High School and the Art of Conducting

Today was one of those days, necessitating a little away time from anything computer related. So, after work, I threw on a little Florence + the Machine and headed down to the Springville Museum of Art, which is conveniently open late on Wednesdays. Art makes me happy.

Serendipitously, there were two things going on tonight that I wasn’t expecting. The first was the 40th Annual Utah All-State High School Art Show. There are some great pieces on display. In all honesty, there are a number of them I’d really like to have/buy. Unfortunately, those were generally NFS (Not For Sale). It’s very encouraging to see the young talent. We have some great young artists coming up through the ranks.

Second, tonight the museum hosted a performance by the Springville High School Chamber Orchestra. Much to my delight, they included pieces by Gustav Holst and Felix Mendelssohn, two composers who I quite enjoy, in their evening program. Watching their conductor, Dr. Samuel Tsugawa, direct and interact with the orchestra brought to mind a great TED talk by Itay Talgam, an Israeli conductor, where he discussed conductors and their leadership styles.

So, it was an evening filled with great art, great music and something to think about.

The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading, writing, and arithmetic. … Music, dance, painting, and theater are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment.
William J. Bennett, U.S. Secretary of Education, First Lessons (pg. 35)