Thursday, March 17, 2016

Radio.WOSU.org: African-American Conductors Podcast: Thomas Wilkins by Christopher Purdy

Thomas Wilkins guest-conducts New Mexico Philharmonic

Antoine Clark and the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra
Credit Antoine Clark


by Christopher Purdy

Here's another in a series of podcasts on the lives and careers of African-American conductors. My collaborator in this project is a young man called Antoine Clark. We're a bit late with this next installment, for all the right reasons. Antoine is ferociously busy as a conductor, working with his own orchestra, the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra.

When not conducting there, he is doing guest appearances, he is teaching, he is an orchestra and chamber musician and is juggling phone calls from irritating radio producers about working on a podcast project
It was Antoine who reminded me of Thomas Wilkins. I should not have needed reminding.
Maestro Wilkins has been a welcome guest with the Columbus symphony.
Thomas Wilkins, born in Virginia, has served as music director of the Oregon Symphony and the Hollywood Bowl, and continues as Germershausen Conductor of the Boston Symphony Youth and Family Concerts.
Maestro Wilkins tell us "Music is greater than we are". You'll hear more comments from him, plus Antoine Clarks's perspective and musical examples, in this podcast tribute to Thomas Wilkins., Enjoy.


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