Copious Notes

Mei-Ann Chen, a popular contender to succeed George Zack as music director of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, has withdrawn from the race.

Mei-Ann Chen.

Philharmonic executive director Peter Kucirko said that Chen sent an e-mail to him and the search committee Tuesday saying she was taking her name out of consideration. She is the second candidate to withdraw from the race. Alastair Willis, who conducted the orchestra in February, bowed out the week after his audition.

“Mei-Ann has withdrawn from the search on the advice of her manager, that she not take on the responsibility of this position in light of her rapidly growing career,” Kucirko said.

Kucirko added that Chen said, “the LPO has much potential and Lexington is a memorable and beautiful place to live.”

Chen is currently the assistant conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and is a contender for music director posts in other cities such as Memphis, where she will conduct next season.

She conducted the Philharmonic on March 27 and zoomed to the tops of many observers’ lists. In his review of the concert, Herald-Leader contributing music critic Loren Tice said she should be the Philharmonic’s pick, and in a poll on this blog, more than half the voters said she should be the orchestra’s next conductor.

The Philharmonic’s search committee has eight candidates left to choose from who conducted from October 2007 through January this year. The committee met to begin considering candidates on Tuesday night. It was aware of Chen’s withdrawl when it met.

Whoever the committee selects, it will be the Philharmonic’s first new music director since George Zack took the baton in 1972. He conducted his last concert with the orchestra Sept. 12 and will officially retire when his successor takes over the job.

The orchestra has one concert left on its current season: An April 17 performance with the Lexington Singers which will be co-conducted by Singers director Jefferson Johnson and University of Kentucky Symphony music director John Nardolillo. The announcement of the new music director is expected at or before that performance.

As season announcements go, this is about as spare as it gets, but that is because the Lexington Philharmonic still has to choose a music director.

Evelyn Glennie

According the orchestra’s season-ticket solicitation letter, the Phil’s 2009-10 season will open with percussion soloist Evelyn Glennie, the world’s only full-time percussion soloist. Glennie is noted for that and her circumstances: she is profoundly deaf. Glennie has been profiled on 60 Minutes and many other outlets, been the subject of a documentary film, released more than 25 recordings and been named “Dame Commander” in her native England.

Glennie’s last Lexington appearance was in October 2004, when she presented a percussion concerto by Bright Sheng with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra at the Singletary Center. A program has not been announced for the Sept. 25 concert with the Lexington Philharmonic, which will open its first season under a new music director.

The Philharmonic’s search for a new music director comes to a close Friday night with an audition concert by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra assistant conductor Mei-Ann Chen. The Philharmonic’s search committee expects to name the new director sometime in the next several weeks.

Since the new conductor has not been named, the Phil has only released concert dates for the next season, noting Glennie as the season-opening soloist and the annual performance of Handel’s Messiah Dec. 11. The season includes seven concerts, down from the Philharmonic’s usual eight MasterClassics performances. The season-ticket solicitation letter says the orchestra will collaborate with UK Healthcare on an April 2010 concert.

Philharmonic executive director Peter Kucirko said the Philharmonic decided to go with a seven concert season so as to not schedule two concerts in April thereby, “competing with ourselves.” Kucirko said eliminating an April concert was not part of any cost-cutting measures, and he did not know the date or program for the UK Healthcare concert.

These are the Philharmonic’s dates:

• Sept. 25, with percussionist Evelyn Glennie
• Oct. 16
• Nov. 13
• Dec. 11: Handel’s Messiah, with the Lexington Singers
• Jan. 22
• Feb. 12
• March 5

The Philharmonic is currently renewing season tickets for current subscribers. They have until April 10 to renew. Visit the Phil’s website or call (859) 233-4226 for more information.