Douglas McRay Daniels
Betty Yokell, Board Member of the Fall River Symphony Orchestra, writes of the four-way conducting competition in which Douglas McRay Daniels was rated the top candidate by audience members who completed evaluations after each concert:
Hello,
There is a great article in the Herald News, 6/15/14, on Ray.
If you cannot access the article online see attachment.
Enjoy your summer!
Betty
Betty Yokell
Board of Directors Past President
Fall River Symphony Society
Board of Directors Past President
Fall River Symphony Society
The Herald News
Fall River, MA
Lifestyle Editor
Posted Jun. 14, 2014 @ 10:00 pm
FALL RIVER - Douglas McRay Daniels may not be the next
American Idol, but he may feel like one after “competing” to become the
Fall River Symphony Orchestra’s new music director/conductor.After
trying out four guest conductors over the past season, the FRSO
selected Daniels to lead the community orchestra’s upcoming season.
“The
selection of a permanent conductor for the FRSO was a challenging
process. The four guest conductors this season were all outstanding,”
said Betty Yokell, FRSO publicity chairwoman.
The
“Fall River Symphony Orchestra looks forward to an exciting season in
2014-2015,” she added. The FRSO’s longtime conductor/music director, Ann
Danis, retired at the end of the 2012 season after leading the
community orchestra for 10 years.
Over the
past season the members of the orchestra and the audience filled out
questionnaires at the end of each guest conductor’s concert and after
all of the data was analyzed, Yokell said Daniels emerged as the season
favorite. The contract is for one year, but Yokell it could be extended
beyond the first year.
In addition to
Daniels, the past season’s guest conductors vying for the position were
Andy Chau, director of Career Support Services and Student Programs at
The Boston Conservatory, Manager of the Rivers Conservatory Youth Wind
Ensemble, and Managing Director of the Alcyon Chamber Ensemble; Channing
Yu, Music Director of the Mercury Orchestra in Cambridge; and Benjamin
Vickers, Zander Conducting Fellow for the 2012-2013 season of the Boston
Philharmonic Orchestra.
“I was really
impressed with the ensemble,” said Daniels, adding he was elated to be
selected to conduct and direct the orchestra from among such a strong
group of candidates. “Musically, I thought they were easy to work with
and very ambitious. And what I felt was more important was their
personalities — they were very warm and welcoming, easy to get along
with and relate to. I see myself generating some great relationships
there.”
Daniels, a resident of Medford, is
co-chair of the Gann Academy Arts Department, music director for the
Bentley University Chamber Orchestra, associate conductor of the Waltham
Philharmonic Orchestra and founder and artistic director of 3rd Sundays
at 3 Chamber Music Series. Shortly after learning that the FRSO
selected him, Daniels added another position to his impressive resume:
musical director/conductor of the Lincoln Sudbury Civic OrchestrAs
for the upcoming season with the FRSO, Daniels said, “my vision is to
bring a freshness and a crispness to what we do. We’re there to serve
the audience. In a way, we’re like civil servants bringing this music to
the people.”
Daniels said he doesn’t
anticipate making any drastic changes in the kinds of musical selections
the FRSO performs at its concerts; instead, he said it will be a
honeymoon period with him getting to know the community orchestra
better, and vice versa.
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