A PORTRAIT OF THE NEWARK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S TWO CONDUCTORS

In its thirty year life, the Newark Symphony Orchestra (NSO) has had only two music directors, and we have indeed been lucky to have two musicians who were just right for the stage of the NSO's development. Harley Hastings was the director of instrumental music at Newark High, and later at the Christina School District. Harley created the NSO under the school district auspices, as an outlet for adult musicians and as a proving ground for serious students. The small orchestra filled an important void as a place where amateur classical musicians could finally come together to play orchestral music. The NSO was, at that time, the only game in the state, for amateurs. The NSO was likewise an organization where young talent could develop. The present concerto competition for young musicians was begun early in the history of the NSO and is a clear outcropping of Harley's enthusiasm in support of young performers. Harley's style was relaxed, supportive and nurturing, all attributes necessary for a new orchestra whose members had a wide range of capability. Always the teacher, Harley enjoyed saying a few words about the music to the audience. In those comments, the audience was referred to Tchaikovsky's "Sheherezade" and Haydn's "Messiah"; editing the spoken word was not Harley's strongest point. But those of us who were there revisit in our imagination Harley's calm, whispered instructions, to get his fledgling orchestra started again after one of our many breakdowns on stage. The NSO was clearly Harley's Orchestra and the orchestra reflected his good humor and pride that good music could happen in Newark, Delaware!

After Harley Hastings' retirement from the Newark Symphony, a year long search culminated with the appointment of Roman Pawlowski as music director. By this time, the capabilities of the members had become more uniform and at a higher level than in the formative years. There was a hunger to perform varied and challenging music. And Roman proved to be exactly the right director to challenge the NSO musicians. Bringing with him a clear concept of how each piece of music should be performed--and of how close a group of amateurs might come to that concept--the orchestra grew rapidly under Roman's capable baton. The NSO now had a full-time (but not full-time at NSO) professional conductor. Roman knew just how much an amateur orchestra could do ... and then asked a little bit more. And we grew in musicianship, in confidence, and enthusiasm; how could we ignore the verve of a conductor who can't wait to play cymbals or bass drum when another conductor is on the podium? Like Harley, Roman has been active in the off-stage life of the orchestra; if you did not know that the NSO is only one of three orchestras Roman directs, you would easily believe, from his commitment, that this is his only orchestra-child. And when the NSO Chamber Orchestra was formed, Roman somehow found time and enthusiasm to direct this group also--in fact, so well that the chamber group sometimes outdraws the parent orchestra! The NSO in its performances now reflects the confidence of its director that great music can be presented by an amateur orchestra that loves what it is doing.

Meet our director ...
ROMAN PAWLOWSKI, MUSIC DIRECTOR
Conducting professionally since 1964, Roman Pawlowski has earned renown in the performance of choral, orchestral, operatic, and contemporary music. Having studied with such masters as Mehli Mehta, Pierre Monteux, Max Rudolph, and Eric Leinsdorf, Maestro Pawlowski now presents more than 25 concerts a season. He began his tenure with the Newark Symphony Orchestra in 1982 and has since raised the musical horizons of performers and audiences through his artistic understanding and leadership. His belief that the living art of music offers a connecting link between all life's experiences demands that his role of performer include that of teacher as well. Maestro Pawlowski is music director of the Delaware County Symphony, the Immaculata College Orchestra, and the Young People's String Orchestra in Baltimore. He also serves on the faculty of Rosemont College in Pennsylvania.

... our concert master ...
ROSARIA MACERA
Rosaria Macera is the Orchestra Director/String Specialist at Shue-Medill Middle School and Newark High School in Newark, Delaware. As a professional orchestral violinist, she performs with the Delaware Symphony and is concertmaster of the Newark Symphony. She also teaches stringed instrument method classes at the University of Delaware. Miss Macera has served as chair of the Delaware All-State Orchestra and as a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra Education Advisory Council. Named as a Newark High School Honored Teacher in 1992, she has also been listed in "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" in 1994 and 1996. Miss Macera received her Bachelor of Music degree from the New School of Music (Philadelphia, PA) in violin performance and is pursuing a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting at the University of Delaware. She has studied violin with Jascha Brodsky, Jonathan Bieler and David Cerone and chamber music with Orlando Cole and Yumi Ninomiya Scott.

... our composer in residence ...
TINA DAVIDSON
The Meet The Composer "New Residency" with composer Tina Davidson links two major Delaware performing institutions, OperaDelaware and the Newark Symphony Orchestra with a vital community organization, the YWCA. The residency, which will run for three years, was one of four sites awarded nation-wide in 1994 and will continue to 1997. The "New Residencies Program, Delaware" is to support and participate in the process of exciting and revitalizing the connection between a living musical culture and those who perform and listen to it, to assist in the artistic growth of the host organization in the presentation of new music, to expand audiences of new music by reaching out into the community, and to educate and stimulate audiences. The residency's goal is to deepen the ties between community and the host organizations, and build a vibrant and loving support system for all music culture in this area. Tina Davidson has been active in her field for over 20 years, writing for ensembles and orchestras nation-wide. She has done extensive work with well-known ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Greater Twin Cities Youth Orchestra, Roanoke Symphony, WHYY-TV, Cassatt Quartet, and the Mendelssohn String Quartet. Tina Davidson's work and musical vision is perhaps best stated by Peter Dobrin of The Philadelphia Inquirer: her music "is rhythmically driving, with fascinating simple yet lovely harmonic changes. The composer makes music satisfying by carefully managing tension and release ... it's being able to bring a sense of beauty and emotion to a strict organizational structure, a rarity in any age." The Newark Symphony has performed three of Ms. Davidson's works. "Over Salt River" (1995) was commissioned by the Newark Symphony Orchestra and was performed in May, 1996, celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Orchestra. The work is scored for full orchestra and soprano, and uses Native American poet, Joy Harjo's "Eagle Poem." The Orchestra has also performed "The Selkie Boy" on December 11, 1994, and "I Hear the Mermaids Singing" on November 11, 1995.

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