sa国际传媒官网网页入口

By John Miller

Journal Staff Writer

New Mexico Philharmonic Music Director Roberto Minczuk says music is a lot like food.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 really need to be an expert to appreciate it,鈥� he said.

The state鈥檚 largest professional classical symphony will close out its 15th anniversary season with 鈥淪chumann and Mahler鈥檚 Fifth,鈥� a classical pairing meant to emblematize the change of seasons 鈥� 鈥渇rom darkness to light.鈥�

Minczuk, acclaimed violinist Karen Gomyo and an accompanying orchestra will take the stage Saturday, May 16, as Gomyo performs what Minczuk said is one of Robert Schumman鈥檚 most emotional, lyrical, personal and controversial works.

Schumann鈥檚 Violin Concerto remained largely unknown for more than 80 years after the German composer wrote it in 1853 amidst a steep mental decline, according to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, leading to a mixed reception by some of his contemporaries.

That long-suppressed work will be in the hands of 鈥渙ne of the best violinists of her generation,鈥� Minczuk said of Gomyo, who was born in Tokyo and began her musical career in Montr茅al and New York.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and New England Conservatory of Music, Gomyo has debuted with what are considered some of the world鈥檚 great symphony orchestras 鈥� recently including the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in Germany and the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra.

Following Gomyo鈥檚 performance of Schumann鈥檚 long-lost classic, NMPhil will continue its chronological performance of Gustav Mahler鈥檚 symphonies. The philharmonic opened its 15th season with Mahler鈥檚 Fourth Symphony in October.

According to Carnegie Hall, Mahler鈥檚 Fifth marks the late 19th century, early 20th century composer鈥檚 first in a 鈥渢rio of purely orchestral symphonies.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 very aggressive,鈥� Minczuk said. 鈥淗e starts with the 鈥楩uneral March,鈥� and then he develops the symphony until he finally gets to the Fourth Movement, which is the famous Adagietto 鈥� one of the most beautiful pieces of music known because it鈥檚 so sublime and it鈥檚 just so beautiful.鈥�

That famous section of Mahler鈥檚 seminal work is widely believed to have been dedicated to the composer鈥檚 wife, Alma, 鈥渁nd her reaction didn鈥檛 disappoint,鈥� Carnegie Hall writes.

Mahler, who lived primarily in Vienna from 1860-1911, follows in the tradition of Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms using much larger orchestras, for which he composed pieces that can last well over an hour.

鈥淗is symphonies are just the grandest symphonies that were ever composed,鈥� Minczuk said. 鈥淔or an orchestra, it鈥檚 always exciting to play Mahler, because he鈥檚 the one that challenges the orchestra the most. His writing for the French horns is as complex as his writing for the violins. He writes for all sections in a very, very demanding way, technically.鈥�

Minczuk knows Mahler鈥檚 work from both sides of the stage.

He was born in 1967 as one of eight children in S茫o Paulo, Brazil, where his father was conductor of the S茫o Paulo Military police choir and music minister at the family鈥檚 local church.

鈥淲e all studied music,鈥� Minczuk said. 鈥淰ery, very religious, very much involved with the church through music, and very strict. You know, my dad was very demanding 鈥� countless hours of practicing and all that, for which I鈥檓 very grateful that he instilled that discipline.鈥�

Minczuk and three other of his siblings went on to become professional musicians. When he was just 14 years old, Minczuk moved from Brazil to New York on a full-ride scholarship to The Juilliard School, where he studied the French horn and conducting.

Before taking on the role of music director of the New Mexico Philharmonic in 2017, Minczuk held roles at many esteemed orchestras throughout the world, notably the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, where he studied under the late and famed conductor Kurt Masur.

鈥淗e became a mentor to me,鈥� Minczuk said of his teacher. 鈥淟ater, he became music director of the New York Philharmonic, where I became his assistant and associate conductor.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been very passionate about music and conducting,鈥� Minczuk added, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 been already almost 35 years of a career as a conductor. In New Mexico alone, it has been nine years that I鈥檝e been music director.鈥�

Great music, he said 鈥� from pop to classical 鈥� stands the test of time if it appeals to 鈥渙ur feelings, to our souls, but also to our brains, even without understanding it completely.鈥�