Music
The KSL Special: "The Soundtrack of Tomorrow" Sponsored by Altabank
2024-11-19
SALT LAKE CITY – After an extensive international search lasting over a year, the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera has announced a new music director. KSL TV was granted the exclusive privilege to journey to Austria to meet this new maestro at the podium.Markus Poschner's star has been ascending for the past decade, conducting orchestras across Europe and capturing the attention of the Utah Symphony. He has guest-conducted the Utah Symphony in both 2022 and 2023. During his second visit, the response from both the musicians and the audience was overwhelmingly positive.Markus Poschner discusses his vision for the Utah Symphony in the atrium of the Musiktheater am Volksgarten. (Ken Fall/ KSL TV)"He brings an astonishingly dynamic energy to the podium, a true electrifying vitality," said Madeline Adkins, concertmaster and a musician representative on the Music Director Search Committee. "What a remarkable way to commence this journey with him! That's where the magic lies, for me, in those unexpected and beautiful moments, and I'm confident our audience has sensed it as well."Following the 2023 visit, in a Utah Symphony Audience Survey, attendees described him as "brilliant," "thrilling," "exuberant," "phenomenal," "very emotional," and "the conductor's evident love of the music. Just hire him now as the new conductor.""The audience response, the on-stage response, especially the musical response, has been truly poignant, and that was highly significant along the way. It definitely set him apart from numerous others," said Steve Brosvik, President & CEO of the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera.From Austria to UtahKSL met with Poschner in Austria earlier this month, first in Vienna and then in Linz. A poster featuring him hung outside the renowned concert hall Musikverein in Vienna, promoting an upcoming concert. Vienna is not only the birthplace of great classical music composers but also a vibrant city at the forefront of modern culture.Poschner, who has been the chief conductor of the Bruckner Orchestra Linz since 2017, draws musical inspiration from these surroundings. He holds a deep affection for his musicians in Linz, Austria."Mutual respect is the foundation, the basis, the absolute cornerstone of working together. As a conductor, I always strive to find a bond of trust," he said.And he mentions that there was an immediate connection when he guest-conducted the Utah Symphony."That was [my] very first American orchestra," he said. "But I immediately had the thought, let's embark on this journey together. Let's build something. Let's grow something on that excellent foundation.""I'm not coming with ready-made answers. It's not just about me. We need to ask ourselves the same questions and ultimately, share our joy, enthusiasm, and passion with the audience – that's what it's all about. Let's discover what we can extract from a score, what secrets lie within. And it's an endless journey. I'm truly excited to start this adventure together with these remarkable musicians in Utah.""He truly has a deep affection for this orchestra. He is highly impressed by the musicianship within the orchestra and the level of artistry. He sees an opportunity to take them as far as they aspire to go," said Pat Richards, a Utah Symphony/Utah Opera Trustee and chair of the Music Director Search Committee.Planning for the FutureThe Utah Symphony will share Maestro Poschner with his Bruckner Orchestra in Linz and the Basel Symphony Orchestra in Switzerland for the next two years. He will join the Utah Symphony full-time in the 2027-2028 season.Brosvik stated that this arrangement is not uncommon in the music world, given the high demand for conductors."We need to gradually increase the number of weeks he spends with us in the city each year. It was the same with Thierry Fisher. In his first season, he had one week with us. With Maestro Poschner, we have two weeks this year and four next year, and we will continue to build on this," he said.Poschner agrees."It's about creating something new, crafting a new image, a new perspective of society and community, and I'm excited to experience this in Utah."We will bring you a half-hour special at 9 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 24 on KSL TV, "The Soundtrack of Tomorrow." Uncover the Musical Journey with Markus Poschner
