BSO board selects veteran conductor Official: Li’s ‘passion ignited orchestra’

BANGOR – The Chinese-born conductor who led symphony-goers in a rousing sing-along of “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America” less than two weeks after Sept. 11 has been named the ninth music director and conductor of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra.

The BSO board of directors approved Xiao-Lu Li, 43, for the position late last week. He was the first of five finalists who vied to replace Christopher Zimmerman, who resigned last spring to lead the Symphony of Southeast Texas after seven years on the job.

“I am absolutely honored and privileged to have been chosen to be the Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s music director,” said Li. “There is not enough in the English language for me to find the proper words to tell how much I enjoy all of you who I met in Bangor. I will give my best to continue building a good orchestra.”

Li was chosen from a pool of nearly 200 applicants, according to Anne Pooler, chairwoman of the search committee, which included members of the orchestra and community. Five were selected last summer to participate in the season-long audition process conducting music programmed by Zimmerman before he announced his resignation. Pooler said Sunday that the BSO sought out candidates who could combine musical excellence with a commitment to the community.

“It was a tough decision because all the candidates were very qualified,” she said. “If I were to boil it down to one word, it’s probably Xiao-Lu Li’s passion that ignited the orchestra and the community. We needed to blend the unique musical ability of the conductor with the community responsibilities of our music director. We were looking for a conductor who was committed to the community side of that. The search committee unanimously recommended Xiao-Lu to the board.”

Li’s leadership at community orchestras in Connecticut and Louisiana earned him a national reputation as an orchestra builder. During his decade at the helm of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra in Lafayette, La., season ticket sales jumped from 300 to 1,500. The symphony purchased its own building, and he founded an affiliated conservatory of music. Li conducted his last concert there in April, but will continue to lead the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra in New London in addition to the BSO through the 2005 season.

Li’s impact on Lafayette during his tenure there was lauded in an April 6 editorial published in the Lafayette Daily Advertiser.

“Li inspired the transformation of the Acadiana Symphony from a small community group into one of the nation’s most respected regional orchestras. He also made the organization a powerful force in the community. Beyond the magnificent performances under his baton, there was growth in resources, outreach programs and attendance. …

“The cultural force he created impacted the economy of Lafayette. A superior symphony orchestra has been a valuable asset in attracting business and industry. Li went beyond providing an economic development advantage, however. In 1998, he and oil industry executive Alfred Lamson spearheaded a productive economic mission to his native China.”

BSO Executive Director Susan Jonason said that Bangor is primed for a similar impact with Li’s appointment.

“With the arts development that’s part of the downtown revitalization and the development of the riverfront, someone like Xiao-Lu definitely can have impact on Bangor as a whole, not just BSO,” she said. “With his background and dedication to community growth and outreach, I see him doing for Bangor some of the things he’s done for Lafayette and New London. He certainly has wonderful connections in China, and I’m sure there’s potential for connections here as well.”

A native of Shanghai, Li left home at 14 to become a violinist in the Chinese Navy Orchestra and, in 1980, joined the Shanghai Symphony after winning a difficult audition. He arrived in the United States in 1983 and studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1990. Li also owns a consulting business based in San Francisco and is the artistic adviser of the Shenzhen and Kunming Symphony Orchestras in China.

Li’s first task with the BSO will be to program music for the upcoming season, according to Jonason. The first concert is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 13, at the Maine Center for the Arts. The BSO executive director said that judging from selections he’s programmed for other orchestras, Li “programs vary dynamically and creatively.”

The music Li conducted Sept. 23 for his audition concert included Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, the prelude to Acts 1 and 3 of Verdi’s “LaTraviata” and Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet Overture.” As an encore, Li, a violinist, played Massenet’s “Meditation de Thais.” The conductor, who became a U.S. citizen in 1998, dedicated the piece to a close friend who died in one of the Sept. 11 hijackings.

Musicologist David Klocko, who gives preconcert lectures for the BSO and was a member of the search committee, said Saturday that it was difficult to tell how much the tragic events of Sept. 11 affected the concert Li conducted.

“He was very exciting for a lot of musicians,” observed Klocko. “There may have been a halo effect from Sept. 11. I keep wondering if the emotion at that concert would have been as high if there had been no Sept. 11. I felt the orchestra played very well together for that concert. I think he’s a positive force for the future, and I’m very interested to see how the orchestra works under him.”

Orchestra manager and French horn player Scott Burditt agreed. Li was his first choice for the job.

“I think we played better for him than we had in quite a long time, Burditt said. “He’s very charismatic and got a lot out of us musically. He had all the musical skills needed for conducting and rehearsing, and just on the strength of his personality, he made us want to do better for him.”

Li will continue to reside in Louisiana with his wife, the violinist Yang Yang, and two daughters. He said that the family would consider moving to New England when his oldest child graduates from high school in 2004. In the meantime, the new BSO conductor said he is excited about his new job and the orchestra’s potential.

“What impressed me about this orchestra is its willingness to play good music,” said Li in a phone interview Saturday. “Any major orchestra will have weaknesses. Me too. I have weaknesses and strong points as a conductor. It’s a matter of how to make everyone achieve their best. I don’t want to promise anything, but it is my strong belief that a great community can have a great university, wonderful schools, wonderful sports teams and a great symphony orchestra. They all reflect people’s concern for quality of life. I sense that the people of Bangor are looking for that too. I plan to do exactly what I believe, in a cautious way, with many people of Bangor who can help me reach this goal.”