Arts & Culture
(2009-10-16)
Photo by Walter Colley
Christopher Seaman told supporters that the RPO is on the "crest of wave." That's because of the artistic level of the orchestra and its new home--the newly-renovated Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. And for Seaman, that makes 2011 the perfect time--in his words--to pass on the baton. Seaman says his legacy is at its "absolute peak", making the transition to a new music director a smooth one.
With the end of next season, Seaman will have been music director of the RPO for 13 years--one more than his mentor, David Zinman.
RPO Board Chair Suzanne Welch says Seaman brought style, elegance and grace to the podium. And she credits Seaman with raising the artistic level of the orchestra.
Principal Trombone, Mark Kellogg, says Seaman raised the orchestra's artistic level, not only with his musical excellence, but with his exceptional sense of grace and humanity.
Jennifer Leonard is a supporter and subscriber of the RPO. She's also President and Executive Director of the Rochester Area Community Foundation. She says the foundation holds the RPO's endowment and makes grants to "urge it along." Leonard says the RPO has "hit its mark", both musically and financially, and she says Seaman has been responsible for much of those accomplishments.
Seaman's time with the RPO is often referred to as one of the orchestra's "golden eras." Seaman is especially proud of his relationship with the musicians.
Seaman will not be ending his relationship with the RPO. With the end of the 2010-2011 season, he'll be named Conductor Laureate for life, and will be invited to conduct a week's worth of concerts every year.
The RPO will now begin efforts to find a successor at music director. President and CEO Charlie Owens says a search committee will be formed in a week or so. He says the search process will be done in collaboration with the musicians. Owens says the search can take from a few months to two years.
But Seaman still has a great deal of music to make before he leaves his current position. He's not sure what will be performed at his final concert, but he says his last season will have "a heavy stamp of me on it."
The RPO is launching a three-year celebration of Seaman's time with the RPO. It's called "A Celebration Beyond Measure" and will include special concerts, as well as a five-CD boxed set of RPO concerts under the direction of Seaman.
Seaman joined the RPO in 1998 and signed his current three-year contract extension in 2007.
Seaman, a native of Great Britain, is a former timpanist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and principal conductor for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
Seaman has recorded two CDs with the Rochester Philharmonic--one in 2001, the other in 2003.
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