MOBILE, Ala. Orland Thomas, Music Director and Conductor of the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO), wields a mighty baton. As a recent inductee into the Alabama Music Educators´ Hall of Fame, Thomas is a tough act to follow. But Sarah Wright, Education Director of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra, is confident that, in Robert Seebacher, she´s found a conductor up to the challenge of taking Thomas´ place on the podium after he retires at the end of this season.
"We looked at 28 applicants from across the United States and Canada and Rob stood out from the beginning," says Wright of Seebacher, who is currently Assistant Conductor of Orchestras and Opera at the University of Kentucky. "He´s not only an extraordinarily gifted musician but he shares the MSO´s deep commitment to music for young people."
Students in the Mobile Bay area may be relieved to learn that, for Seebacher, great music is great music, regardless of when it was composed or who composed it. "Exposure to Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Schoenberg as well as Ellington, Hendrix and Lennon is key to the development of a student´s musical being," Seebacher explains. "Students must be given freedom to form their own beliefs about music and decide how they will become advocates of those beliefs."
What additionally caught Wright´s attention were the glowing references Seebacher received from the Alabama All State Orchestra Festival he served as a clinician for the festival in 2006 and the Pennsylvania Governor´s School of the Arts, where Seebacher is a member of the faculty.
"Rob is an exciting, dynamic, talented young conductor who will be a tremendous asset to the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra," says John Nardolillo, Director of Orchestras at the University of Kentucky. "He is one of the hardest working musicians I know and has the ability to translate his many skills into excitement on the podium, both in rehearsal and performance."
Both Scott Speck, Music Director of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra, and Orland Thomas agreed with Nardolillo´s assessment, Wright adds.
"Their consensus certainly helped bring Rob to the top of the heap," says Wright. "Seebacher is the man! He is going to do great things, I predict."
The Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra is a full symphony orchestra of middle school and high school age musicians from across the Gulf Coast area. Auditions are held in August each year. For more information, visit www.mobilesymphony.org or call 251.432.2064.
"We looked at 28 applicants from across the United States and Canada and Rob stood out from the beginning," says Wright of Seebacher, who is currently Assistant Conductor of Orchestras and Opera at the University of Kentucky. "He´s not only an extraordinarily gifted musician but he shares the MSO´s deep commitment to music for young people."
Students in the Mobile Bay area may be relieved to learn that, for Seebacher, great music is great music, regardless of when it was composed or who composed it. "Exposure to Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Schoenberg as well as Ellington, Hendrix and Lennon is key to the development of a student´s musical being," Seebacher explains. "Students must be given freedom to form their own beliefs about music and decide how they will become advocates of those beliefs."
What additionally caught Wright´s attention were the glowing references Seebacher received from the Alabama All State Orchestra Festival he served as a clinician for the festival in 2006 and the Pennsylvania Governor´s School of the Arts, where Seebacher is a member of the faculty.
"Rob is an exciting, dynamic, talented young conductor who will be a tremendous asset to the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra," says John Nardolillo, Director of Orchestras at the University of Kentucky. "He is one of the hardest working musicians I know and has the ability to translate his many skills into excitement on the podium, both in rehearsal and performance."
Both Scott Speck, Music Director of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra, and Orland Thomas agreed with Nardolillo´s assessment, Wright adds.
"Their consensus certainly helped bring Rob to the top of the heap," says Wright. "Seebacher is the man! He is going to do great things, I predict."
The Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra is a full symphony orchestra of middle school and high school age musicians from across the Gulf Coast area. Auditions are held in August each year. For more information, visit www.mobilesymphony.org or call 251.432.2064.
