredible story, this history with all of these incredible players, musicians, conductors, the vibe, and all the human stories of audience members, patrons, everyone who has made up this kaleidoscope, this mosaic that makes up the Eugene Symphony, I jumped on,” Prior said in a video.
Here is a small sampling of how Eugene audiences felt about him during his visit here.
“Alex is the best … so Eugene!”
“He makes the audience and orchestra happy to be alive.”
“Sometimes classical music can be kind of stuffy and he made it relevant.”
This is a guy who has conducted orchestras in San Francisco, Dallas, Detroit, Seattle, Toronto, Houston, Queensland and Dusseldorf, as well as being a co-conductor for a host of other premier symphonies.
His job has taken him all over the world, and he loves it.
On his website, Prior – who likes the music of today’s younger composers like Nicole Lizee, Gabriella Smith, Vivian Fung, and Alissa Cheung – said he passionately believes in the power of music to bring people of all backgrounds together, and to build compassion and ultimately a better understanding of our mutual humanity.
