Laura's Week with the FSO

Hello! I am Laura Jackson, one of the candidates for Music Director, and I’m having a fabulous time in Fairfax this week. I’ve conducted two rehearsals with the orchestra so far, and they sound great. I’ve also met lots of wonderful people – staff, musicians, board members, and educators, and I am struck by their passionate dedication and loyalty to the community and to the Fairfax Symphony. It is genuinely inspiring to see a community that values arts and music so highly. So much can happen here! There’s enormous potential.

I am excited about the music we’ll be performing this weekend. The ‘Rainbow Body’ by Chris Theofanidis is a very beautiful piece inspired by 11^th century chant and also by concepts in Tibetan Buddhism. It gives one the sense of being in a great cathedral with music echoing all around them.

The Prokofiev is special to me because I grew up listening to it as a young violinist. I find the slow movement to be one of the most beautiful things ever written. The Beethoven Symphony we’re playing also has an exquisite slow movement as well as incredible energy and drive in its outer movements. Conducting it is a lot of fun.

I was looking forward to nice, warm weather this week! Perhaps these chilly temperatures followed me here from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sorry about that.

I hope you will come to the concert this Saturday and find me afterwards to say hello.

Best wishes,

Laura