Oregon Mozart Players’ season opener offered “something for everyone”

By Daniel Buckwalter for the Eugene Scene (October 8, 2024)

And we’re off and running to find the next artistic director of the Oregon Mozart Players.

OMP’s Artstic Director Festival kicked off on Oct. 5 with the first of three candidates for the artistic director postion. Kevin Fitzgerald conducted the chamber symphony through the works of composers David lang, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven in front of an ample audience in the sanctuary of Eugene’s Central Presbyterian church.

From the light and fresh sweet-air piece by Lang to the glorious violin play of guest soloist Sunmi Chang in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 and, finally, Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 7, the Saturday night concert had something for everyone, and the audience rose for a standing ovation for both Fitzgerald and OMP.

Oregon Mozart Players’ second candidate for artistic director “comfortable in his audition”

By Daniel Buckwalter for the Eugene Scene (October 23, 2024)

It was an engaging evening all around.

The Oregon Mozart Players on Oct. 19 introduced David Amado — the second of three conductors in OMP’s search for a new artistic director, dubbed the Artistic Director Festival — with works by Arvo Pärt, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven in front of an appreciative audience at Central Presbyterian Church.

Pärt’s Frates was lush and prayerful, and the third movement of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major was lively (also featuring the expert solo play of violinist Sunmi Chang) while Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major was a spirited affair, especially its well-known third movement.

third finalist in oregon mozart players’ conductor search is a familiar face in the eugene music scene

By Daniel Buckwalter for the Eugene Scene (November 26, 2024)

A friend among Eugene’s classical music circle was welcomed back on Nov. 23 for a one-night conducting performance, the third and final conductor to take the podium in the Oregon Mozart Players Artistic Director Festival.

Daniel Cho took an appreciative audience along on a musical ride with selections from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven as well as American composer Carlos Simon, and Cho now takes on the role of interim artistic director for the Mozart Players.