September 12, 2001

Rhodes ready to pick up baton and lead TSO

Traverse Symphony Orchestra conductor debuts this Saturday

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
       With boundless enthusiasm, abundant presence and a passion for music, Kevin Rhodes will burst on the cultural scene Saturday.
      When he takes the stage at the Corson Auditorium Saturday evening as the new music director of the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, Rhodes will, in a way, be coming home.
      The Indiana native is settling back in the states after 10 years based in Europe. A Michigan State University alumni whose wife has family in the area, Rhodes will launch the symphony's next 50 years with the first click of his baton on the stand that evening.
      "I am excited about the tremendous level of excitement that I have found here," said Rhodes, who received a master's degree in conducting from the University of Illinois. "I come to town here and everyone is so excited, it is a shot in the arm for me. It's always exciting when you start working with a new ensemble and you know it is the beginning of a new, long-term time together."
      Rhodes brings to Traverse City a career path not common among young American conductors, who often work as assistant conductors in the United States. Instead, Rhodes lit out for Europe after two years as music director of the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera and a professor of piano at the University of New Mexico.
      There, Rhodes worked as both a music director and guest conductor throughout the continent. His resume includes being the staff conductor at the Opera House in Basel, Switzerland, the Principal Ballet Conductor at the Vienna State Opera and guest conducting with the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Berlin State Opera.
      "If you have a lot of luck and are quote-unquote successful, that means you travel a lot," said Rhodes, who will be making his debut at La Scala in Milan later this year.
      All the travel is worth it for the chance to work with the musicians and spread the beauty of classical music.
      "Conducting really makes you believe in telepathy, there's just an in indescribable synergy between all the musicians and between the musicians and yourself," he said. "It is a unique sort of experience."
      Landing a conductor with Rhodes' breadth and depth of experience is a coup for the Traverse Symphony, said new executive director Andy Buelow.
      "If the TSO is a rocket ship, Kevin is our solid rocker booster," said Buelow, who said he took his position specifically after learning Rhodes would be conducting. "Kevin is part of a new breed of conductors who are really changing the face of the symphony orchestra around the country. He is a consummate artist on all levels and also can make classical music very user friendly."
      Rhodes worked up an ambitious season for the symphony, including six major concerts. A new feature this year will be Rhodes discussing the music he chose for each symphonic concert performance. Called "ConcertTalks," Rhodes will speak for an hour before the music starts to give patrons a glimpse into his mind and behind the music.
      With the season just days away from starting, Rhodes is still dashing around getting settled in. Getting to know Traverse City and the extensive cultural opportunities available here is just icing on the cake, though, considering the real fun of being a conductor.
      "It is really amazing that there's something of this size and quality here, given the size of the town," Rhodes said. "There is great potential for growth and expansion here. Northern Michigan has a lot of very culturally aware people who have come up here for one reason or another. Some really world-class musicians choose to live here when they could go anywhere."
      The Traverse Symphony Orchestra's first concert of the season is entitled Life, Music and Kevin Rhodes. It will be held on Saturday, September 15, at 8 p.m. at the Corson Auditorium. For more information on tickets, call the TSO office at 947-7120 or the website www.tso-online.org.