The Juneau Symphony season premieres this weekend with a performance called “New Beginnings.” The concerts will be Troy Quinn’s first shows as the new conductor. He said that their first piece, Dvorak’s “New World Symphony,” is especially fitting.
“It was his first arrival here to America … and so it’s kind of appropriate for me to be here, my first new arrival, and that’s our big work,” Quinn said.
They’ll also play Shastakovich’s “Festive Overture,” and Massanet’s “Meditation” from his opera “Thaïs” with special guest violinist Luanne Homzey. Quinn said he is enjoying his work in Juneau — a position with a unique job description.
“‘Conductor’ really comes from the word ‘to teach,’ so the Latin word,” Quinn said. “So there is the teaching element involved with it. And it’s also to inspire the musicians to play at their most passionate and capable level. You know, the conductor doesn’t make a sound.”
Saturday’s concert is at 8 p.m. and Sunday’s at 3 p.m. at Juneau-Douglas High School. Both performances include one-hour pre-concert conversations with Quinn. Sunday’s concert will also be broadcast on KRNN and KRNN.org. Tickets begin at $17 and can be purchased at juneausymphony.org.
