I hope you are as excited as I am to continue with our explorations in musical interpretation.

I am planning to add a new venture: Mahler’s 4th.

Over the coming months we will devote part of each “rehearsal” to studying the score, learning the stories behind the music, and approaching some of the technical and emotional challenges of conducting it. We will also work on some excerpts.

Why Mahler’s 4th?  My life-long love of Mahler’s music was sparked by hearing it live when I was 12 years old. It was also the first Mahler symphony that I conducted.   For many people it is their favorite, probably because so much of it is joyous and, in the 3rd movement, so sublime.  I, too, sometimes think it is my favorite. I cannot wait to explore it with you.

We  are going to purchase a full-size conducting score for each of you, so that you will have it for ever and can start to mark it up. Then, if someone asks you to conduct it you will prepared!  Whether or not you get that chance, I hope that by next summer you will have come to love this beautiful work as  much as I do.

Please write a line back to me, by return, to confirm that you will be continuing, so that we can order your score and have it sent to your house.

If you were not able to participate in the Fall and would like to join the party, let me know.

Warmest best wishes

Ben Zander

Click here to read ‘Leading From Any Chair’ (Chapter 5 from The Art of Possibility)