WELCOME!

Welcome to Conducting Electricity. Since September 2014 I’ve been writing for the Florida Times-Union, keeping everyone up to date with what’s happening at the Jacksonville Symphony. These posts are reproduced with permission.

I also write about what’s going on in my life as a performing musician and the music I love, while trying to demystify my strange profession of conducting. I love to hear from you, so please leave comments. If there’s a question you’re dying to ask, or a topic you’d like to know more about, please send me a note and I’ll address it in a future post. Enjoy!

Latest Posts

Cat Links Conducting Electricity, Jacksonville Symphony

My heros: Rattle, Abbado & Davis

Posted on Courtney Lewis

During our formative years, musicians are moulded by many influences. Obviously our teachers hold enormous sway, taking on the role of musical parents by establishing the basics of instrumental technique while introducing repertoire at the right time. But like any artist we are often influenced just as much, if not more, by professionals we may not know. The people we admire in our profession can inspire us through their recordings, their public persona and the blueprint of their career. All of this is true for me. I had wonderful teachers at school, university and music college, but as a conductor, the greatest influences were three giants whose influence came entirely from afar. I sometimes think of them, jokingly, as The Holy Trinity: Sir Simon Rattle,

Continue readingMy heros: Rattle, Abbado & Davis

Cat Links Conducting Electricity, Jacksonville Symphony

A Massive Hope for the Future: Elgar’s First Symphony

Posted on Courtney Lewis

Next weekend we perform a masterpiece that is among those closest to my heart, Edward Elgar’s First Symphony. Its premiere in 1908 was probably the greatest success of Elgar’s career. His best friend and publisher, August Jaeger, described the scene at the first London performance: “I never in all my experience saw the like. The hall was packed…the atmosphere was electric…after the first movement E.E. was called out; again, several times after the third, and then came the great moment. After that Finale the audience seemed to rise at E. when he appeared. I never heard such frantic applause after any novelty, or such shouting. Five times he had to appear before they were pacified. People stood up and even on their seats to get

Continue readingA Massive Hope for the Future: Elgar’s First Symphony