Longtime principal conductor and music director Larry Rachleff will bid farewell to the Chicago Philharmonic at its final concert for the 2012-2013 season on May 24 at Northwestern University's Pick-Staiger Hall in Evanston.
For his final concert with the Chicago Philharmonic, Rachleff has chosen Bernstein's Symphony No. 1 "Jeremiah" and Schubert's Symphony No. 9 "The Great C Major." When asked why he chose those two pieces, Rachleff said they are beautiful works that the symphony hadn't performed in quite some time and they seemed to suit the season.
Although Rachleff is stepping down from the Chicago Philharmonic after 23 years (he will assume the title of music director emeritus), he will continue to serve as a Walter Kris Hubert professor of music at the Shepherd School of Music and music director of the Shepherd School Symphony and Chamber Orchestras (21 years of service) and as music director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic. (He travels to Rhode Island one week every month and has been their music director for 17 years.)
With his increased professional obligations and family responsibilities over the last several years, Rachleff had only been available to perform once a season with the Chicago Philharmonic. "The Chicago Philharmonic needs someone who can give them far greater time and attention than my schedule allows," said Rachleff.
Rachleff currently resides in Houston, Texas, with his wife, soprano Susan Lorette Dunn and their young son Sammy. Dunn is a teacher and lecturer within the voice and opera faculty of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston.
When Rachleff isn't working he can be found collaborating with his wife on musical pieces. The couple spends most of their down time with their son (they focus their energies on his activities/interests), walking their dog and going to the movies.
Music has always been in Rachleff's blood. Rachleff's first love was jazz music and as he moved into his teen years classical music became very important to him. "My grandmother was a pianist so I grew up hearing her play the piano. I grew up in Connecticut so serious music study was very much a part of what we were all doing. Living near Boston and New York City were great influences on anybody developing a seriousness about classical music," said Rachleff.
Rachleff noted that he was inspired to become a music director/conductor due to his lifelong interest in music and because he finds conducting orchestras thrilling and compelling.
"People of my generation were also influenced by Leonard Bernstein's young people TV concerts and the like," said Rachleff.
When asked what a music director/conductor does, Rachleff shared that he conducts performances, handles programming for concerts that they he isn't performing in, engages in fundraising, deals with development issues, and handles media relations.
"The most satisfying aspect of my job is getting to make great music with fabulous musicians and wonderful musical pieces and that's what I've enjoyed so much about my time in Chicago," said Rachleff "I suppose that most musicians, including myself, would say that the most frustrating thing about their job is hoping and wishing that they had more time to make the music sound the best that they hoped it could be."
Since Rachleff works with both professional orchestra players and students, he tries to take the best of both worlds and give them to the other. Rachleff's goal is to make the young players sound mature and poised and make the veteran musicians sound youthful and energetic.
Of his favorite musical arrangements, Rachleff said it is an impossible question to answer because his favorites are always the pieces he is performing at the time.
"It's been the deepest privilege and honor to be involved with this organization for a little bit more than 20 years now. They were among the first organizations to give me professional opportunities when I was very, very young and very inexperienced and I'll always hold that very dear to my heart."
To purchase tickets, which start at $10 for students and are $25-$75 for all others, contact the Chicago Philharmonic ticket hotline at 866-811-4111 or visit www.chicagophilharmonic.org .