When I invite a friend to concert, I’m often surprised to discover that it will be his or her first. Then the questions start: “Do I need to wear a tux? When do I clap? Isn’t it very expensive?” At a recent concert, one of my close friends (an experienced concertgoer) was amused when someone behind him expressed consternation as I left the stage after the opening overture: “Where’s Courtney going? Is the concert over? But it was such a short song.” Classical music concerts can seem rather strange, even offputting, to newcomers. The good news is that the etiquette is very easy to follow. Generally we don’t clap until the very end of a piece, even if it has several separate movements. When in

Continue readingConcert etiquette 101: A beginner’s guide

“So, you’re music director in Jacksonville. How can you be in New York as well?”  Oh yes, that question. It’s time to set the record straight. Conductor’s schedules can be pretty confusing since many of us have several jobs at once. Basically it’s all down to weeks. In my case, the year is divided up into weeks in Jacksonville, weeks in New York, weeks guest conducting, and weeks collapsing on the couch watching Netflix. Once I take up the reins full time in September, I’ll be spending around twenty weeks conducting in Jacksonville, and the same amount of time with the New York Philharmonic. New York City is unlike any other place I’ve lived. Even compared to London the sheer speed and volume of activity

Continue readingMy other life in New York City