Music of Our Own Times

An Interview with David Leibowitz

David Leibowitz has garnered acclaim for his work on the concert, opera, and ballet stage and is celebrated for his innovative programming and exciting performances.

He is the Music Director and founder of the award-winning New York Repertory Orchestra (NYRO). In addition to world and local premieres, some recent highlights of his tenure have been a fully staged production of Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio and landmark performances of Mahler’s epic Symphonies No. 3 and 9. As an avid fan and champion of today’s music, he has commissioned, worked with, and performed premieres by some of the most important composers of our time.

1.     Tell us how NYRO came into being.

The precursor of the New York Repertory Orchestra originated in 1992 as a reading orchestra. As a young conductor, I was looking for conducting opportunities, so I formed the group, made up of many of my musician friends. It gave me the opportunity to conduct and the players the chance to perform these great works of the orchestral repertoire that we didn’t often get a chance to play.

We would meet twice a month or so and after a few years (and the odd one-off concert) we came to a consensus that we should become a regularly performing ensemble and work exclusively towards preparing for, and giving, concerts.

NYRO began its first full season of concerts on February 12, 2000. The program included Verdi’s “La forza del destino” Overture, the “Prelude and Liebestod” from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, and the Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. It was a very ambitious program for an all-volunteer ensemble, but one that clearly stated our goals of performing great music at the highest possible level. For the past twenty years, we have performed seasons of five concerts from October to May.

Our repertoire ranges from early music to contemporary compositions, including many world premieres and NYRO commissions, with an emphasis on neglected masterpieces from the orchestral repertoire. Since our first concert, we have performed over 400 separate works without repetition.

Oh, and our concerts are always free to the public and all our players are volunteers.

2.     What are some highlights of past concerts?

One of the things I am most proud of is the very broad range of music we present to our audiences. Also, we have been very lucky to have amazing soloists perform with us. We regularly have principal players from the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and principal singers from the Met. We have been able to commission music by many young and established living composers, and we make a real effort to program music by women and people of color.

3.     What challenges are unique to a volunteer/community orchestra?

Being based in New York City, we are both blessed and challenged in ways that groups outside big metropolitan areas are not. First, we have a pool of musicians who play at a very high level – at the professional level, really – but also, in a way, we are competing for funding and audience with some of the great performing arts organizations in the entire world.

We have been very fortunate, I think because of the unique focus of our programming as well as the high level of our performances, to attract a loyal audience over the years that supports us both at our concerts as well as financially.

I think our audience trusts us to provide them with a memorable evening in which they’ll experience great music they wouldn’t normally get a chance to hear.

4.     I'd love to learn more about NYRO's musical tours of Europe.

A few years ago, we started to offer a musical/cultural week to our members, families, and audience. We spend a week in a musical capital of Europe and hear concerts and operas, go to museums, explore the local food and culture, all in a very intimate and exclusive atmosphere. Our first year we were in Prague and the year after we visited Vienna. This past June we planned to visit Leipzig for the annual Bach Festival, but because of the COVID-19 crisis, we had to postpone it. We plan to hit Leipzig in 2021!

5.     What's your best advice for someone who wants to learn more about classical music?

I think the most common misconception about classical music is that it is elitist and hard to understand for the uninitiated. Classical music is, like the best in art, music, and literature, highly emotional and dramatic. It can be happy, sad, funny, epic, and overwhelming. As with the great music of any genre – rock, hip-hop, country, folk – it packs a big emotional punch.

One of the best ways to get acquainted with classical music is to go to a concert and just listen and enjoy. No need to dress up or study beforehand – just go and let it wash over you. You may hear things you like and some you may not, but that’s good. Some of my favorite music is the music of our own times – there are so many living composers whose music is vital, vibrant, and conveys a message specifically for us.