In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Reviewed by:
  • Maestros in America: Conductors in the 21st Century
  • Michael Mauskapf
Maestros in America: Conductors in the 21st Century. By Roderick L. Sharpe and Jeanne Koekkoek Stierman. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2008. [xxii, 362 p. ISBN-13: 9780810860223. $85.] Bibliographic references, discographies, appendices, index.

As the first decade of the twenty-first century draws to a close, the number of first-rate regional and national orchestras in America has exploded, allowing an unprecedented number of conductors ample opportunities to test their mettle on the professional circuit. This book, the second such collaboration between authors Roderick Sharpe and Jeanne Koekkoek Stierman, addresses a gap in current conductor biographies, providing a scholarly glimpse into the lives and professions of active conductors throughout the United States. With 106 entries dedicated to both up-and-coming and more established conductors, this collection succeeds in offering a convincing cross-section of the discipline, drawing from a range of orchestras to create a representative catalog of Maestros in America.

While several collections of conductor biographies exist, they are either out-dated, too brief, or dedicated solely to a handful of "star" conductors who have already received ample attention. This book serves not only as an update and expansion of other studies, such as Philip Hart's Conductors: A New Generation (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1983) and Hope Stoddard's Symphony Conductors of the U.S.A. (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1957), but as a vital source of concise yet detailed essays concerning some of today's most influential musicians.

The choice of whom to include in this volume was carefully decided, with the authors limiting potential entrants to those conductors who are either American-born, foreign born with a permanent position in the United States, or naturalized citizens. All candidates have been active at some point between 2000 and 2006. These selection factors were then applied to a survey administered and published by the League of American Orchestras (LAO) in which member orchestras were ranked according to budget size, with Sharpe and Stierman primarily choosing resident conductors from the top three tiers (orchestras with budgets of at least $2.8 million). Several eminent figures who only occasionally conduct in the United States, such as André Previn, are also included, along with maestros of less-wealthy orchestras who the authors deemed exceptional and worthy of inclusion. Another less scientific means of selection considered conductors' public dedication to the survival of the orchestra and to the success of American conductors as a collective. Indeed, the book as a whole takes on a somewhat nationalist flavor, subtly reinforced by a muted cover of red, white, and blue.

This advocacy for so-called native talent is most clearly ensconced in the well-researched introduction, which sets a unified tone for the entries that follow and describes the role of the conductor in [End Page 491] modern musical life. Sharpe and Stierman argue that the boards that run American orchestras should place a firmer emphasis on nurturing homegrown talent, pointing out that, as of 2006, only fourteen of the top forty American orchestras were directed by American conductors. For the American orchestra to truly flourish, then, it must foster young American talent. Yet it seems as though many administrators and educators are readily aware of this, with the LAO running a successful American Con ducting Fellows Program, and several top-notch conservatories consistently placing its graduates with thriving, if lower-level, orchestras—facts that the authors chose not to discuss.

The introduction also serves as a refresher course for young conductors just beginning their careers, describing the traditional auditioning and hiring process, and the countless responsibilities for which conductors are now held accountable. While the authors mention the evolving face of conducting in America, they fail to note some of the more telling changes taking place. Most upper-level conductors now spend only a handful of weeks in America, choosing to split their responsibilities among various international posts. This has caused some orchestras to modify the traditional role of "Music Director," by spreading the leadership role among several conductors so as to distribute their investment. Orchestras in Pittsburgh and Chicago have recently gone this route, if...

pdf

Share