David Commanday got a good idea of what it would be like to work with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra during three stints as a guest conductor this fall.
“From the first moments of working with the Carmel Symphony, it felt right and natural,” Commanday said. “I found the musicians to be very capable and very responsive musically and technically. It was a great pleasure to be working with them.”
The Carmel Symphony Orchestra named Commanday Dec. 12 as its music director. Commanday, 69, had served as guest conductor after Janna Hymes resigned her position after six years in October to concentrate on her new position with the Sedona (Ariz.) Symphony.
“The musicians of the CSO fell in love with Maestro Commanday at their first rehearsal, and the results of this positive engagement have resonated at our Palladium performances,” CSO Executive Director Anne Marie Chastain stated. “Audiences are responding, and we can’t wait to see how the Carmel Symphony Orchestra evolves under Maestro Commanday’s leadership.”
Commanday’s term begins immediately, and the initial appointment will continue through the 2024-25 season.
“This will give us enough lead time to plan an entire season,” Commanday said. “There are going to be a few changes in the schedule repertoire for this season. We’ll start diving into planning for next season.”
Commanday serves as artistic director/conductor of the Peoria-based Heartland Festival Orchestra, an innovative ensemble celebrating its 15th season, as well as director of orchestral activities and Instructor of cello at Eastern Illinois University. Commanday came to Peoria in 1999 to lead the Peoria Symphony Orchestra.
“I led that for 10 years and then we founded the other orchestra,” he said.
Commanday said he has an amazing partner and visionary in Chastain.
“I think she has a marvelous concept of the Carmel Symphony, which is based on musical experience and musical excellence,” Commanday said. “That resonates with my every instinct of what an orchestra needs to do and be. We are there to bring the music alive in every possible sense of the word for the audience as it happens.”
Commanday is also a fan of the Palladium.
“It’s a marvelous space,” he said. “Everyone should know how expertly it was designed from an acoustical standpoint for symphonic performance. I found that to be true and I found the staff of the Palladium to be responsive as well.”
Commanday said the acoustic ceiling clouds have different settings.
“One setting is fully amplified performance,” Commanday said. “But for an acoustic performance like the orchestra, there is an orchestral setting. The purpose of the clouds is to move the sound around the concert stage.”
The staff adjusted the clouds for the Masterworks concert in November.
Commanday said he has also enjoyed meeting the board members.
Commanday said Carmel is a charming city.
“There are all kinds of attractions, musically, interpersonal and the culture of the city,” he said. “I think there is great potential there. I’m planning to spend as much time in Carmel as I can.”
For more, visit carmelsymphony.org.
