Arts & Entertainment
Dual Career
College president / classical conductor Leon Botstein leads
Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra in Ann Arbor.
Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News
"I have made a
specialty of trying to
advocate music that isn't
Ann Arbor
played all the time," says
Botstein, 62, whose latest
eon Botstein has traveled to
recording release was a
Michigan many times to partici-
requiem by English corn-
pate in academic programs or to
poser John Foulds and
visit family, but his upcoming trip centers
whose upcoming release
on his core career as a conductor.
is a symphony by Bruno
Botstein, an internationally traveled
Walter — both world
performer who simultaneously serves as
premiere CDs.
president of New York State's Bard College,
"Classical music is
will make his concert debut in the area as
obsessed by what I call a
music director of the Jerusalem Symphony `masterpiece syndrome.'
Orchestra. The orchestra was founded in
Literature doesn't have it.
the 1940s as Israel's national radio orches- Painting doesn't have it.
tra.
The idea that we restrict
The afternoon program, hosted by the
the repertory to a chart
University Musical Society in Ann Arbor,
of the top 100 ignores
will feature works by Jewish composers
the riches of our own art
and spotlight violinist Robert McDuffie 4
form. It's like we have a
Leon Botstein: "Classical music is obsessed by what I call a 'masterpiece syndrome.' The idea that
p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, at Hill Auditorium.
museum with 40 rooms,
we restrict the repertory to a chart of the top 100 ignores the riches of our own art form."
"The idea was to bring music from a
but we only open three of
particular period in history, surround-
them!'
ing the 1940s and 1950s, when two stable
The world of music opened early to
he also serves as professor of arts and
senior curator of the Whitney Museum of
homes for the Jews of Europe emerged —
Botstein, who started out playing violin
humanities.
American Art in New York, and the father
one in America and the other with the cre- and realized during his teens that his
"I happen to think that all universities
of three grown daughters: a TV producer,
ation of the State of Israel;' says Botstein,
prime interest was conducting. He liked
have an obligation to improve secondary
a community activist and a high-school
who will present The Twelve Tribes of Israel shaping the sounds and collaborating with education, so we have opened two pub-
student. "I am not religious, but I am
by Erich Walter Sternberg, Serenade for
other musicians.
lic high schools/early colleges:' explains
proud as a Jew and a Zionist."
Violin and Orchestra by Leonard Bernstein
At 17, Botstein won a competition in
Botstein, planning a model private school
During his stay in Michigan, Botstein
and Symphony No. 3 by Aaron Copland.
Chicago and made his first conducting
in an agricultural area of California and
looks forward to spending time with
"This program shows how Jewish com-
appearance.
international honors college programs
his cousin Leon Wyszewianski, who
posers participated in the effort to create
"I studied conducting as an undergrad- with developing nations.
teaches public health at the University of
a sense of national identity and member-
uate student at the University of Chicago
"We also offer liberal arts degrees to
Michigan. Many years earlier, he visited
ship using music.
and was the assistant conductor of the
prisoners, people who are very bright but
the state to see his brother, David, who
"Sternberg was a German Jew who
university orchestra;' recalls Botstein, who are in prison for very long terms. They
earned his doctoral degree in biology at
came to Palestine before the creation of
earned both master and doctoral degrees
learn the value of their minds, and I think
U-M and is now a professor at Princeton.
Israel. He tried to find a way to express a
at Harvard. "I founded a chamber orches-
it's the best route to rehabilitation and
"I have no hobbies or sidelines:' says
newfound nationalism and national iden-
tra at the University of Chicago and went
non-recidivism!"
Botstein, a 2006 Grammy nominee for
tity using the vocabulary of his German
on to be the assistant conductor of the
The conductor's interest in education
a recording with the London Symphony
musical education.
Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra!'
will keep him in Ann Arbor the day after
Orchestra. "My family puts up with a
"Bernstein and Copland were both
Building a conducting and recording
the concert. He will be part of Judaism
father who lives to work, not someone who
children of immigrants and lived in an
career that has placed him with major
and Music: A Symposium, scheduled 9
works to live." ❑
America where Jews still were segregated.
orchestras from Russia to Puerto Rico,
a.m.-1 p.m. at the Rackham Amphitheater,
They entered the mainstream of American Botstein branched out to writing about
915 E. Washington. The session is a
culture using music, and they became pio- music. He also can look back on some
collaboration of the Jean & Samuel
Leon Botstein conducts the
neers in creating art that expresses what it chance circumstances that led to his posi- Frankel Center for Judaic Studies and the
Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
means to be American!"
tion as college president.
University of Michigan Institute for the
4 p.m. Sunday, Nov.16, at Hill
Botstein, with the JSO for six seasons
After combining teaching with per-
Humanities. (Attendance is free and open
Auditorium, 825 N. University, in
and also music director of the New York-
forming, Botstein was asked, at age 23, to
to the public. Call (734) 763-9047 or e-
Ann Arbor. Tickets are $10-$75,
based American Symphony Orchestra,
become president of Franconia College
mail JudaicStudies@umich.edu for more
with a discount for mentioning the
planned a concert that would link America in New Hampshire, where he was able to
information.)
word "election" at the time of ticket
and Israel as they share a population of
forestall bankruptcy of the school. Five
"I am an agnostic but belong to a
purchase. There is a 25 percent
Jewish citizens. He often chooses pieces
years later, with Franconia still up and
synagogue as a matter of principle says
discount for groups of 10 or more.
that are not commonly heard.
running, he was hired by Bard, where
Botstein, married to Barbara Haskell,
(734) 764-2538 or www.ums.org .
L
MN
November 13 • 2008
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